[School of Global Japanese Studies] Yamawaki Seminar students went on a study trip to Australia
Dec. 05, 2024
Five third-year students of the Yamawaki Seminar in the School of Global Japanese Studies conducted a study tour on multiculturalism in Australia from October 31 to November 4, 2024. One staff member from the International Affairs Division of Hamamatsu City and four staff from the Sydney Office of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) also participated in the study tour.
The first half of the trip was held in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria. On the first day in Melbourne, the participants visited the Migration Museum to learn about the history of immigration in Australia and current issues. This was followed by a lecture by Professor Glenda Ballantyne of Swinburne University of Technology on Australia's multiculturalism and inter-cultural city initiatives.
On the second day, the group traveled to Ballarat City, 90 minutes from Melbourne by train, to visit the city council, library, and art museum. After receiving a welcome from the CEO of the city, the students received lectures from several city hall departments. They were able to deepen their understanding of the history of Indigenous peoples and the city's intercultural policies. At the end of the program, the seminar students gave a short presentation reporting on the activities of the Yamawaki Seminar. The students then returned from Ballarat to Melbourne, where we also visited the Consulate-General of Japan in Melbourne. The students heard about the Japanese community living in the city and the dissemination of Japanese culture to Australian society.
On the third day, the participants visited Chinatown in Melbourne, the Chinese Australian History Museum, and the State Library of Victoria, and then moved to Sydney.
The second half of the training was held in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales.
We had some free time on Sunday on the fourth day, and on the fifth day, we visited the Multicultural Affairs Bureau of the New South Wales State Government in the suburbs of Sydney, where we received a lecture on the state government's multicultural policy, gave a presentation on the Yamawaki Seminar's activities, and had time to exchange opinions.
We also visited the Sydney office of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), where we listened to a lecture by a representative of Welcoming City, a network of local authorities in Australia working for immigrant inclusion, and also listened to a lecture by the CLAIR on a local government exchange. We visited the Japan Foundation Sydney office, where the students listened to a lecture on the promotion of Japanese culture and Japanese language education, and the program was concluded.
Below are some comments from the students who participated in the program.
There are two main things I was impressed by through the Australia camp. The first is the atmosphere of “multiculturalism” I felt in Australia. Walking around the city, I saw many people of different ethnic backgrounds. Of course, we were considered foreigners by the people living in Australia, but we were not looked at with prejudice or treated differently because of foreigners. By visiting Australia, I was able to realize that multiculturalism is so advanced that even tourists can blend in with the local community. Second, I was told by the New South Wales Multicultural Affairs Department that Australia is made up of various races and cultures and does not have a unique culture like Japan. As globalization progresses in today's society and Japan moves to align itself with overseas movements and incorporate foreign cultures, I felt the importance and significance of maintaining a culture that is unique to the country. I learned a lot of new things through this study trip, and I would like to make use of the knowledge I accumulated this time in my seminar activities. (INOKAI Chisa, 3rd year vice seminar leader)
What impressed me was that during my week-long stay in Japan, I did not receive any curious looks when I walked around town. In Japan, many people get curious and look at foreigners more than necessary when they see them on the streets, but in Australia, it was very easy to spend time without being looked at with prejudice wherever I went. Although I had already learned about multiculturalism through lectures, I was able to experience firsthand that efforts are being actively made to promote multiculturalism. In addition to art galleries and museums, we also visited places we would not normally visit, such as the Consulate-General of Japan and the Japan Foundation, and heard from a variety of people, so I feel that the camp was a learning experience for me. It was especially interesting to hear from the Clare Sydney office that in Australia, even in education, they are incorporating content that leads to multicultural conviviality. Based on my experience at this camp, I would like to continue to make efforts to promote multiculturalism in the Yamawaki Seminar. (ISHIDA Nanami, 3rd year seminar leader)
