The Chair of the Australia-Japan Foundation, Mr Murray McLean AO, has great pleasure to launch the AJF's celebrations of its 40th anniversary in 2016.
Mr McLean said "2016 will be an exciting year for the AJF. We will use our projects to showcase the diversity of Australian expertise and innovation, and the friendship between the Australian and Japanese peoples."
The AJF's priority projects for 2016 were announced in September and include:
- Joint research and collaboration between future users of the Australian-hosted Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope
- A joint research project on future directions in the advanced economic relationship between Australia and Japan
- Opportunities for Australian students to enhance their media and communications skills through internships in Japan.
- A Scouts exchange program including Japanese participants from the Greater Tohoku Region which was devastated in the 2011 earthquake.
- The launch of the Japanese translation of 'The Secret River' by Australian author Kate Grenville.
The Australia-Japan relationship is founded in common values and interests including a shared commitment to democracy, freedom, the rule of law and human rights. The development of mutually beneficial trading and economic relations has been rapid.
The AJF's work enhances the close personal and cultural ties which underpin the relationship. Japanese is the most widely studied language in Australian schools and universities, strengthened by over 650 sister-school relationships. There are over 100 sister city relationships and six sister state relationships between our two countries.
More information about the AJF and AJF projects can be found at: /ajf.
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ausjapanfoundation/
Contact: AJF Manager, ajf.australia@dfat.gov.au
