On March 6, 2015, Ambassador Shuichiro Nishioka of Japan hosted the first ever Japan-Malawi Friendship Luncheon at his residence. The event was organized to bid farewell to five Japanese government scholarship recipients. Three of them have been awarded the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) Scholarship whilst two were awarded the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) postgraduate scholarships. The luncheon also served as a forum for the exchange information particularly between the new scholars and those with experiences in relation to Japan. It also served as a celebration of the Japan-Malawi friendship.
Guests included the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Emmanuel Fabiano who was the Guest of Honor; former Malawi Ambassadors to Japan; representatives of academic institutions; alumni of Japanese universities and training institutions; and government officials among others. In his remarks, Ambassador Nishioka said that he was pleased to host a reception where the new scholars had a chance to interact with various people who have had experience working or studying in Japan. He also commended the scholars for being awarded the scholarships.
Dr. Fabiano, on the other hand, thanked Japan for its support in the education sector. He further urged the new scholars to study hard in Japan to be able to significantly contribute to the development of Malawi in the future. Some of scholars will undergo PhD programs whilst others will study for Masters Degrees. The fields of study vary and include mining; information technology; and public health. The function was spiced up by a Judo (Japanese Martial Art) performance and guests were accorded an opportunity to sample Japanese spring decorations in addition to a variety of Japanese cuisines. |
