Events
International Youth Development Exchange Program (INDEX 2014)
Program for the Exchange Visits of Japanese and Estonian Youths
The Japanese Youth Delegation is currently in Estonia between Sep 6 and 22 and the Estonian invitees will visit Japan from Sep 23 to Oct 8 on the program.
This program was established in 1994 by the Cabinet Office of Japan to commemorate the royal marriage of His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, with the purpose of promoting mutual friendship and understanding between Japanese youths and youths of other countries.
The Japanese youth delegation consists of 16 members headed by a leader and a sub-leader. They were selected among 240 applicants through several selections conducted by the Cabinet Office of Japan. In Estonia they held a meeting with the Embassy of Japan and Estonian Youth Work Centre representatives, visited the Stenbock House and the Parliament, met the Prime Minister Mr. Taavi Rõivas and held a meeting with the Estonia-Japan Parliament group members. The youth delegation also visited the E-Estonia.com Showroom, Skype´s office, Mektory and Saku Municipality, which has a friendship city in Japan, also called Saku. Various exchange programs with local youths are planned as well, including discussions, mutual presentations of the culture and sports in Kloogaranna Youth Camp and stays with Estonian host families. They are going to meet Mr. Kaido Höövelson (Baruto) and Tartu University students who study Japanese. In Tartu they will visit the Ministry of Education and Research, where a meeting with the Minister, Mr. Jevgeni Ossinovski is going to take place. In Viljandi the delegation will visit the Viljandi Youth Centre and Traditional Music Center. The Japanese Ambassador will hold a reception for the Japanese and Estonian delegations before they leave Estonia.
The Estonian youth delegation consists of 10 members including a leader. They were selected among 143 applicants through various selection process conducted by the Ministry of Education and Research. In Japan the invitees will attend the International Youth Conference, conduct institutional visits based on designated topics with Japanese youths who join the Japanese Youth Goodwill Mission for 2014 as part of the Tokyo Program. They will also make the institutional visits and overnight exchange program with Japanese youths as well as homestay as part of the Local Program. Also, there will be an opportunity for introducing cultures of respective countries during the program.
For the Estonian group, there is a special program to visit Saku City in Nagano Prefecture, which is a Friendship City of Saku Municipality in Estonia.
Briefing by Mr. Naoki Hayashi, Embassy of Japan
In the Cabinet meeting room
Courtesy call on the Prime Minister Mr. Taavi Rõivas
At the Stenbock House terrace
Courtesy call on Mr. Imre Sooäär, Chairman of Estonia-Japan Parliamentary Group