Through this camp, I have become interested in new initiatives and have come to believe once again that people who can change society are us the young generations. During a visit to the New South Wales Department of Multicultural Affairs, I asked Mr. Michael Shaw of the department in charge of community and government policies and laws, “If we were to hold something similar to the multicultural workshops and events that the Yamawaki Seminar is currently working on in Australia, what kind of people would participate in?” His answer was “young people”. Hearing his answer, I felt that even though Australia has been a progressive multi-ethnic nation for a longer period than Japan, there are no differences between Australia and Japan in the way that young people show positive attitudes toward new movements. I feel that I would like to make use of the experience of touring Melbourne and Sydney, where I visited many organizations and facilities that I was only able to visit because of the study trip, and the knowledge I gained from these places, in my future activities as a seminar member. (KIUCHI Akino, 3rd year vice seminar leader)
Through the study trip, I was reminded once again of the importance of developing legislation for a multicultural society. The states of Victoria and New South Wales, which we visited this time, have advanced “Multicultural Acts”. Multicultural Act provides a livable society for immigrants, for example, by providing enhanced multilingual interpretation support. I also realized there are many opportunities to show respect for Indigenous people in Australia, and I learned that their culture and history are respected. The study trip was a fruitful experience for us because we were able to visit environments where diversity is prevalent and hear from state and local government officials who are responsible for creating such environments. It strengthened my wish to find and implement what we, the Yamawaki Seminar, can do to help create a multicultural community. (BABA Aoi, 3rd year student)
Overall, I think the study trip was very meaningful. I thought I had learned the importance of multicultural policies many times in Japan, but there was much to learn by going out of Japan and seeing the government and citizens working together to promote multiculturalism. I was particularly struck by the fact that the administrative system is systematized based on laws, which makes it possible for different private organizations and governments to take different approaches. I was surprised not only by the systems and initiatives but also by the consciousness of the Australian people. I was particularly impressed by the fact that I was never treated in a way that made me feel uncomfortable, even though my English is not very good and I look Asian. I was impressed by the fact that, despite the historical background that led the country as a whole to aspire to a multicultural society, the idea that people are diverse must have been woven into the fabric of their unconsciousness. Although I am still at a loss as to how I can return the knowledge I gained this time to society as a student of the Yamawaki Seminar, this camp has given me even more motivation to make use of this knowledge in the future. (KIMURA Kanami, 3rd year student)
≪Japanee version≫
The first half of the trip was held in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria. On the first day in Melbourne, the participants visited the Migration Museum to learn about the history of immigration in Australia and current issues. This was followed by a lecture by Professor Glenda Ballantyne of Swinburne University of Technology on Australia's multiculturalism and inter-cultural city initiatives.
On the second day, the group traveled to Ballarat City, 90 minutes from Melbourne by train, to visit the city council, library, and art museum. After receiving a welcome from the CEO of the city, the students received lectures from several city hall departments. They were able to deepen their understanding of the history of Indigenous peoples and the city's intercultural policies. At the end of the program, the seminar students gave a short presentation reporting on the activities of the Yamawaki Seminar. The students then returned from Ballarat to Melbourne, where we also visited the Consulate-General of Japan in Melbourne. The students heard about the Japanese community living in the city and the dissemination of Japanese culture to Australian society.
On the third day, the participants visited Chinatown in Melbourne, the Chinese Australian History Museum, and the State Library of Victoria, and then moved to Sydney.
The second half of the training was held in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales.
We had some free time on Sunday on the fourth day, and on the fifth day, we visited the Multicultural Affairs Bureau of the New South Wales State Government in the suburbs of Sydney, where we received a lecture on the state government's multicultural policy, gave a presentation on the Yamawaki Seminar's activities, and had time to exchange opinions.
We also visited the Sydney office of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), where we listened to a lecture by a representative of Welcoming City, a network of local authorities in Australia working for immigrant inclusion, and also listened to a lecture by the CLAIR on a local government exchange. We visited the Japan Foundation Sydney office, where the students listened to a lecture on the promotion of Japanese culture and Japanese language education, and the program was concluded.
Below are some comments from the students who participated in the program.
