On June 14, 2024, Mayor Takeshi Nishiyama of Sarabetsu Village, Hokkaido visited the HelloWorld headquarters in Okinawa.
In August this year, 18 middle school students from Sarabetsu Village are set to participate in the HelloWorld Cultural Exchange and MACHINAKA ENGLISH QUEST programs in Okinawa. Through cultural exchanges with host families and the opportunity to learn practical English, the programs aim to enhance the children’s motivation to learn English and broaden their learning horizons.
Mayor Nishiyama commented on this initiative: “Taking into account the financial and safety aspects, I think it is a great opportunity for students and parents to have such easy study-abroad experience domestically. It’s a good step before actually going overseas.”
HelloWorld has implemented “HelloWorld Cultural Exchange” and “MACHINAKA ENGLISH QUEST” as projects with local governments and boards of education nationwide, including in Tohoku, Shikoku, Kansai, and Okinawa. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, the rising living costs and weaker yen have increased the hurdles of traveling overseas. At the same time, the benefits of local study-abroad programs in terms of cost and safety are gaining more attention, and the demand is expected to increase in the future.
To achieve our goal of creating a society where having friends in every country is the norm, we will continue to strengthen our collaborations nationwide and provide new learning opportunities for all children.
