Future officials of Philippine autonomous government share views with Hiroshima students on peace
Jan. 22, 2016
by Kyoko Shinmoto, Staff Writer
On January 15, first-year students at Prefectural Hiroshima High School, located in the city of Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, exchanged views on peace in English at the school with six people who are future officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Government, which will be launched on the island of Mindanao, the Philippines.
All of the roughly 240 first-year students joined the session to hear the accounts by the six visitors. They listened to background information as to why conflict continued over four decades in the Bangsamoro region and the determination of the future government officials “to support regional grassroots peace activities as a lifelong mission.”
After the session, 31 students who are set to soon study abroad for about two weeks in such places as Taiwan spoke with the six visitors about peace. After expressing such views as “both sides must understand one other” and “educational opportunities are important,” the participants made presentations.
Yuko Tamura, 16, said, “I was shocked to hear about the conditions in that area. I felt that the wish to live in harmony with others in a peaceful place is the same desire in any country.”
The six visitors from the Philippines are staying in Hiroshima to undergo training from Hiroshima Prefecture and Hiroshima University, which are lending support to the stability of the Bangsamoro region by nurturing human resources. They toured the school facility and observed an election for the school’s student council.
(Originally published on January 16, 2016)
On January 15, first-year students at Prefectural Hiroshima High School, located in the city of Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, exchanged views on peace in English at the school with six people who are future officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Government, which will be launched on the island of Mindanao, the Philippines.
All of the roughly 240 first-year students joined the session to hear the accounts by the six visitors. They listened to background information as to why conflict continued over four decades in the Bangsamoro region and the determination of the future government officials “to support regional grassroots peace activities as a lifelong mission.”
After the session, 31 students who are set to soon study abroad for about two weeks in such places as Taiwan spoke with the six visitors about peace. After expressing such views as “both sides must understand one other” and “educational opportunities are important,” the participants made presentations.
Yuko Tamura, 16, said, “I was shocked to hear about the conditions in that area. I felt that the wish to live in harmony with others in a peaceful place is the same desire in any country.”
The six visitors from the Philippines are staying in Hiroshima to undergo training from Hiroshima Prefecture and Hiroshima University, which are lending support to the stability of the Bangsamoro region by nurturing human resources. They toured the school facility and observed an election for the school’s student council.
(Originally published on January 16, 2016)