There are two main things I was impressed by through the Australia camp. The first is the atmosphere of “multiculturalism” I felt in Australia. Walking around the city, I saw many people of different ethnic backgrounds. Of course, we were considered foreigners by the people living in Australia, but we were not looked at with prejudice or treated differently because of foreigners. By visiting Australia, I was able to realize that multiculturalism is so advanced that even tourists can blend in with the local community. Second, I was told by the New South Wales Multicultural Affairs Department that Australia is made up of various races and cultures and does not have a unique culture like Japan. As globalization progresses in today's society and Japan moves to align itself with overseas movements and incorporate foreign cultures, I felt the importance and significance of maintaining a culture that is unique to the country. I learned a lot of new things through this study trip, and I would like to make use of the knowledge I accumulated this time in my seminar activities. (INOKAI Chisa, 3rd year vice seminar leader)
What impressed me was that during my week-long stay in Japan, I did not receive any curious looks when I walked around town. In Japan, many people get curious and look at foreigners more than necessary when they see them on the streets, but in Australia, it was very easy to spend time without being looked at with prejudice wherever I went. Although I had already learned about multiculturalism through lectures, I was able to experience firsthand that efforts are being actively made to promote multiculturalism. In addition to art galleries and museums, we also visited places we would not normally visit, such as the Consulate-General of Japan and the Japan Foundation, and heard from a variety of people, so I feel that the camp was a learning experience for me. It was especially interesting to hear from the Clare Sydney office that in Australia, even in education, they are incorporating content that leads to multicultural conviviality. Based on my experience at this camp, I would like to continue to make efforts to promote multiculturalism in the Yamawaki Seminar. (ISHIDA Nanami, 3rd year seminar leader)
Through this camp, I have become interested in new initiatives and have come to believe once again that people who can change society are us the young generations. During a visit to the New South Wales Department of Multicultural Affairs, I asked Mr. Michael Shaw of the department in charge of community and government policies and laws, “If we were to hold something similar to the multicultural workshops and events that the Yamawaki Seminar is currently working on in Australia, what kind of people would participate in?” His answer was “young people”. Hearing his answer, I felt that even though Australia has been a progressive multi-ethnic nation for a longer period than Japan, there are no differences between Australia and Japan in the way that young people show positive attitudes toward new movements. I feel that I would like to make use of the experience of touring Melbourne and Sydney, where I visited many organizations and facilities that I was only able to visit because of the study trip, and the knowledge I gained from these places, in my future activities as a seminar member. (KIUCHI Akino, 3rd year vice seminar leader)
Through the study trip, I was reminded once again of the importance of developing legislation for a multicultural society. The states of Victoria and New South Wales, which we visited this time, have advanced “Multicultural Acts”. Multicultural Act provides a livable society for immigrants, for example, by providing enhanced multilingual interpretation support. I also realized there are many opportunities to show respect for Indigenous people in Australia, and I learned that their culture and history are respected. The study trip was a fruitful experience for us because we were able to visit environments where diversity is prevalent and hear from state and local government officials who are responsible for creating such environments. It strengthened my wish to find and implement what we, the Yamawaki Seminar, can do to help create a multicultural community. (BABA Aoi, 3rd year student)
Overall, I think the study trip was very meaningful. I thought I had learned the importance of multicultural policies many times in Japan, but there was much to learn by going out of Japan and seeing the government and citizens working together to promote multiculturalism. I was particularly struck by the fact that the administrative system is systematized based on laws, which makes it possible for different private organizations and governments to take different approaches. I was surprised not only by the systems and initiatives but also by the consciousness of the Australian people. I was particularly impressed by the fact that I was never treated in a way that made me feel uncomfortable, even though my English is not very good and I look Asian. I was impressed by the fact that, despite the historical background that led the country as a whole to aspire to a multicultural society, the idea that people are diverse must have been woven into the fabric of their unconsciousness. Although I am still at a loss as to how I can return the knowledge I gained this time to society as a student of the Yamawaki Seminar, this camp has given me even more motivation to make use of this knowledge in the future. (KIMURA Kanami, 3rd year student)
≪Japanee version≫