Annual Report (Norway, 2003)

Name of group: SWYAA NORWAY
E-mail: keyperson@swynorway.org
Homestay Norway : homestay@swynorway.org
URL: http://www.swynorway.org/

The SWYAA NORWAY was established after the return of SWY8 in 1996. We are 21 members.

The organisation is a network organised through an e-mail list. Siri Johnsen was keyperson, and Peter Gjefle was second e-mail receiver. From the year 2004 we our organization will be grow when the Norwegian participants of the 16 SWY program will be part of our group.

Main activities
Our main activities are informal meetings and discussions through the e-mail list. Some of the members take part in discussions on the swy-net@yahoogroups.com list. In addition to this list we have two separate e-mail lists for ex-participants of SWY8 and SWY12.

We have put up and e-mail for the homestay network and will help ex-pys who comes to Norway for a visit.

The invitation to the SWY16 program
In May 2003 we heard that Norway was going to be invited to join the SWY16 programme. Therefore, the Norwegian AA, got in touch with the Japanese Embassy in Norway and the Ministry of Children, Youth and Family and offered our assistance in the selection process as well as to inform the new delegation about the program. However, we were not consulted in the process.

After the selection we asked the Embassy to provide us with contact details to the new delegation so that we could inform them, but were refused. We managed to get in touch with the Norwegian NL trough personal contacts, but too late to be able to inform her before she left for the NL meeting.

We therefore believe it is important for the Japanese government and the IYEO to address in its communication to the Japanese Embassies in the respective countries, as well as to the local organisations in charge of the selection process, the importance of communicating with and utilizing the local AA in the process, and that the delegation should be put in contact with th the local AA as soon as possible.

NL meeting in Tokyo October 2003
Ms Pia Skjelstad was invited to be the national leader of the Norwegian delegation at the 16th SWY program, and she participated at the National leaders meeting in Tokyo in October 2003.

Other activities
Ms Inger Johanne Hinna participated at a seminar in Oslo Thursday September 25 on “Peace-building and Development Co-operation” organised by the Japanese Embassy in Oslo.

On behalf of SWYAA NORWAY

Siri Johnsen (EX-PY SWY12)
Key Person (until March 2004)