Participantsf Demeanor at the Closing Ceremonies and Parties Upon Completion of Their Training Courses new!
February 2024
Kazuyuki UENO‚ KITA Training Division
With home country's flag
Travel restrictions imposed between 2020 and 2022 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic‚ which started in the end of 2019‚ meant that the customary training courses in Japan could not be held and online remote training was carried out for a long time. However‚ courses in Japan finally resumed from the end of 2022 and face-to-face training became possible. In addition to the on-site field trips and practical training experiences that are not available through remote training‚ the courses in Japan enabled participants from different countries to interact and exchange ideas. I think training in Japan has delivered greater satisfaction. Experiencing Japanese culture at first-hand is another thing that only training courses in Japan can provide.
On the final day of the training course‚ after the participants have given presentations on their action plans‚ they receive their diploma and one of the participants gives a speech of gratitude on behalf of the group. What the speeches generally have in common is‚ of course‚ words of thanks to the JICA officer‚ KITA course leader‚ coordinator and lecturers‚ and also an expression of their gratitude to the staff on the JICA Kyushu front desk for remembering the participantsf names and always assisting them with a smile. In particular‚ they often say how impressed they were by the politeness‚ generosity‚ dedication‚ and punctuality of the Japanese people. Some of them talk about having expectations and fears before coming to Japan‚ and tell us that their fears were dispelled once they arrived‚ and their experience here far exceeded their expectations. The speeches of gratitude conclude with their aspiration to make good use of the knowledge and experience they have gained from their training once they have returned to their homeland‚ and to work hard for their countryfs growth.
Large national flags of the participantsf homelands are set up in a row at the closing ceremony‚ and I am always struck by how happy the participants look as they have their photo taken with their countryfs flag when they receive their diploma and after the closing ceremony. It may be because they do not often have an opportunity to touch a large flag of their homeland‚ but I also think it is because the participants in each field keenly feel that they have come to Japan as a representative of their country.
In the case of short training courses with only a small number of participants‚ the party tends to be rather subdued. Meanwhile‚ long courses with many participants tend to have lively parties as the participants have become good friends during their training. Alcohol has a strong influence on this too‚ of course. Apparently parties tend to be quieter when there are many Asian or African participants who do not drink alcohol for religious reasons. National character traits may also play a part... The courses for Latin American participants where the training is held in Spanish have really loud and cheerful parties; there are no restrictions on food or alcohol‚ and national characteristics are a factor as well.
Most of the participants leave for their respective home countries the day after the closing ceremony‚ and apparently there are some who are reluctant to say goodbye and shed tears of emotion. I truly hope that all the participants make good use of what they learned in their training to contribute to the growth of their respective homelands.