Fijian PM urges PYs to learn as much as possible

Swedish Youth Delegates board the MS Fuji Maru after the official welcoming ceremony in Suva, Fiji

YOUTHS on board the Ship for World Youth, MS Fuji Maru, met with the Prime Minister of Fiji during a courtesy call on Thursday.

Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama greeted the 300 plus delegates and welcomed them to Fiji.

“Over the three-day stopover, you will get other opportunities to experience other aspects of our country, our culture and most importantly our people.

“I do hope you will learn as much as possible and begin to lay foundations for lifelong friendships,” he said.

Commodore Bainimarama said he was sure the youths would agree with him when he said solid international cooperation and partnerships were made simply on foundation of good friendships and mutual understanding.

“This is exactly what the Ship for World Youth program represents to Fiji-opportunities to build youth friendships and forge lifelong partnerships based on respect and mutual understanding with your countries,” he said.

Meanwhile, the participants from the program visited the University of the South Pacific yesterday.

The purpose of the World Youth Program is to foster international cooperation and promote friendship between the young people of Japan and other countries. Participants are required to contribute to cultural exchange activities on board the ship and shore visits, and to contribute to study and discussions of subjects of common interest.

Countries participating in the program this year are Japan, Fiji, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Oman, Solomon Islands, Sweden, Tanzania and Vanuatu.

Youth delegates from Mexico show off their colourful attire during the official welcoming ceremony at the Suva Civic Auditorium. Picture: ADI BULI NACOLA

The article appeared on The Fiji Times Online at http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=165401 on Feb. 5, 2011.

What Can You Do? Challenge by Dr. Russell Howorth from Suva, Fiji

International youth delegates during their visit to SOPAC. Dr Russell Howorth, right, speaks on climate change.

This article appears in The Fiji Times Online at http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=165405 on Feb. 5, 2011, and was written by Ioane Burese.

“What are your plans to assist yourself, your family, friends, community and country address the climate change challenge?”

Dr Russell Howorth, director of SPC Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC), issued the challenge to the more than 40 international youth delegates from the 23rd Ship of World Youth Program who attended a presentation by SOPAC scientists on their work within the region on climate change.

The presentation was held at SOPAC headquarters in Suva.

Dr Howorth said in a statement climate change had gained pre-eminence in the debate on development at all levels, national, regional and global.

“The ocean is often referred to as the engine room of the global climate,” said Dr Howorth.

“It occupies nearly three quarters of the earth’s surface and stores most of the incoming energy from the sun.

“Not only is the Pacific Ocean the largest physical feature on earth, here in the SOPAC region over 95 per cent of the environment is the Pacific Ocean.

“Most of SOPAC’s work is indirectly, if not directly, linked to assisting its island members respond to the climate change challenge, and assisting island communities ensure effective adaptation strategies are in place, and sustainable.

“This requires understanding the potential impacts of climate change, and understanding requires information that comes from timely ongoing scientific and technical data collection.

“Put simply, this is the very rationale for SOPAC.”

Dr Howorth explained that climate change was not discernable on a daily basis, “it is about daily weather events and in particular, extreme weather events, that are changed slowly over time, and whose frequency and intensity may be increasing”.

He said climate change brought another dimension to a whole range of environmental, social and economic issues to which small island developing states around the world were vulnerable, and it was key to understand how the adverse impacts will affect communities in SOPAC’s island members.

Information is essential to understanding what has happened in the past, and what is happening today. Will the frequency and intensity of events increase and thereby, so will the social and economic impacts? Is our capacity to cope increasing, or has it in fact diminished or even been lost?

“Once island communities have this information they can design and implement adaptation strategies that are underpinned with a ‘No Regrets’ approach,” said Dr Howorth.

He concluded by saying he hoped the future role of the youth delegates would hinge around “providing No Regrets adaptation strategies: plant drought resistant and salt resistant crops, secure fresh water supplies by fixing leaking pipes and/or taps, build buildings to required building codes, do not build on the high tide line or in river channels”.

