09 Nov 2022

The Japanese Embassy is using art to foster cultural exchanges between Botswana and Japan learners by giving them opportunity to gain insight into the culture of the two countries.

The collaborative children’s art exhibition which is on its ninth edition allows standard three pupils of Ben Thema and Japan-based Chigasaki Primary school to exchange paintings which depict their way of life.

“As you look at the paintings from Chigasaki primary you can form an image of Japan in your mind and visualise Japanese life,” said Murai Makiko, Charge’d affairs at the Japan Embassy during the opening of the exhibition on Monday.

Makiko expressed hope that the exhibition would spark interest in the pupils to inspire them to visit Japan and see what the paintings depict in real life.

Japanese children and adults, she said, would also benefit from the exchange as the paintings from Ben Thema Primary School would be sent to Japan to be exhibited at three different locations in Yokohama from December to March 2023.

For his part, Director General of Tsuzuki ward of Yokohama city in Japan, Sato Tomonari said they were delighted that the 160 drawings were created with love.

He said the drawings would make both nations aware of their cultural differences and help them to learn from each other.

“I hope that the art exhibition will become a bridge of friendship between Tsuzuki ward and Botswana,” he said.

Ben Thema Primary School head Ms Boitshoko Mokgethi thanked the Japanese government for the initiative saying it had brought pupils from the two countries closer and made them aware of each other’s cultures through their art drawings. Ends