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.
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