COMMUNITY NEWS - A friendly cultural exchange

The Friendship Force Sunshine Coast is about to host 15 men and women from Japan for a cultural exchange and English language immersion experience. Club members will host the guests in their homes from September 2-9, where they will share daily living and

Aussie food and our general way of life.  The Japanese are all members of the Friendship Force Club of Western Tokyo. 

With world tensions seemingly on the increase, Friendship Force believes that it has developed a tried and tested strategy to promote the understanding of cultural differences through education, friendship and citizen diplomacy.  

When the late US President Jimmy Carter and his wife announced the formation of a new Worldwide organisation called Friendship Force to a gathering of State Governors at a White House function in 1977, little did he foresee how wide-reaching this organising would be, nor that it would also be a future nominee of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.

Friendship Force spokesperson, Jenny Allan stated that through these exciting personal encounters, strangers often become friends and that by sharing differing views and cultural norms, a common ground is often discovered. Visitors may not speak English and can have different religious beliefs but it is our simple common humanity that proves enough to transcend the differences when seated around a meal table.

During their stay the Japanese ambassadors will experience the beauty that the Sunshine Coast Region has to offer whilst experiencing our cultural norms and actively working on their English language skills.  And, as often happens during these Friendship Force ‘Journeys’,  lifelong friendships may result. (Pictured: Hosts John and Jane Paine welcome their ambassadors to the Coast.)

For further information, and how to join the local group, contact Jenny  0448 866 141, or visit friendshipforcesunshinecoast.org.au