Programme promotes cultural openness among school students

AMMAN — Through a programme launched recently titled “Diplomacy for Children”, the Japanese embassy is working to raise children’s cultural awareness by helping them cherish their own identity, open up their minds to diversity and explore new ways of looking at the world.

Under the programme, which targets students of all ages, embassy staff members visit public and private schools, and students also get a chance to visit the embassy.

Through interactive cultural activities, students are introduced to Japanese culture, including perspectives and ways of thinking, through film, magazines and games, an embassy statement said. 

Lectures are also delivered, highlighting Japanese culture, nature, and the differences between Jordanian and Japanese schools.

The programme represents a means to learn about Japan beyond the common perception of its advanced technology and its traditional sushi dish, the embassy said. 

The main goal of the programme is to promote greater cultural openness and tolerance, which eventually lead to peace and stability, both regional and globally, according to the embassy statement. 

By recognising the differences between their culture and that of Japan, children learn to appreciate the value of their own culture, while also gaining an increased respect for other cultures. 

The embassy said it seeks to widen its scope of activities and collaborate with more schools and educational institutions. 

Schools interested in the programme can e-mail the embassy’s cultural centre at: Culture@am.mofa.go.jp