IBA STUDENT LEADS DELEGATION FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO YOUTH EXCHANGE IN JAPAN

In June 2015 Regina Coeli Legaspi, at present a Senior High School student in Year 11 at IBA, applied to be a participant in the Philippine delegation to the ASEAN Member countries Youth Exchange project. This year the National Institution for Youth Project (NIYE) collaborated with the National Norikura Youth Friendship Centre based in the Gifu Prefecture in Japan and the National Olympic Memorail Youth Centre based in the Tokyo Prefecture.

On October 20th, the delegation of six students from the Philippines elected IBA student, Regina Legaspi, to lead them as they journeyed towards this exciting venture where they would meet other delegations of students from Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam and, of course, Japan.

Regina (foreground) with some of the other delegates.

The programme started with seven days in the Gifu Prefecture where the students were exposed to the history of the area, specifically the history of Takayama City. Students were also exposed to other aspects of Japanese culture; especially by staying with Japanese host families.
The final three days were spent in Tokyo where once again the emphasis fell on the exposure to Japanese culture and the formation of bonds between the participating countries.

Regina (second from the right) and other delegates enjoying the the scenery in Japan.

Regina returned from this wonderful experience having learned a great deal about Japanese culture. She admired the punctuality of the Japanese as well as the responsibility that the students were given in keeping their schools clean without dependence on janitors.
She also found it surprising that the young people of Japan, despite having every modern convenience, appeared not to be dependent on wifi, Facebook and other social media for their social interaction. Perhaps there is a lesson here for the young people of the Philippines to give priority to face to face social interaction rather than the superficial interaction provided by the internet.
IBA is very proud of Regina and her supportive parents who took this initiative to develop leadership and communication skills that would translate to becoming a truly global citizen – something that IBA supports and encourages in all of its students.

Regina (sixth from the left in the second row) with delegates representing other ASEAN nations.