Thousands of volunteers held Vietnamese flags and sang songs to the Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) members as they departed from their ship at Saigon Port on December 5th.
With over 329 delegates from 10 ASEAN countries and Japan they where quoted as saying “Hello Vietnam” and “I love Vietnam” as they arrived in Ho Chi Minh City for the final leg of the Southeast Asian Youth trip.
The Fuji Maru ship docked in HCM City’s Saigon port to begin its tenth visit to the city and eleventh visit to Vietnam.
At the port, Vietnamese youths and Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union's HCM City Chapter held a welcoming ceremony with the participation of Pham Ngoc Quynh, Secretary General of the National Committee for Vietnamese Youth, representatives from ASEAN countries’ consulates and thousands of volunteers.
Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Quynh said he hoped the visit would offer a chance for the delegate to witness many achievements in the renewal, development and international integration process of Vietnam, which is a country of peace, friendship and hospitality.
After saying hello, each member of the SSEAYP received a black scarf, which is a symbol of southern Vietnamese people in particular, and Vietnamese people in general.
Carl Michelle from the Philippines said: “all Vietnamese people I have met are extremely friendly and self-motivated…. I will tell all my friends when I return home, that Vietnam is most beautiful country I have seen and great destination to travel to”.
He also went on to say,” Most youngsters, who come to Vietnam for the first time are so surprise with the warm welcome they get here”.
Phou Sakal from Cambodia said: “Vietnam is known mostly for the war but now we understand more about Vietnam. Vietnam has many beautiful spots and wonderful and tasty food dishes. The Vietnamese people are so friendly”.
Pham Vu Van Anh, a member of Vietnamese delegation, said, “Vietnamese ao dai and martial arts were held on the ship and participating youths from ASEAN countries really enjoyed this program”.
For closer friendship
Since 1995, Vietnam sends representatives to join SSEAYP yearly. According to the management board, Vietnamese delegations improved their English ability and creativeness during past years. Shiojima Kaori said, “Vietnamese youngsters develop mean full friendship with others in their region and this leaves a distinct mark through this program”.
The SSEAYP 2010 delegation, which includes 29 Vietnamese youths, left Yokohama in Japan by ship on a 52-day journey through six countries.
During their four-day stay from Dec. 5-8 in Ho Chi Minh City, the youth delegates will take part in cultural exchanges with local youths, join a home stay programme to learn about local cultures, manners and customs and visit several socio-economic agencies.
The participants will have chance to learn Vietnamese culture by attending cultural and social activities covering the environment, international relations, education, health, food, and community development. This year, the ship travelled to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.
Starting in 1974, SSEAYP is a joint initiative by Japan and the five founding ASEAN members — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. More than 10,000 youths from the ten ASEAN countries and Japan have travelled by ship. This organisation seeks to strengthen friendship, co-operation, and understanding between Japanese and Southeast Asian youths to help build a peaceful, stable, and developed region.
Ho Chi Minh City is the final leg of the Southeast Asian Youth trip, the youths will return to Tokyo on December 15.
