12-month program prepares students to study in Asian nation Young people being geared for leadership positions in UAE ABU DHABI: The influential Japanese International Cooperation Center are providing Emirati students, through the UAE’s 12-month Young Ambassador Program, the opportunity to prepare for study in the Asian nation. Previous YAP programs have taken place between the UAE and other countries, including China, South Korea and Germany. This is the first one planned with Japan, in collaboration with the JICE, and provides participants with knowledge of Japanese culture, history and language. The graduates of YAP are expected to become leaders in government, industry, and academia and play critical roles in fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries. Twenty-one students were chosen out of 250 applicants for the program. Last September, Japan’s embassy in the UAE hosted an orientation session on YAP for the young Emirati students, who also met with Ambassador to the UAE Akio Isomata. Also present was Alanood Al-Kaabi, program manager of the YAP. The orientation also allowed participants to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony workshop with the Urasenke Abu Dhabi Study Group. In June, several Emirati students participated in a basic Japanese-language course, which included learning how to speak about tsuyu, or the Japanese rainy season. The program was launched to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the UAE and Japan. The UAE launched the YAP in 2012 to equip young Emiratis to take up prominent roles in society and industry. More than 200 students have graduated from the program.