Idris Jones, a Year 11 student from Kristin School has been selected to attend the 28th Pacific Rim International Camp in Japan thanks to a scholarship offered by Independent Schools of New Zealand.

Idris will be the only New Zealand representative on the camp which brings together students from countries and regions around the Pacific Ocean including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.

Based at the National Takato Youth Centre in Nagano, with pre and post-camp programmes in Tokyo and Yamanashi, Idris will spend two weeks in Japan, taking part in cultural and outdoor activities as well as a four-day homestay programme.

The aim of the camp is to promote cultural appreciation and international friendship through close interaction amongst the campers. Through the relationships formed at the camp, participants learn the importance of personal contribution in building a multinational society based on friendship.

The application process was an opportunity for students to identify their areas of interest on global issues, and to demonstrate what they could offer to the international student summit. In his essay, Idris identified a number of issues on which he felt strongly; “There are many global issues that should be discussed amongst the next generation but in my opinion the key areas include the need for an acceptance that resources should be shared, caring for the environment and for human beings to live a more selfless, less materialistic life… I believe modern technology can narrow our differences, enable us to freely communicate around the world, whilst still enabling us to savour our individual cultures”.

Idris will depart for Japan in August and is looking forward to all of the opportunities offered by the camp. “It is not just a break away from school, but a chance to share my culture, learn and understand others through actively taking part in the activities which could have some positive long-term effects on the international scene as well as initiatives to take back to my school community.”