The Ship for World Youth (SWY) programme, operated by Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, is a programme that involves youths from Japan and countries around the world. The participants board the Ship for World Youth, live together, and while on board, they study and discuss common issues from a global perspective and participate in other various activities that involve multi-cultural and multi-national exchange opportunities. The modern SWY programme which began in 1988, will make its 37th voyage in 2026.
The Ship for World Youth Alumni Association of New Zealand is excited to announce that applications for the 37th voyage of the Ship for World Youth are now open! SWY37 begins with a weekend programme in New Zealand during November 2025, followed by a programme in on-board the Ship, and Japan between 14th February – 13th March 2026.
Applications for participating youth of the New Zealand delegation will close at 5pm on Monday 4 August 2025.
Application forms must be filled out in full, and emailed to swynzinfo@gmail.com. Any questions about the program or the application can be directed to swynzinfo@gmail.com as well, or you can send the team a private message on Facebook.
Selection Criteria...
- 18-30 years of age (as of 1 April 2025).
- Be a New Zealand national holding a New Zealand Passport, and ideally living in New Zealand.
- Must be able to participate in the entire programme, including the training weekend (to be confirmed, during November 2025), and the in-person programme in Japan in 2026.
- Must be able to actively assist with the preparation of the delegation prior to departure.
- In good mental and physical health suited to a voyage where urgent medical care is not available.
- Capable of acting cooperatively and in harmony with fellow members of the NZ delegation and other delegations involved in the program.
- Expected to contribute greatly to the various activities for promoting sound development of young people, and representing New Zealand on the international stage.
- Good command of English for participation in activities and discussion at university level and above.
- Interest in, or understanding of Japan (and other participating countries). While the programme is conducted in English, some Japanese language ability may be an advantage.
- Be capable of, and interested in, sharing the society and cultures of New Zealand.
- Willing and able to cooperate with measures against infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza, as deemed necessary by the Japanese administration (and border controls), such as (but not limited to) vaccination, use of face coverings, and PCR tests. Note that these procedures may require that you use and carry a smartphone.
- Must not have been a participant of any past program of the Cabinet Office of Japan, (with the exception of Ex-PYs of the 2022 SWY Online programme).
The SWYNZ Alumni Association, along with the nominated National Leader will be managing the selection process.
SWY37 ROUTE
NIPPON MARU
"Out at sea, the days merged into one. 24 hours of being awake on repeat whilst slipping in a couple hours of sleep here or there. Sunrises became my thing. Some mornings I would be joined by coffee drinkers, others I would smile at someone as they lapped me time after time on their morning run. Occasionally, a person would join me. For hours we would sit in silence, or still awake from the night before the conversation would lead wherever our minds took us. Whilst the sun made itself known, we would transform into words, spilling our souls, slowly and then all at once. In the times that I was completely alone I would align myself with the horizon and tackle life's big questions. The view would make me feel small. Turn it upside down and it would still look the same. A blue disk of sky above, a blue disk of ocean below. Simple and elemental. It reminded me that our blue and white planet takes it colour from the clouds and sea, two forms of water..."
Once getting onboard the Ship, there is lots for participants to do! This changes every year, but there is usually:
- Lectures and workshops by onboard facilitators
- Participant led seminars, workshops, focus groups
- Cultural exchange activities, including dance, music, art and limited gastronomical
- National presentations by each country – formal, abstract, performing arts and gala/booth/event based
- Official visits to institutions in during port of call activities
- Leisure including a pool, restaurant, bar, participant led social activities.
PORTS OF CALL
"It was the successful alumni such as Helen Clark that attracted me to apply but it didn’t take long for me to realise that the voyage wasn’t all about being recognised as a leader on the world stage. It was a cultural soup, I observed, interacted and befriended a huge amount of nationalities. I saw what made them tick as well as points of tension, and as a result I have a much deeper perception of the countries that they come from. I learnt the importance of cross-cultural understanding as well as the complexity of global society. The seminars and workshops revolved around common world issues. Course facilitators were high ranking members of the UNDP and a huge emphasis of lectures was unpacking the sustainable development goals with a global perspective. On top of this, the outcome of our discussions were put into practice at ports of call, visiting developing areas and engaging in their community projects. I came home globally minded which is a skill and a strength that use on a daily basis..."
This years voyage will take participants to several regions of Japan. The ports of call include Okinawa and Aichi prefectures. Themes of the discussion groups and corresponding institutional visits during stopovers change every year (and are yet to be confirmed for 2026), but some examples include:
- Leadership
- International Cooperation and Diplomacy
- Project Management
- Cross Cultural Understanding
- Gender Equality
- Quality Education
- Environmental Conservation
- Youth Empowerment
- Disaster Prevention
TOKYO
"My Hiroshima homestay family treated me like royalty. A modern traditional home. Sitting on the floor around a low coffee table with a heater underneath as snow fell outside. All eyes on me as they asked textbook questions; how many siblings, where is home, favourite movies, impressions of Japan. The constant apologies about their lack of english, the daughter official translator for the parents, and me at loss as to why they were apologising... It should have been me apologising. The rich culture and traditions; different slippers for different parts of the house, the heated toilet seat, bowing to your elders and those you respect, the minimalism, gift exchanging, green tea ice cream, walking to their neighbourhood shrine - appreciating the great lengths they go to to receive good luck, the grand bath, the nerves I experienced as raw seafood was placed in front of me, spotting a grandmother in her kimono holding the hand of her young grandson in a pokemon costume. Asking my homestay parents how they could forgive the events of the past, their response; kokoro no yutori - yasuragi (peace in the heart) - an inner transformation that is much more powerful than any atomic weapon in shifting the world towards peace. This was Japan at its grassroots, an understanding of the country that is hidden and unknown by the regular tourist. It is a secret that I cherish..."
The programme concludes with several days in Tokyo where participants will complete course discussions and make some official visits to institutions related to their topics of interest. For limited participants, there will likely also be a courtesy call with the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Japan.
VIDEO
FAQ
What countries get invited?
Each year, Japan invites 10 or more countries to participate, and no year includes an identical combination of countries. On SWY37, Japan and New Zealand will be joined by Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Greece, India, Jamaica, Mongolia, Mozambique, Palau and Spain. Each country will have 8 Participating Youth and 1 National Leader. Japan will have 80 participants.
How much does it cost?
As a participant there is little cost involved. The Government of Japan very generously covers most expenses. This includes your return airfares to Japan as well as all living expenses whilst in Japan and onboard the ship. Participants are required to purchase travel insurance, national uniforms, gifts, and provide for their own spending money. Some costs are incurred for delegation expenses (such as a National Presentation) and there is an expectation the delegation will work together to seek financial and in-kind sponsorship.
"Everyone has said it. The best part of SWY was the people. The diversity, the complexity, the unity. We shared with one another and learnt what it truly meant to share with one another. Not shying away from those hard topics with tears acting as permission to push further. Together we created a story. Pages that will not be bound by a hardcover, because it lives on through both ends. One day my grandchildren will read about these people in the history books and I will think back to the conversations at the dinner table and under the stars and feel privileged to have been part of their lives even if it was for a few short months..."