Japan-ASEAN Youth Leaders Summit 2010 - Orientation

Day 7 (of 37th SSEAYP 2010) - 31 October 2010

As part of the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Programme (SSEAYP), Participating Youths (PYs) also participated in the 2-day Japan-ASEAN Youth Leaders Summit 2010. We were joined by about 100 Japanese Local Youths (LYs) at the National Youth Center.

On the way to NYC

The various Solidarity Groups arrived at different timings, so the Group Orientation and Check-in at the National Youth Center (NYC) was staggered and held separately for various batches.

For the Japanese Participating Youths (PYs), the NYC wasn't a new place for them as they had done part of their Pre-Departure Training there.

We were briefed at the International Conference Room on our accomodation - 1 PY per room (!!!) and on our food arrangement - we get to choose from a few sets of menu at the Cafeteria Fuji.

All the PYs settled at Lodging Building A, with the Singaporean men at the 3rd floor and the Singaporean ladies at the 5th floor. An interesting experience for us is the shared bathroom, with the grand bath concept.

During dinner, we interacted with the LYs, who are mostly undergraduates. They had to undergo a selection process to participate in the YLS.

At Cafeteria Fuji

 After dinner, we assembled at the International Conference Room for the Plenary Orientation for the YLS. There, the YLS staff and volunteers introduced themselves.

Our Discussion Group cheer

Everyone then went with their respective Discussion Groups for the Discussion Group Activity. We began with several rounds of ice-breakers and then went into 

Our YLS Facilitator, Kim Soon, was an ex-Malaysia PY who is now based in Japan. He volunteered his time to join us at the YLS.

Kim Soon then posed a few questions about youth to all of us, and we had to pick an answer and explain our stand.

 We had our Contingent Meeting after the Discussion.

Some of us were due to perform during the Japan-ASEAN Cultural Exchange Programme the next day, so we spent the next few hours rehearsing at 5th floor lounge. We tried hard to minimise our volume so as not to disturb the Vietnam PYs whose rooms were just beside the lounge.

The last time we did the dance practice was when we were still in Singapore. We were worried if we could deliver a great performance the next day. The last rehearsal had a reaffirming effect. We would be ready...