By P. Chandra Sagaran
Ipoh City Mayor Zamakhshari Hanipah presented a cash contribution to eight students under the Youth Exchange Program 2025( Ipoh -Fukuoka Student Exchange) here on November 19.
The event which took place at Dewan Azlan Shah, Ipoh City Council building saw the students gathered with two accompanying officers.
The students carry the name of junior ambassadors who would leave for Fukoka to participate in activities from November 30 to December 9.
The signing of the twinning cities was carried out on March 21, 1989. The agreement was inked by the first Ipoh City Mayor Datuk Umar Abu and the then Fukuoka City Mayor Keiichi Kuwahara.
Since then the cities take turns to host the programme.This year Fukuoka are the organisers.
The cooperation served as a catalyst to various exchange programmes including culture education, economy, trade,science and technology together as well as sports between Malaysia and Japan.
The Mayor in his speech stressed such programmes are a platform to foster unity spirit, global cultural openness and formation of young generation identity.
“I am proud to see the commitment of the students who would be representatives of Ipoh City .I also hope they will acquire knowledge, experience and an in-depth understanding of Japanese culture in depth,” he added.
This year’s programme is expected to strengthen rakyat to rakyat diplomatic ties between Malaysia and Japan apart from bringing long term benefits to education and human capital development in Ipoh City .
Also present were council’s Secretary Ahmad Munir Ishak, representatives of institutes of higher learning, heads of council’s departments and units, principals, schools representatives and parents.