The 23rd Ship for World Youth Programme, operated by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, involves 144 young people from Japan and a further 144, made up of 12 delegates from each of the partner countries of Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Mexico, Oman, Solomon Islands, Tanzania and Vanuatu.

Chile, Bahrain, Oman share thoughts on Fiji

A member of the 23rd Ship for World Youth has described her first experience in Fiji as amazing. Chile’s Manuela Rioseco a primary school teacher by profession is part of the 300 young people sailing around the world on board the Fuji Maru.

Rioseco told FBC News, that Fiji and Chile share a lot of similarities in culture and tradition. “It’s amazing to see the cultures come together and merge and even though we are very different, we come to get something in common. We have similarities and that is great. The Fijian delegation we have become very close because we are very similar. They are always smiling and they are very happy, and they play sports and they are very good at parties too, and we have some things in common and that has been great.”

Rioseco hopes to go back to Chile and teach her students about world peace. “I want to teach them mutual understanding, I want to teach them how to achieve peace, I want to learn everything from different countries. The way they teach the students on how the economy of each country works, the way voluntarism work works.”

A bank business advisor from Bahrain is amazed at the hospitality accorded to the 300 young people sailing on board the peace boat – Fuji Maru. Buddor Kamal is part of the Bharain delegation sailing around the world – as part of the 23 Ship for World Youth – which called into Suva port yesterday.

Kamal told FBC News she knows very little about Fiji, but her short experience yesterday has made her respect Fijian culture and tradition. “It’s an amazing experience you get to learn about the different cultures and ways of living. We are put together in different cabins with different people from the participating countries and it’s really amazing and really, really happy to be in the Fiji islands. Great people and I’m so happy to be here. I’m so happy to learn about the kava. I invite everyone in Fiji to visit Bharain.”

Oman national leader Ahmad Al- Hooti at the Welcome Reception on board the Fuji Maru.

Also on board the 23rd Ship for World Youth is Oman delegation leader Ahmad Al- Hooti. Al Hooti says the participants have learned to appreciate each other on the voyage. “Actually it was hard for some of us because the ship keep shaking all the time because the waves and change of the weather from country to country from sea to sea almost our friendship and our gathering as a youth keeps us at least forget the tears and pains and keep on thinking of each other and this keeps us enjoying the journey.”

This article is from http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=34136 on Feb. 2, 2011 and from http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=34126 on Feb. 3, 2011, which were both written by Maca Lutunauga.

The Fiji Times Online: Ship for World Youth diary 2

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The following piece from http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=164784 on Jan. 28, 2011, was written by the SWY 23 Fijian delegate Fenton Lutunatabua for The Fiji Times Online.

New friends

We finally checked into our hotel, the ANA Intercontinental at 10am and I have to say again, this place is extremely fancy.

We had intense rounds of briefing with all the delegations; there are people from Mexico, Oman, Bahrain, Sweden, Tanzania and Chile. We were given vitamins to take twice daily to avoid getting sick and a thermometer to check our temperature to ensure we remained healthy at all times.

*Its 9:15 am and we are leaving our hotel for the beginning of our local programme at the Yamagata Prefecture. Prefectures are like provinces back home. Last night we had our launch at the hotel lounge. Our chance to “suit up” we had Japanese beer, buffet style Japanese cuisine, good wine and sake. There was a great speech from the national delegation leader of Sweden.

*We went shopping in Shibuya and Harijuka which is where all the young people hang out and go shopping, lots of great things for really really cheap prices, but I had no money. Lol.

*We got the bullet train to the Yamagata train station, we are with the Mexican delegation. We went straight to meet the governor at the cabinet office. There is so much snow around everywhere, we can see what is referred to as snow monsters, trees bent over time by the wind covered in snow that look like monsters.

*Yamagata is very different from Tokyo, Tokyo is like a sea of grey, black, ties, suits, fancy phones and surgical masks. Yamagata is more like the country side.

Tokyo, by the way, like patrons at popular watering holes back home can relate to, looks better at night and after a few beers.

This is the first time that all the delegations have been together in the cabinet office in Japan

From this trip we can expect to experience the good aspects of international exchange, the connecting with people, we all at one point or another will connect with individuals in this programme.

