The Government of Fiji this week officially welcomed Japanese students who are current recipients of the Fiji education scholarships established after the great tsunami that struck Japan in March last year.
Held at the Fiji National University campus in Nasinu, the welcoming ceremony highlighted the assistance provided by the Fijian government towards its counterpart in Japan to assist with rehabilitation works in Japan.
Education minister Filipe Bole who officially received the eleven students at the ceremony, highlighted the magnitude of the disaster in world history and in Japan’s history of natural disasters since modern record keeping began in 1900.
“After the tragic disaster last year, the Government of Fiji expressed its readiness to assist in the rescue and recovery process”, Minister Bole told guests at the ceremony.
He also said that this disaster’s economic cost was US$235 billion making it the most expensive natural disaster in world history.
The Education Minister reassured the students that Fiji’s environment and friendly people would quickly heal the psychological trauma of what they experienced.
“Experience the beauty of nature as we in Fiji are also close to nature and in doing so, learn more about yourself as most of you are in your middle and late teens,” advised the Minister.
Ambassador Bole urged the students to “make as many friends as they could and to make Fiji their home”.
The Minister also called on local communities to look after these students as they are “now part of us and give them the support they need”.
There are five secondary school students and six tertiary students who are recipients of this scholarship.
Before a full I Taukei traditional ceremony was accorded, a one minute silence was observed to remember those whose lives were lost in this disaster.
