(06-02-20017): Through a partnership with Sakura Science Project, 20 students (10 girls, 10 boys) visited Japan on a Science Study Tour as part of the Ambassador’s efforts to bring students from a diverse background particularly those on scholarships from villages and small towns and from financially-challenged homes. This was the first time young students from Pakistan participated in this Science Tour, which was the culmination of a two year effort. The students during their hectic programme were able to meet with, and for the first time ever for Pakistani children visiting any foreign country, were able to conduct scientific exercises with Nobel Laureates in Chemistry and also Physics. Chemistry Nobel Laureate Professor Hideki Shirakawa welcomed the students for his hands-on experiments. Equally their interaction with Physics Nobel Laureate Professor Hioshi Amano proved be educative and rewarding.
The students visited Japan’s premier Science and Technology Museum MIRAIKAN and met with its Chief Executive Director, the world renowned astronaut, Dr. Mamoru Mohri, visited Tokyo University; visited the Embassy for a briefing; travelled on the Shinkansen (bullet train) and soaked up the first class education that a great advanced scientific society like Japan has to offer.
Ambassador Farukh Amil impressed upon the need for the next generation to embrace science and technology and that for a society to truly progress the advances in education must be made by the girls and boys alike, in order to achieve a progressive and dynamic society envisaged by Quaid-e-Azam. He underscored that progress would be complete only when young people from all social backgrounds had the equal opportunity to realise their dreams and their true potentials based on social justice and human dignity. He stressed to the young students to view any disadvantage as a challenge not an impediment and that they must be equal stakeholders in Pakistan’s success. The Ambassador urged the girls and boys, upon their return to Pakistan, to whole-heartedly embrace the quest for knowledge and become the generation to take Pakistan to new heights of development. The Ambassador addressed the Closing Ceremony underlining his appreciation for the Japanese side to invite the youth of Pakistan to the ‘Land of Technology’.
Tokyo
PR 12/2017