Youth project to 'rediscover Brunei'

PARTICIPANTS of the Southeast Asia Youth Leadership programme will be carrying out a project to promote Brunei and bring to the forefront cultural elements that define the country some time next month.

The project will be conducted in the style of the "Amazing Race" under the pretext of "Rediscover Brunei".

The actual date of the event is yet to be decided, but for now is tentative for either April 18 or 25. Plans for the event are also still tentative as the organising team is awaiting approval, sponsors and venues.

The team would also like to ensure that the project does not clash with school examinations as to enable students to participate.

The presentation of the project by the participants was held yesterday for an alumni meeting organised by the United States Embassy at the Rizqun International Hotel.

Elaborating on the objectives of the programme, one of the participants, Amin Feisal, 16, from Jerudong International School said: "We want Bruneian students to know more about Brunei as we think we are losing our culture because we are getting more westernised."

He added: "We want to get some international students to participate in the event. Ten students from each school will take part so they can learn about Brunei as well."

The organising team also aims to get food companies to sell their products on the day itself. "We will try to get them to bring local cakes... and will ask them to donate 10 per cent from the proceeds of the sale to the Child Development Centre (CDC)," said Feisal.

John McIntrye, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, said that the Southeast Asia Youth Leadership programme is the first youth programme sponsored by the Department of State which focuses exclusively on Asean member countries.

"In addition, for the US Embassy and the Brunei Ministry of Education (International Unit), this was an initial (step) and we hope (it will be an) ongoing partnership as well," he added.

Under the programme, selected students will be sent to the US for a three-week long programme. The students were chosen on their proficiency in English, written essays and a demonstration of interest in the project theme. Other criteria was based on students' maturity, leadership qualities, flexibility and open-mindedness.

According to a press release from the US Embassy, the overall programme is designed to promote high-quality leadership, civic responsibility, voluntarism and respect for diversity among the nation's future leaders. The Brunei Times