ROTARY will roll out the welcome mat at Cleveland showgrounds to youth aboard ship the Nippon Maru.
The vessel is visiting Brisbane in mid-February as part of return voyage from Japan to promote world peace.
Rotary spokesman Elwyn Hodges said the 240 young people part of the Ship for World Youth program would use the fun day at Cleveland on Sunday, February 17 to find their feet.
He said everyone was invited to meet the international crew, with gates opened from noon to 4pm.
“We are looking forward to giving a big Rotary welcome to the Ship for World Youth here in Cleveland,” he said.
Mr Hodges said a barbecue lunch, sports afternoon, entertainment and cultural activities were all planned.
He said the visit to Cleveland was pushed by delegation member Tegan Brooks, who was from the Redlands.
“Tegan has been involved in RYLA in our district since 2015 and is passionate about Rotary, connecting people and sharing opportunities for our youth,” he said.
The Ship for World Youth program is funded by the Japanese Government.
This year’s cruise will help commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Iwakura Mission.
The mission was a diplomat voyage undertaken in the 1870s by Japanese statesmen and scholars to the west.
Mr Hodges said the 240 delegates were from 12 countries including Japan, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, the Solomon Islands, Sweden, Tanzania and Turkey.
Participants participated in multi-cultural activities and discussed global issues, he said.
The Nippon Maru has embarked on a 33-day journey from Japan to Australia via Indonesia before returning back to Japan via the Solomon Islands.
The ship’s visit to Australia will be the first in eight years, Mr Hodges said.
For more information about the Ship for World Youth program, visit here.
