European Union - Delegation of the European Union to Japan

'The EU comes to Your School' 2012

Ambassadors and diplomats of the EU Member States' embassies in Japan and the Delegation of the European Union to Japan will visit senior high schools in all of Japan on 14 and 15 May 2012.

Diplomats from EU Member States have visited schools in all of Japan, since 2007 under 'The EU comes to Your School' event, a unique project held around 9 May – Europe Day. Targeting senior high school students, diplomats will give lectures on the EU and their respective countries.

Thank you very much for your interest in this event.
The official deadline for submitting applications has now passed.

The lists of school (PDF) selected and Ambassadors (PDF) participating has been published.

Updated 2012.05.08

The start of the EU School Project, in 2007:

A unique project around 9 May - Europe Day; diplomats from EU member states visit schools in all of Japan, since 2007.

Celebrating 50 years of European Union with the youth of Japan

Around the world, March 2007 saw the European Union initiate celebrations marking its 50th birthday. In Japan, the Delegation of the European Commission sought to share the festivities with Europe's friends and partners of tomorrow.

Europe Day, 9 May, is the most important day in the EU calendar, celebrating the 'Schuman Declaration' that called for the creation of a supranational institution in Europe. On Europe Day this year, European Union ambassadors and diplomats went to schools across Japan in an outreach project that reached almost 20,000 junior and senior high school students.

The 25 EU Member States that have embassies in Japan all took part in the project, as did European cultural institutes and the German Consulate General Osaka-Kobe. Among the 75 speakers who gave presentations on the EU at 77 Japanese schools to audiences of up to 1,200 students were 23 ambassadors and 2 chargés d'affaires.

The speakers – many speaking in Japanese – introduced the history, geography and culture of Europe to the students, showing how the Union had managed to bring about 'Unity in Diversity' as well as peace and prosperity to a continent that until the middle of the 20th century had been periodically ravaged by disputes and wars. Many students afterwards commented that this aspect of union for peace had impressed them – 'Could Japan join the European Union?' several students asked.

Another theme of the interactive presentations was the relationship between the EU and Japan, and the positive impact this partnership has on the world stage, in particular on such issues as development aid and environmental protection. The students were encouraged to think of themselves as an integral part of this relationship, and introduced to such concepts as European study programmes in Japan as well as schemes to enable them to visit or study in Europe, such as Erasmus Mundus and Eurail.

The enthusiasm of the students – many of whom approached speakers afterwards with the questions they had not been able to fit into the Q&A sessions – was matched by the appreciation of the guest speakers. Many of the ambassadors and diplomats had the chance to partake in other activities at the schools and get a rare insight into the daily life of the students. They were invited to lunch with the students, join a tea ceremony or had student-conducted tours of the schools.

The EU School Project was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all involved. Through the students themselves and the many more people who learned of the project through the extensive media coverage, the Delegation of the European Commission to Japan hopes this project contributed to further increasing the understanding and friendship between the peoples of Europe and Japan.