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What
is SWY Australia?
SWY
Australia is the alumni association for Australian past participants of
the Ship for World Youth Program. It is an autonomous and independent
organisation developed by its members and works in consultation with the
International Youth Exchange Organization of Japan (IYEO), the Government
of Australia and the Embassy of Japan in Australia. Our organisation is driven by the talents,
vitality and enthusiasm of our members and we work to exceed the
expectations outlined in our charter.
Our organisation was created over ten years ago, and since 1995 over 40
additional SWY Alumni Associations (SWYAA) have been established around
the world. SWY
Australia management is overseen by an executive committee comprising: a
President; Vice-President Communications; Vice-President Finance; and
Vice-President Projects. The executive committee is elected annually and
holds office for 12 months DETAILS.
 
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SWY Australia is a contemporary and exciting organisation involved in a
mosaic of initiatives and projects. We always strive to engage the
community with our activities and endeavour to forge long-term, mutually
beneficial partnerships via our domestic and international
projects. If you are interested in establishing a partnership with
SWY Australia please
CONTACT
US.
What
is the Ship for World Youth?
The Ship for World
Youth (SWY) is a unique international cultural exchange program organised by the
Government of Japan. The most prestigious program of its kind, SWY brings together over
250 youth from around the world to learn about international cooperation and
understanding. Over a two-month period, participants are involved in a wide range of
activities aimed at fostering cultural sensitivity, understanding and friendship. Most of
the program is conducted onboard the cruise liner Nippon Maru, with some activities
scheduled in Japan, and others in a number of seaports that are visited in the course of
the voyage.
Commencing in 1989,
the program is run on an annual basis. Each year a different mix of nations is invited to
participate and a different ports of call are incorporated into the itinerary.
Aims and objectives
>
foster the spirit
of international cooperation and the competence to practice it
>
promote friendship
and mutual understanding between the youth of Japan and the youth of other
parts
of the
world
>
broaden the
international awareness of participants
>
develop youth
capable of playing leading roles in various sectors of their societies and in
turn
contribute to the sound development of youth in their respective
countries
 
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How does it work?
The Government of
Japan plans, organises, implements and finances the Ship for World Youth. Each year a
number of countries are invited to send a delegation to join the program. Selection of
each delegate is the responsibility of each participating nation - the delegates
themselves are ambassadors for their country.
As representatives
of their country, participants are expected to share with others the views that the youth
of their nation hold on a variety of issues. They prepare presentations which showcase
their country, research and deliver papers on pertinent topics, and prepare to engage in
dialogue with participants on a range of subjects.
In recent years, the
formal discussion program has included such topics as: reform of the United Nations;
globalisation; the environment; women and gender issues; and volunteerism.
The program
commences with the arrival of overseas participants in Japan. Participants spend a few
days in Tokyo partaking in a number of institutional visits and experiencing some of the
culturally significant parts of the city. Participants then spend a few days on a homestay
with a Japanese family in another prefecture of Japan. This opportunity to live with a
family and experience Japanese life firsthand is a highlight of the program. The homestay
is a fantastic opportunity for participants to not only learn about Japanese family life,
but to also share with their host family, what life is like in their own country. Many
strong bonds of friendship develop and it is not uncommon for participants and their host
families to continue to correspond and visit each other after the conclusion of the
program.
Life on the ship is
an amazing experience. With participants from a diverse range of countries eating,
sleeping, working and living side-by-side for weeks on end, there are many opportunities
for improving cultural understanding, learning the principles of international cooperation
and indeed for individual personal growth.
The formal program
encompasses a range of activities that contribute to one or more of the objectives of SWY.
The specific activities and focus areas differ from year to year, however the following
are indicative of the types of activities that participants engage in:
>
cultural exchanges
>
sports activities
>
lectures by
international specialists
>
formal and informal
discussions
>
social events
>
national
presentations
The informal program
is just as important in achieving the SWY objectives. Barriers and misconceptions are
overcome as participants talk over lunch, minds are widened and new perspectives become
possible during dinner conversations, and life long friendships are cemented as
participants sing and dance well into the night.
Are the problems of
the world going to be solved on this two-month program? Possibly, but probably not. What
the program does do however is encourage participants to challenge the filters through
which they view the world and illustrate that people from different nations can live
together peacefully, learn from each other and work together to overcome differences and
misunderstandings.
 
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History of SWY
In 1967, the Japanese
government celebrated the centenary of the Meiji Restoration by launching the Japanese
Youth Goodwill Cruise Program. This initiative provided many Japanese Youth with an
opportunity to travel overseas – something that they would have found difficult to do
on their own. With 300 Japanese participants and 50 overseas participants, the focus of
this program was to help Japanese youth see the world.
In the late 1980s, as a response to
the increased role Japan played in international affairs, the rapid increase in
internationalisation in many fields, and the changing social environment within Japan, the
Japanese Government recognised the need to refocus their international youth exchange
programs. As a result, the Japanese Youth Goodwill Cruise Program was reorganised and
emerged as the Ship for World Youth, with a focus on promoting exchange between the youth
of Japan and other participating nations.
Approximately 120 Japanese youth and
150 overseas youth participate in SWY each year. The first SWY was in 1989 and since then
over 3,500 youth from around the world have experienced the program.
In 1999 SWY went through another
reorganisation. Up to and including SWY11 in early 1999, SWY had been organised in an
East-bound, West-bound fashion. This meant that in odd numbered years only nations in the
Western hemisphere would be invited to participate and be ports of call for SWY.
Similarly, in even numbered years only nations in the Eastern hemisphere would be invited
to participate and be ports of call. However, from SWY12 at the end of 1999, each year
nations from both hemispheres are now invited to participate, making the program truly a
ship for world youth.
 
Japanese
PM Kishi presenting
Departure Ceremony, 1st Japanese
SWY voyage, Panama Canal (1989)
flag to
First Delegation (1959) Youth Goodwill Cruise
Program (1968)
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