Send-off Ceremony for Participants of the JENESYS 2015 Badminton Programme
The Send-off Ceremony for the participants of the JENESYS 2015 Badminton Programme (from 14th to 22nd March) was held on 10th of March hosted by the Japanese Ambassador Madam Noriko Iki at her residence.
Below is the speech made by Ambassador Iki during the ceremony:
I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you today. It is a great pleasure to host the send-off reception for the participants of the “Sport: Exchange in Badminton” programme under the framework of the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths 2015, namely JENESYS 2015.
I would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Department of Youth and Sports for their kind and continued cooperation with our Embassy in coordinating the participants, and to JICE, the implementing agency of this JENESYS programme. In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to convey my appreciation to the Department for rallying the former JENESYS participants to sing a Japanese song on stage and showcase the JENESYS programme at the forthcoming Japanese Language and Culture Week on the 18th to the 20th of March.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Tokyo Olympic Games held in 1964 gave Japan an opportunity to introduce itself to the world, which was exactly during the period of rebuilding after the war. In light of Japan’s path as a peace-loving country, and its sincere efforts with various issues in the international arena, Japan should show the world how it can contribute on the occasion of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
From such a perspective, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, disclosed the “Sport for Tomorrow” programme, an international contribution plan of the Government of Japan, in an IOC meeting in September 2013. In this programme, Prime Minister Abe committed to expand the value of sports, and the Olympic/ Paralympic movement to more than 10 million people in over 100 countries by 2020.
Going along with the “Sport for Tomorrow” programme, the Embassy of Japan in Brunei supported the under-14 football exchange programme in April 2014, the badminton exchange programme in September 2014, the dispatch of the Japanese coach for the under-14 football team in April 2015 and the under-23 football exchange programme in May 2015. We are pleased to be able to conduct the badminton exchange again this year.
I know you will soon be visiting Japan, together with a group from Indonesia, to practise badminton at St Ursula’s High School in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, which is located in the central part of the Tohoku (northeastern) region – the region which was affected by a Tsunami in March 2011. This school has one of the top badminton clubs in Japan and I believe you will gain some invaluable experience and new techniques by jointly practising badminton with them.
You will also come into contact with Japanese culture, both traditional and modern, by experiencing home-stay as well as visiting historical and cultural sites. I hope your trip to Japan will not only develop your badminton skills but also foster your understanding towards Japan, which will result in mutual trust between Japan and Brunei Darussalam.
Today, I would like to touch upon our plan that is in the pipeline, to invite some top Japanese athletes in the field of badminton during this year. Last month I visited the Japanese Badminton Association to request the dispatch of competent Japanese badminton players to Brunei. So far, the final decision from the Association has not yet been made, but l hope I will soon be able to send you good news.
Finally, I very much hope that this JENESYS programme will be worthwhile for you and I would like to reiterate the significance and value of the “Sport for Tomorrow” programme.
Have a safe trip and I wish you all the best.
Thank you very much.
