2019 Ship for World Youth
By: Mary Pilkinton
Tags: Youth, Exchange, Australia, International, Japan

Overview

From January 15 — March 1, I was lucky enough to be one of twelve Australian delegates in the 31st Ship for World (SWY) program. SWY is a cultural exchange and leadership program run and funded by the Cabinet Office of Japan. In 2019, 120 participants from Japan came together with 120 participants from Australia, Ecuador, Chile, the UAE, Turkey, Greece, Sweden, Tanzania, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands on the six-week program, with two weeks of onshore programs in Japan and four weeks of onboard programs on the Nippon Maru, sailing to the ports of Naha, Palau, Darwin, Brisbane and Honiara.

The Australian Delegation

Onshore activities

The first week of the SWY program involved cultural activities for the overseas participants. The Australian delegation travelled with the Tanzanian delegation to Osaka for our homestay experience. I was hosted by Takashi Kato (a participant of SWY in 1999) and Naoko Kato, and their two children Sae and Sei. The homestay was a wonderful opportunity for us to experience everyday life in Japan, and to do sightseeing in our host city.

Me with my host family in Nara

After our homestay, we returned to Tokyo to begin our official program at the National Youth Centre. During our week in Tokyo, we participated in leadership seminars, starting meeting other participants, went on a tour of Tokyo, and split into our different courses and committees for the onboard programs.

Tokyo city tour

Ports of Call

Our first port of call was in Naha, on the Japanese island of Okinawa. The participants split into different institutional visits. I visited a recycling and sustainability centre, and a waterbird sanctuary to learn about how Okinawa manages its natural environment.

Japanese and UAE delegates at the Manko Waterbird and Wetland Centre, Okinawa

Our second port of call was in Darwin. SWY31 was the first time the Ship for World Youth program has visited Darwin. We participated in a peace ceremony to commemorate World War II, and to celebrate the now peaceful relationship between Australia and Japan. We also visited Charles Darwin University and attended seminars on cultural rights, and environmental sustainability, as well as attending various institutional visits.

Showing our international friends Darwin

Onboard Peace Ceremony (featuring 1000 paper cranes made by Japanese participants)

Our final official port of call was in Brisbane. In Brisbane, we had a surf lifesaving activity on Redcliffe beach, went on city tours, participated in a climate change workshop at the University of Queensland, and had an amazing sports day organised by five Rotary clubs in District 9630.

Rotary Sports Day

Surf Lifesaving Activities in Brisbane

We also had two unofficial refuelling stops in Palau and the Solomon Islands. In Palau, we enjoyed a day of beautiful snorkelling and swimming. In Honiara, we explored the city and some of the nearby WWII sites which were very interesting experience.

Exploring Honiara

Onboard activities

Onboard the Nippon Maru we had several official activities, including course discussions, national presentations, club activities and participant seminars.

I participated in the International Cooperation course, which mostly focussed on global refugee issues. We participated in activities such as creating global conflict maps, learning about the causes of refugee crises, and engaging in discussions about refugee policies in each of our home countries.

Each participating country also had a national presentation night. These usually involved a series of cultural performances, followed by a party where other participants could try traditional food and drink, and participate in cultural activities like dance specific to the host country.

The Ecuadorian National Presentation

The Australian National Presentation

Participants were also able to run a club activity for other participants to join. The clubs on offer included Japanese Chado (traditional tea ceremony), Turkish dance, and Solomon Island panpiping. I ran a debating club, which 25 participants joined. We debated a variety of topics and worked on improving public speaking and English language confidence. I was so impressed with how confidently participants spoke, and how enthusiastically they participated in the club. I also joined the Tanzanian Swahili club and learnt some songs and basic Swahili language.

Another important part of the official onboard program were the participant seminars. There were a wide range of seminars given including on leadership skills, sustainability, and cross-cultural understanding. These seminars were a great way to learn more about other participants, and their skills and knowledge. I ran a seminar about Australian wildlife and environments, as well as a seminar on Young Carers with two other Australian delegates.

My seminar on Australian wildlife

There were also many unofficial activities onboard the Nippon Maru that happened in our free time. I learnt how to do the Japanese fishing dance Soran Bushi, made a spoon using the traditional Japanese Kiso lacquerware technique, saw whales, orcas and dolphins from the deck, and enjoyed just chatting and learning from other participants.

Conclusions and what comes next

The Ship for World Youth program was an extraordinary experience that I feel very fortunate to have participated in. I now have amazing connections and friendships with people all over the world, and new memories and skills that will be invaluable for me in my future education, career, and everyday life. The network and family we created on the program is something I am sure will continue influencing and enriching me for the rest of my life.

SWY Australia has an active alumni association, and we are already getting started with post-program activity planning. I’m looking forward to staying involved with SWY for many years to come!