Kids' Activities 11

Kids in Kobe Support Four Teams

	Kids at Mano Elementary make a big flag to support Tunisia.

Kids at 32 elementary and 16 junior high schools in the city of Kobe were involved in a variety of activities aimed at cheering on the four countries playing World Cup group-league games in Kobe - Nigeria, Russia, Sweden, and Tunisia. From June 2 to 10 big posters and other items made by students from the schools and based on themes like the competing nations and soccer were exhibited at Kobe Harborland Space Theater, helping to boost feelings of friendship toward the four countries. 11 of the schools chose Russia as their theme, 8 chose Tunisia, 16 chose Sweden, and 13 chose Nigeria.

The kids at Hamayama Elementary made Nigerian-style clothes out of paper.
A Russian does origami with kids at Meishin Elementary.

The students at 14 elementary schools in Hyogo Ward, where Kobe Wing Stadium is located, made flags with messages of support for the people of the four countries who visited Hyogo Ward for the World Cup. These flags were displayed at the ward office, outside the station, and at other locations from April 1 to June 18.

In a separate effort, big flags with messages of support for different countries written in Japanese and the languages of those countries were made and put on display at an arcade near Sannomiya Station in Kobe's Chuo Ward. The messages were written with the help of consulates of the countries in Kobe and people from those countries. The flag supporting Nigeria was made by Hamayama Elementary School, the Russia flag was made by Meishin Elementary, the Sweden one by Wada-Misaki Elementary, and the Tunisia one by Mano Elementary.

	Kids at Wada-Misaki Elementary conduct exchange with Swedish people.
	A Tunisian man teaches kids at Mano Elementary to write Arabic.

Meanwhile, junior high schools in the city held lessons about the four countries that played in Kobe. Iwaoka Junior High School invited a Tunisian exchange student to come and talk about Tunisia. The student used slides to introduce the exotic scenery of Tunisia's Mediterranean coast and Roman ruins. One kid who attended this class said: "It's a beautiful country with a lot of history. One day I'd like to go there."

The kids at Nagasaka Elementary School were treated to a talk on Russia by the mother of one of the school's students, who is Russian. The kids learned how to write their names in Russian letters, and everyone was surprised at how difficult it was. The mother said, however, that writing and memorizing kanji (Sino-Japanese characters) must be even more difficult.


Photos courtesy of World Cup Kobe Promotion Committee