Speeches

Friday, 19 July 2024

Morning tea with Jissen Joshi Gakuen students

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I am very pleased to welcome you to Government House and to South Australia. I hope you are enjoying your time in Adelaide so far.

It was my pleasure to visit Jissen Joshi Gakuen School in 2022 during a visit to Tokyo, where I learned about your school’s history and spoke with students.

I was also pleased to welcome students from your school to Government House in July last year, during their exchange to Adelaide.

Our State has a strong connection with, and affection for, Japan, and our relationship with your school is deeply valued.

We welcome many international students to Adelaide and appreciate the richness and diversity you all bring to our community.

I congratulate you on being prepared to immerse yourself in Australian culture and to learn more about our world.

In doing so you share your own knowledge, culture, values, and language with your host schools and host families.

After I graduated from high school in Adelaide, I went back to school for a year as an exchange student in the Netherlands and while I grappled with the language in the beginning, I found the experience extremely valuable.

I thank the staff from the Jissen Joshi Gakuen School and the Department for Education, the Adelaide schools and homestay families for recognising the importance of this program and working for its success.

I thank you, the students, for embarking on this journey of discovery and hope you will always think fondly of your time here.

I look forward to speaking with you over morning tea and hearing about what you are looking forward to doing most in Adelaide.