Fiji's participation in 25th SWY approved

The Fiji government has approved its participation in the 25th Ship for World Youth (SWY) Program from January to February, 2013.
 
The Cabinet based its decision on a submission by the Minister for Youth and Sports Viliame Naupoto.
 
Naupoto in a government statement said the Program is a unique International cultural exchange youth program organised and funded by the Government of Japan.
 
He said generally the Ship for World Youth program aims at fostering leadership qualities in youths in a more internationalised society through living together and communicating with one another for 38 days on board the ship.  
 
Approximately 212 youths from eleven countries will participate in the 25th SWY Program. The participating countries include Japan, Fiji, Bahrain, Chile, Costa Rica, Kenya, United Mexican States, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.  
 
The Minister said that the Fijian delegation will be made up of nine young Fijians and a National Leader.
 
The SWY Program has been organised on an annual basis since 1989.  Each year a different mix of countries is invited to participate and different ports of call are incorporated into the itinerary.  
 
Fiji’s participation is on a two year cycle and our last participation was in the 23rd SWY Program in 2011 where Fiji was also a port of call.

By Ropate Valemei