Japanese students in Miri under Lions Youth Exchange programme
MIRI: Five Japanese students are in Miri to experience life in the local cultures and gain new understanding of the world.
The five, Kokoro Shirakawa, Haruka Nozoe, Mana Fuchino and Taro Naniwa, all aged 16 years and Honoka Otsuru, 19 years old are among nine Lions Youth Exchange (YE) programme participants from Japan who arrived in Miri on Wednesday for the five- day programme. The other four members later left for Bintulu.
Lions International YE coordinator John Ling said the annual Lions Youth Exchange programme is held to provide today’s youths who are leaders of tomorrow, the opportunity to learn about people and cultures other than their own in effort to promote world peace.
Ling said the Japanese YE students were given the opportunity to live with Lions hosting families during the programme to learn new cultures first-hand.
“The ultimate goal is to have each participant share his or her experiences upon returning home in line with promoting international understanding.
“We will be receiving another YE group from Thailand on July 30 and the Taiwan YE group on August 5 while at the end of the year, 18 local youths from Sabah and Sarawak will be going to Japan, Thailand and Taiwan for the same programme,” he told reporters yesterday during a visit with the YE participants to the community based rehabilitation centre ( PDK) in Lutong.
Among the activities arranged for the YE students are fun ride at Coco Cabana, visits to Curtin University Malaysia, Daiken Miri Sdn Bhd ( MDF factory), an Iban longhouse, crocodile farm and a trip to Niah cave. The students will be hosted to a farewell dinner before their departure to Kota Kinabalu on July 30.
Ten Lions clubs around Miri comprising Lions Club of Miri Host, Lions Club of Miri Central, Miri Mandarin Lions Club, Marudi Mandarin Lions Club, Lions Club of Batu Niah, New Century Lions Club of Miri Resort City, Lutong Lions Club, Miri Lambir Lions Club, Miri Resort City Lions Club and New Centennial Lions Club are collaborating in the YE programme.
Lion International aims at empowering its volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs throughout the world.