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Tōhoku students heading for homestay in Switzerland

Tōhoku students heading for homestay in Switzerland

Tokyo (SCCIJ) – With Fukushima City as a host town on the road to the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Tokyo 2020, the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan wishes to further strengthen its links with the whole Tōhoku region and contribute to the revitalization of the whole region. With this intention, the Embassy has collaborated with non-profit organization “Support Our Kids (SOK)”. In March 2019, a two-week trip will allow the selected applicants to discover many aspects of Switzerland, including its humanitarian tradition and international institutions. They will broaden their horizons and build new bridges between the two communities.

Cooperation with embassies

The non-profit organization “Support Our Kids” assists children from the affected areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 with the cooperation of embassies of 12 countries (Ireland, USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Republic of San Marino, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Belgium, the Republic of Poland, Cuba) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. According to the self-portrayal of the organization, it concentrates on children who are still living under stressful circumstances in the aftermath of the disaster. The organization believes that children will play a big role in the reconstruction of Tōhoku and its aim is to nurture these children into becoming future reconstruction leaders, through experience overseas.

Tōhoku students heading for homestay in Switzerland

View of Lake Geneva, Switzerland

Continuation until 2020

“It is our mission to provide this support and “push” them to make this happen,” the organization says. They have assisted 375 children for such homestays so far. Through this program, these children have gained a wider global view and experienced new, different cultures. This became a great opportunity to think of their own future and hometown.

Upon seeing the positive effect this had on children, “Support our Kids” decided to commit and continue this project for 10 years until year 2020. It provides a 2-week homestay program to children in middle to high school, in order to create and nurture them into future reconstruction leaders.

For a better and brighter future

The curriculum is designed to build leadership skills through a wide range of activities such as homestay experience, cultural exchange, language study, volunteer work and presentations on their experiences during the disaster. It also includes programs the children can only experience in that country – such as the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, London Olympics and the Le Mans 24-hour race in France.

In the seven years until 2018, the host countries have been New Zealand, England, US, France, Ireland, Australia and Canada. In 2014, six children went to Switzerland and San Marino attending the 150th anniversary commemorations and visit of Red Cross Headquarters in Geneva. In 2015, six children went to Poland and Switzerland and visited the former concentration camp in Auschwitz as well as the Red Cross Headquarters in Geneva.


Text: SCCIJ with material of the Swiss Embassy and “Support our Kids”, Photo: Geneva (Pixabay CC0)

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