It will also bring about relationships with the SWY alumni and future SWY participants.

By the time I disembark in March, I hope to find answers to all these questions I have about life, that I probably wont find anywhere else, this is indeed a gift. I look forward to all the treasures this journey has in store for me.

From this programme we hope to develop as good leaders who can coordinate the wisdoms of the world and change the society for the better by helping them realise the value of diversity

This programme is about furthering peace in the world and understanding the importance of developing human resources.

*Met the vice governor of Yamagata Takashi Takahashi. Yamagata is full of hot springs, its rich in nature. We managed to catch a theatre piece from the Yamagata Okitama Theatre company called the feudal warlords of love. We are visiting local land marks in the Yamagata Prefecture.

*We had a bit of kava in our rooms with the Mexican delegations, got to talk a bit more about our homes and what-naught.

*We visited the museum, the first public school and had lunch at a full on, sit on the floor, Japanese restaurant.

*We had a performance at the reception where we met our host families, I stayed with Masumi and his family

My host mom, dad and brother, was beyond amazing, the bad thing about meeting new people and saying hello is saying good bye. Also my Mexican brother Aures. nGave a presentation at the Yamagata university on youth contribution to society, environmental conservation.

The Fiji Times Online: From Japan with love

The following piece from http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=164693 on Jan. 27, 2011, was written by the SWY 23 Fijian delegate Fenton Lutunatabua about his experience for The Fiji Times Online.

Day 1- Monday January 10

Arriving at the Nausori airport with family to see us off was sad, exciting and strange.

Sad because there were a few of my friends I had not said bye to yet and I mean, how do you really say bye to friends and family?

It was exciting and strange because here I was part of a 12-member delegation brought together by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, who had not really worked together and built bonds yet, preparing to embark on a journey that would change our lives forever.

Our journey would begin from the Nausori airport, to Sydney then finally to Tokyo, Japan.

For a few members of the delegation this was their first international trip and I remember telling them how lucky they were to be travelling to so many countries, for their very first trip.

The Nadi Airport was extremely full, there I was, listening to my I- touch and wondering, if for every one person leaving Fiji, there were two more tourists entering the country. Listening to my tunes I couldn’t help but to ponder the next two months away from loved ones.

As I began to make my final texts and calls to the crew, a few things dawned on me. Reactions are always different, sometimes, you don’t get the reaction you had imagined, maybe its my fault I tend to fantasize a lot and live in this world where everything is grand and exaggerated, I love it, even the harsh disappointments of reality!

While on the flight I couldn’t help but notice how rude the staff was to young Fijian travellers, this is something I find most annoying, older people looking down on us and not giving us the same respect they expect to get back automatically.

Maybe this certain air hostess just had a bad morning or something, but maybe if she practised a bit more professionalism, she would be receiving positive vibes from people instead of negative ones that just ruin her day even more

We arrived in Sydney safely and checked in at the Stanford Hotel. The hotel that they have set us up in is pretty amazing. We managed to meet some members of the Solomon delegation, the National Leader, Elwyn and another delegate Wayne, taught us this song about the programme that they want to sing onboard the ship.

Again I am reminded of the scope of personalities and cultures that I will meet during the course of the programme, so many different people with so many different talents coming together to share all of who they are to people they meet.

This journey is going to be amazing and a melting pot of fresh, versatile, innovative young minds

Waiting outside our gate at the Sydney airport to Tokyo, the weariness of travel is catching up with us. Everyone is pretty tired, even Alisi, George and Rusi, who are usually cheering everyone up with their hearty laughs are pretty beat. Sitting here waiting for our flight to be called, the familiarity of it all is becoming more evident. Somehow I love the comforting strangeness of travel.

We met up with the Australian, Vanuatu and Solomon delegation in Sydney

At 6pm local time, we finally arrived in Tokyo, Japan. We have the whole day to settle in and discover Tokyo the only way Fijians do, without a map and on foot.

First thing I did was get myself a caramel soy latte which cost me like an arm and a leg. Everything about this airport is so game- showey!

