Jenesys Programme 2010
11 April to 23 April, 2010
What is Jenesys?
Jenesys (Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth) is an East Asia future leaders programme organised by Japan Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, business enterprises, NGOs/NPOs and academic experts.
Our activities
- Participants’ presentation and small discussion on sustainable practices from each countries
- Lecture on ESD (Education for Sustainable Development)
- Lecture, individual observation and understanding on Minamata Disease (neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning)
- Lecture on Jimotogaku theory
- Field walk in group around Ohkawa region
- Observation of community activity (waste sorting)
- Field trip to landfill site and waste recycle center at Minamata
- Field trip to Nozaki Island
- Eco & study tour of Ojika
- Home stay with Japanese family
- Visit to Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
- Cultural experiences (Zen meditation and visit to traditional temple)
- Site visit for environmental education at Miyako Ecology Center
- Site visit to National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
- Courtesy call to the Ministry of Foreign Affair
- Wrap-up section
What I had learned
Jenesys Programme 2010 (ESD group) – It was a wonderful programme and I had learned a lot from the trip and those experiences are definitely beneficial for me when carrying out environmental education programme in the near future. Besides, I had learned much from all the participants and the organisers as well, their impressive presentation skills, persuasive ability, passion in the environment and they broaden my knowledge during the discussion and their presentation. During the trip, most of the time was happy. However, we were sad when we were brought back to the year 1956, where the Minamata disease was first discovered. It is a sad tragedy where environmental pollution (mercury poisoning) caused the citizen to suffer (general muscle weakness, damage to hearing and speech, paralyse, coma and death) for their entire life. This is definitely a sad tragedy where no body will want it happen again in the future. Hopefully, people (including us) could learn from the past and try our best to do a better job in the future. It is interesting to learn about Jimotogaku theory (by Mr. Tetsturo Yoshimoto). The theory is stressed on locality, means we can do our best for the environment with what we had. Field trip to the Okhawa region was amazing, despite the cold killer temperature, everything is great! Slow pace living lifestyle, warm greetings smile, fresh air, mountains and rives — it’s like a harmonies picture between human and the environment. Japan is famous with their successful recycling activity. However, I was surprised by the waste sorting activity carried out by the community of the Susubaru region. They sort out 22 types of waste! Recycle is important in saving our resources but priority should be given to Reduce as 3R is started with Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!Nozaki Island is a no man island. However, previously there are people living in that island but now deer is the only population dominated there. The island is a good example to show how important sustainable development is and how to balance between environment, society and economic to ensure the continuity of life. Environmental education center like Miyako Ecology Center is doing a great job to educate the citizen in order to ensure a sustainable living environment. They have professional staffs and creativity materials and those are what we can learn from them and one day we might carry out the similar activity in our own country.
Special thanks
I would like to thank to Prof. Dr. Chan Ngai Weng, president of Water Watch Penang who trained me as a environmental educator and gave me plenty of opportunities to go to such environmental programs that helped broaden my knowledge on environmental education and experiences in carrying out activities
Besides, I would like to convey my appreciation to Japan Foundation and Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who gave us the opportunity to learn and support us during the trip, moreover, I would like to say ‘Thanks You’ to all business enterprises, NGOs/NPOs and academic experts in Japan who assisted and helped us in the programme.
By Chuah Chiew Yen