Celebrating Diversity: The Spirit of Tomorrow
The Ship for World Youth ­ 11th Program

Life-changing experiences occur when we least expect them. While queueing for lunch last year, I learnt about the Ship for World Youth. A friend recommended I apply and explained a little about it. The program is sponsored and coordinated by the Japanese Government, who invite a host of countries to select youth representative of their country to attend the program. The participating youth join with about 160 Japanese youth from a variety of backgrounds and board a ship to sail the high seas. What better way could one's summer holidays be spent, I wondered.

After meeting in Sydney in early January, the Australian delegation departed for Tokyo. Coming from a myriad of backgrounds, (spanning students, professionals in government and private business) many facets of Australia were represented: from recent immigrants and first generation born Australians right through to those descended from early settlers, convicts and Indigenous Australians, all between the ages of 20 and 30.

We soon met the delegates from the other invited countries: Canada, the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands and New Zealand. Together we stayed at the Keio Plaza Hotel in downtown Shinjuku and participated in cultural excursions of traditional and modern Japan, before travelling to the regional prefectures for a three day homestay with a Japanese family. Returning to the Olympic Youth Centre in Tokyo, we met the Japanese delegation and attended cultural seminars at the United Nations University there before boarding the Ship.

The Ship for World Youth program took place aboard the Japanese 21 000 tonne cruise liner, the Nippon Maru. For almost two months, we toured the South and North Pacific Oceans, visiting the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tahiti, Ecuador, Mexico and the US (Hawaii). While at sea, the first few weeks were spent preparing for and presenting the National Presentations for which each delegation was given an hour to showcase its country to the other youth, administrative staff and advisers. The Australian presentation introduced the history and culture of the nation, largely through drama, music and dance. While some delegations focused only on the positives holding touristic appeal, the Australians presented a country that was honest about its failings, especially with regard to the treatment of the indigenous peoples over time, as well as proudly introducing the Sydney Olympics.

We attended lectures and seminars prepared by resident academics on global, political and cultural issues such as the environment, the United Nations and intercultural communication, among others. Discussions were also organised to facilitate the sharing of cultural experience on topics such as the family, education, health and the position of women in society. It was fascinating to consider the issue of religion and its power in shaping the Latin societies, and questioning which countries seemed conservative, and to whom.

Many delegations included representatives of their indigenous peoples who organised discussion groups to talk of their people in relation to their country's history. The first and second generation of Japanese to live overseas gave moving accounts of what they felt it was to be both Japanese and foreign, and sometime feel neither. These discussions were indicative of the incredible richness of culture and experience shared by those on the boat.

Sports committees were elected to organise events for sports days, while at other times we attended club activities. These included Spanish and Japanese lessons, Latin American dancing, taiko drumming, traditional dances and songs of the island nations and an African American gospel choir, among many others. While meeting on occasions as a national delegation, we also met at the end of the day in our 'letter groups' which comprised of one person from each delegation including one national leader, plus about 5 Japanese youth. The letter groups were responsible for morning assembly where the national flag of the respective group's leader was raised while the national anthem was sung, and daily notices were given.

One night, the Ship's captain turned off all boat lights and conducted a star gazing evening, pointing out constellations. On another evening a peace seminar was held. Parties followed each National Presentation, with delegations offering sponsored food and drink of their countries. Every six days, the events organised by the Japanese administrative staff were relaxed while we enjoyed a day of rest, reading, listening to music, and sunbaking on deck chairs as the Pacific Ocean unfolded behind us.

While in port, we took part in cultural activities organised by both the governments of Japan and the host country, and always found time to traipse around as tourists, visiting local markets for food and produce, buying souvenirs, and swimming in the crystal clear sea.

It is strange to look back on the experience now and to realise that is not the geographical destinations that feature in my recollections. Rather, the presence of sea surrounding us brought peace and calm to our floating island home. People and places who once were 'exoticised', so foreign and unknown now feel like my extended family, their countries just another home to me. The Ship experience changed so much of my life, my outlook and my understanding of other cultures in a way that is hard to put into words. Yet when I reflect, it is the stories I heard, the memories, the music, the dance and festivities of the Ship life and the dear friends who shared them with me that remain close to my heart.

Kirsty Munro Participating Youth - Australian Delegation ­ SWY11