Fukushima students to visit Western Australia on cultural exchange program

Australian charitable venture Mate Rock on Tuesday announced its sponsorship of a cultural exchange visit to Western Australia for Iitate Village, Fukushima Prefecture middle-school students impacted by the March 11, 2011 disaster.

The trip is also backed by Meat and Livestock Australia, The Australia-Japan Foundation, and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Perth.

On Thursday, 16 students and representatives from Iitate Village will travel to Western Australia for a 10-day cross-cultural program, designed to positively impact the lives of Japanese youth affected by the disaster.

The group will homestay with Australian students from Great Southern Grammar school in Albany, focused on cultural exchange and language acquisition. They will visit an Australian cattle farm to gain first-hand understanding of the Australian beef industry, arranged by Meat and Livestock Australia as part of its “Together With Japan” program. This is particularly important in the community’s rebuilding process, as Iitate Village is well-known for its wagyu beef.

Those interested in following the group’s experiences are encouraged to visit a dedicated blog, where the students will write about their adventures in Australia: http://iitate- australia.blogspot.jp.

Mate Rock founder Adrian Bell said, “It has been the people-to-people ties that have made the difference in supporting local communities to overcome last year’s tragedy. These students were evacuated from their homes post-earthquake, and I am pleased to support this initiative and welcome them into the homes of their friends in Australia. It is our hope that the visit will act as the starting point for lifelong connections between the group and their Australian hosts.”

“We are very grateful to our Australian friends for this opportunity. The students are excited to travel overseas and learn about the world, while also immersing themselves in Australian culture and strengthening their English,” commented Kaname Hirose, Chair of the Board of Education in Iitate village.

“These students, like their families, have dealt with many challenges over the past year. We hope this trip will inspire them and that they will learn from this experience,” added Chohei Satoh, Iitate village assembly chairman.

Mate Rock was established following the March 2011 disaster,centered on Japan’s Tohoku region. The charitable venture aims to promote person-to-person connections and cultural exchange, through educational visits to Australia for students directly impacted by the disasters.

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