“The Ship for World Youth Leaders” (SWY) Program

Amongst the rapid globalization of today’s world, where cross-border cooperation, coordination, and negotiation are indispensable in every field, leaders capable of playing key roles in initiating globalization are required in local communities as well as international society. Youth from various countries and various backgrounds participate in the Ship for World Youth (hereinafter, SWY) program, the objective of which is to develop youth who can play leading roles in various areas so that they can contribute to the betterment of society. In addition, by providing opportunities for seminars, discussions, cultural exchange, and communal life in an environment that can be referred to as a microcosm of the world, the participating youth are expected to further develop their transnational human networks and deepen mutual understanding. Thus, through this program, the Government of Japan aims to contribute to the field of international human development.

Purpose Participating Countries and Ports of Call

There were 11 participating countries in the program, and a total of 242 PYs (117 OPYs and 125 JPYs) joined the program.

  • Australia
  • India
  • United Mexican States
  • Republic of Mozambique
  • Sultanate of Oman
  • Republic of Peru
  • Republic of Poland
  • Republic of South Africa
  • Kingdom of Spain
  • Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
  • japan

The ship docked in the following two countries and the cities enclosed in parentheses.

  • India (Kochi)
  • Sri Lanka (Colombo)

Program Contents

During the SWY program, Japanese youth along with youth from ten other countries participated in the Onshore /Onboard Training Sessions and port of call activities for 34 days.
The participants took part in various kinds of training and exchange activities, including seminars and discussions on common global issues.

Committees

Various activities and events were organized and conducted in order to facilitate exchanges among PYs and to promote mutual understanding and friendship. To maintain communication with the administration and those in charge of planning and managing these activities, the following ten committees were formed.

  • AGL Committee
  • Course Discussion Steering Committee
  • Leadership Seminars Committee
  • Project Management Seminars Committee
  • PY Seminars Committee
  • National Presentations Committee
  • Events Committee
  • Club Activities Committee
  • Port of Call Committee

Course Discussion

With “Youth Contribution in Society” as a common theme, seven Course Discussion themes were established as forums for PYs to discuss common issues from global perspectives.

  • Children's Rights
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Conversations about Empowering Self and Others
  • International Cooperation
  • Lifestyle-related Diseases
  • Social Innovation for Sustainable Development
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