Kitsuki City and APU Signed a Friendship and Exchange Agreement

(Oita Godo Newspaper, April 11th 2009, morning)

A signing ceremony was held at the Oita Prefectural Office to conclude the Friendship and Exchange Agreement between Kitsuki City and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU, Beppu City). While APU students are often being involved in the exchange activities held in Kitsuki City, the relationship between Kitsuki City and APU deepened.

During the signing ceremony, Governor Hirose and APU President Monte Cassim were present, and the City Mayor Yasada Kyosuke was also present and signed the agreement.

"Including many aspects of study, I hope to encourage more exchanges in various fields" greeted President Monte Cassim. Mr. Yasada Kyosuke spoke of his intention, "I would like to seek cooperation especially in the activities to protect environment".

So far APU has concluede ten friendship and exchange agreements with the cities and towns outside Oita Prefecture. APU students have been teaching English to primary school students in those areas, and also have been inviting the students to come to the university while continuing to do the cultural exchanges with them.

Comment: I believe that these friendship and exchange agreements between APU and all the cities and towns both inside and outside Oita Prefecture actually have been beneficial for both sides. APU is a unique university which has students coming from more than 80 countries in the world. It is indeed an advantage of the schools in Japan to make use of this diverse community to widen their students' horizon and perspectives of the world. At the same time, the international students in APU would like to be introduced to Japanese culture and be involved in the local activities. I am expecting for more and more agreements in the future.

NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama
Indonesia
APM2, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University