Shibuya City Culture Program "MERRY SMILE SHIBUYA for 2020"

In celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 just one year around the corner, Shibuya City is holding “MERRY SMILE SHIBUYA for 2020” as part of their culture program. The Embassy of Switzerland in Japan together with NPO Support Our Kids (SOK) invites you to our booth at the United Nations University, showcasing our activities and efforts on the road to Tokyo 2020.

This spring, the Embassy in close collaboration with SOK sent 5 teenagers from the Tohoku region for a 2-weeks homestay program in Switzerland. Join us to discover what these young 'reconstruction ambassadors' have experienced during their trip from Luzern to Geneva. There will be panels, quizzes and a photo booth for everyone to enjoy!

Merry Smile Shibuya for 2020 is an art project - produced by the art director Koji Mizutani - which aims to expand the “MERRY” circle (fun activities and happy moments) with the motto “Smile is an international language”. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, Mizutani has launched the “MERRY SMILE ACTION” as a reconstruction support project for the affected areas. This year, students from 10 universities in Shibuya and other diverse participants - regardless of age, gender, nationality, or disabilities – will come together at the United Nations University to exhibit stage performances and workshops.

*Support Our Kids (SOK)With the cooperation of 12 embassies in Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Support Our Kids Project assists children from the affected areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake with the purpose of nurturing the children into becoming future reconstruction leaders through experiences overseas. Since 2011, SOK has assisted 415 children to go abroad. There will be another Swiss homestay project scheduled in January 2020 as a collaboration project of SOK and the Embassy.