Before all that though, we checked into the ANA Intercontinental Hotel, which by the way is beyond fancy!

At around 8:30 am we finally board the SWY bus from outside the Narita International Airport with the Australian, Vanuatu and Solomon delegation. Everyone is seemingly friendly to each other on the bus; we can hear giggles and comments from all the different countries; however the weariness that comes with travelling such a long distance over so many hours is becoming evident. A few of the Fiji delegates are already missing the comforts of the familiar.

I keep reminding them that this is the beginning of a great adventure and even though at times you are going to miss your family and friends its important to remember that they are all super proud of you and want you to maximise this experience and not waste a single moment thinking about wanting to go back home.

I also asked them to measure how much they will grow and gauge their growth from today till the last day of this programme.

At the end of this all they will become carbon copies of who they are at that very moment and when they get back home to their families, they will be the same person, but with added improvements here and there.

When you are away from family and friends, everything you used to take for granted seems even more important now.

You realise how important it is to always say positive things.

Saying things like “thank you”, “I miss you”, “you mean a lot to me”, “thanks for being in my life”, “I love you” is something that should be practised.

It may seem laughable or ridiculous when you’re in a position to take things for granted but once you’re out of that comfort zone, somehow you just wished you said it more. It can make a world of a difference to both hear it and say it

So in the same breath to everyone who knows someone who is part of the Fiji delegation, we would like to say, “thank you for being an amazing part of our lives, we miss you all heaps, love you, bye.”

10 represent Fiji on youth ship

Members of the Fiji youth to the Ship for World Youth program perfom their meke at the Playhouse during the launch. Picture ATU RASEA

Ten youths will leave our shores next week as part of a delegation to the ‘Ship for World Youth’ program. Youth officer Sitiveni Rokoro will lead the delegation. The group consists of youth volunteers from around the country.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports prepared a morning tea yesterday to farewell Emily Erasito, George Nacewa, Chantelle Shankar, Veni Cakau, Mei Fa Luo, Fenton Lutunatabua, Shaiza Janif, Jone Sinavi, Alisi Rabukawaqa and Rusiate Cabeivalu

The ship for the world youth program is a Japanese Government funded initiative which aims to encourage foreign youth exchange at the same time deepening their understanding through various cultural activities and encourage them to gain global views and develop their skills that may be needed in the field of international cooperation. Close to 140 youths from 12 countries and 140 youths from Japan will live together on board the ship for 43 days.

Director of Youth and Sports, Makereta Sauturaga thanked those that have supported the youth delegates in their preparation. Fiji will be participating in port of call activities when the delegates arrive here on February 3.

“This is exciting news,” she said. “I must convey government’s sincere gratitude to the Government of Japan for its continued support to Fiji and its young people. I have faith that the organising committee will facilitate a port of call program that will be memorable and enhance Fiji’s understanding with these international participants in February.”

Miss Erasito, 24 ,was nominated by the Rotuman Youth Council to be part of this program. She hopes to learn more about youth development and intends to relay her experience to youths in Fiji on her return. “This is my interest and hopefully on board the ship, I will able to gain more new ideas and be able to use these ideas in my home country,” she said. “It is also an opportunity for me to learn new cultures and it is a stepping stone for me to the outside world.”

Mr Nacewa, 25, hopes to use every opportunity on the ship to enforce inter-ethnic relationships among the representatives from the 12 countries.

Miss Lala , 22, hopes to use this opportunity to develop cross – culture understanding.

The youths will be involved in activities at ports of call, discussion seminars, committee activities and voluntary activities.

This article appeared at http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=163465 on Jan. 7, 2011.

YouTube message from Australian Dan Ednie for SWY23

As the day of departure is coming nearer, Australian delegate Dan Ednie made the following welcome video in anticipation of meeting the over 200 other delegates that are coming together for SWY23.

Before the official disembarkation of the ship Fuji Maru from Japan, much preparation occurs: the National Leaders met in late summer in Tokyo; individual delegations from each country try to meet and get to know each other as well as share a welcome message to their fellow delegations; Facebook groups and email lists are formed to help delegates meet each other across the distances that separate them.