BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE wait is finally over for the 29 participants of the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Programme (SSEAYP) 2009 when they finally left for Tokyo, Japan yesterday morning.

After months of team building exercises and practice sessions conducted with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the time now has come for them to perform their task to expose Brunei and its culture to Asean countries and Japan.

During their port-of-calls to six countries, including Brunei, the participants who are led by Hj Md Ibrahim Hj Jumaat and elected Youth Leader Hj Md Iqbal Fakri Damit, will, among others, experience a homestay programme.The Bruneian contingent will also be holding an exhibition on Brunei culture and foods as well as performing traditional dancing and singing on the ship with other participants as part of a cultural exchange programme. Following Japan, the participants will set sail to the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. They will be in Brunei from December 8 to 11, before returning to Japan.

Sending the participants off as well as offering words of advice to the Brunei contingent yesterday was Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Ahmad Hj Jumat.

The participants will be back home on December 17.

The Brunei Times