Internal working platform of Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

At the invitation of Tatsuma Takuya, the governor of Iwate Prefecture, Japan, the Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries organized a 20-member Yunnan Youth Delegation, composed of teachers and students from the Senior High School Affiliated to Yunnan Nationalities University, the Senior High School Affiliated to Kunming University of Science and Technology, and Kunming Runcheng School, to visit Iwate Prefecture for friendly exchanges from July 15 to 22, 2024. The delegation received warm reception and thoughtful arrangements from the Japanese side wherever they went. The visit was compact, rich in content, and effective, achieving the purpose of enhancing understanding, building friendship, and broadening horizons.

Deputy Governor Sasaki presents the "Iwate Goodwill Ambassador" certificate to the young people of Yunnan Province

During the visit to Japan, Iwate Prefecture Vice Governor Sasaki met with the delegation and issued "Iwate Goodwill Ambassador" certificates to 16 students, hoping that the young people of Yunnan Province would grow into young ambassadors who carry forward the friendly relations between Iwate Prefecture and Yunnan Province. Two student representatives spoke and expressed their hope to get to know and befriend Japanese youth and work hand in hand.

The itinerary included school exchanges, citizen interactions, and field trips. The delegation visited three distinctive middle schools in Iwate Prefecture, namely, Ueda Junior High School, Fukurokata Senior High School, and Kamaishi Higashi Junior High School. Through observing classroom teaching, art performances, and other forms, young people from both places learned from each other and enhanced their friendship through exchanges. At the County Citizens Exchange Center, the delegation presented traditional Chinese culture programs with unique Yunnan characteristics to local ordinary people, which received enthusiastic responses from audiences of different ages and aroused their infinite yearning for the colorful south of the Yangtze River. They visited the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Heritage Museum to learn about the occurrence of the earthquake and the reconstruction and revitalization process, which aroused their awareness of disaster self-help and environmental protection.Thoughts on protection; visit the world cultural heritage - Hiraizumi Chusonji Temple, feel the glorious past history of the place and the common pursuit of peace by mankind; visit the Nanbu Ironworks, feel the Japanese craftsmanship of striving for excellence; visit Koiwai Farm, feel the charm of the integration of agriculture and tourism in Japan; taste Iwate's "koukou soba", "cold noodles", "mixed sauce noodles" and other Japanese cuisine, and feel the tea ceremony, Sanmaki Onsen, Morioka Sansa Dance and other diverse regional cultures of Iwate; in Tokyo, the delegation visited the University of Tokyo, Tokyo Skytree, Sensō-ji Temple and other places, and personally experienced the charm of Japanese humanities.

The youth exchange activities are one of the brand projects under the framework of the friendly exchange and cooperation relationship between Yunnan Province and Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The activities have promoted mutual understanding and friendship between the young people of both sides. This is the seventh group of Yunnan Youth Delegation to visit Iwate Prefecture. The Iwate Prefecture Youth Delegation will return to Yunnan Province in October. We look forward to the young friends from the two provinces and counties meeting and getting to know each other again, so that our hearts will be closer.