| Rokiah Mahmud |
BRUNEI’S Participating Youth (BPY) look forward to promote the country among fellow participating youth (PY), said the country’s National Leader (NL) Muhammad Iqbal Fakhri bin Haji Damit, who along with other youth spent eight days sailing onboard the Nippon Maru.
Muhammad Iqbal Fakhri made this comment during a press conference chaired by the administrator of the 45th Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP), Yamatani Hideyuki yesterday.
The Nippon Maru with participants in the SSEAYP 45th edition carrying 318 youth from 10 ASEAN member countries and Japan arrived at the Muara Port yesterday as their first port of call.
Brunei Darussalam is represented by 28 BPY with Mohd Nabil Fikri bin Mudim Haji Suhaili as Youth Leader (YL) and Siti Mar Atussholiha binti Mohd Hisa as the Assistant Youth Leader (AYL).
Yamatani said the SSEAYP is based on a joint statement issued in January 1974 between Japan, the Republic of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Philippines, the Republic of Singapore and the Kingdom of Thailand.
“Brunei Darussalam joined the programme in 1985 along with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1996. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Union of Myanmar joined in 1988. The Kingdom of Cambodia joined in 2000,” he said.
“Apart from promoting friendship and mutual understanding among youth of Japan and ASEAN member countries, the programme also aims to promote youths capability of exercising their leadership skills in various fields and contribute to the society in various areas,” Yamatani added.
The programme also aims to broaden the youths’ perspective and strengthen the spirit of international cooperation and practical skills for international collaboration. These aims can be achieved through participants living together on the ship, introducing their culture to one another and participating in discussions and various exchange activities both on board and in the countries they visit.
The PY will engage in several activities such as visits to selected institutions, home-stay programme and welcome dinner.
Under the 2018 SSEAYP programme, PY members embark on a 52-day journey with the inauguration ceremony held in Tokyo, Japan on October 24, homestay and several other activities in 11 different prefectures all over Japan.
While in Japan, representatives from each participating country had an audience with Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino and also paid a courtesy call on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
After Brunei, the youth members will sail to the Philippines (Manila), Thailand (Bangkok) and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh) before heading back to Japan (Tokyo).