APCC English Website
APCC ENGLISH WEBSITE
Every year, Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention in FUKUOKA (APCC) has been organizing the BRIDGE KIDS PROGRAMS program, where more than 200 11-year-old Junior Ambassadors and their Chaperon are invited from all over the world to participate in the BRIDGE Summer Camp in Fukuoka to develop dynamic cross-cultural exchanges. Until last year, we held the BRIDGE Virtual Summer Camp, an online exchange program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year, for the first time in four years, we will hold the BRIDGE Summer Camp in person in FUKUOKA.
We look forward to welcoming children from more than 30 countries and regions around the world !
What is Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention in FUKUOKA / APCC
The Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention in Fukuoka (APCC) was created as a commemorative event of the 1989 Asian-Pacific Exposition, in celebration of Fukuoka City’s 100th anniversary. This civic movement, funded by the local government, donations from corporate sponsors and our Supporters’ Association has developed over these 30 years. During its 30th anniversary in 2018, APCC announced a reformation plan and a new name for its projects. APCC has taken a step forward to keep building the bridge of OMOIYARI toward 50 and even 100 years from now.
In 1989, the first APCC was implemented by Junior Chamber International Fukuoka, in partial commemoration of the national convention of the Junior Chamber International Japan. The JCI Fukuoka members who launched this project believed that by providing children a chance to be exposed to diverse values in the world at an early stage of their life – as 11-year-olds – while they are still sensitive and unsophisticated, they could cultivate a sensibility of peace and coexistence with people from different backgrounds. Through the establishment of this project, JCI Fukuoka members were also eager to contribute to enhancing the attraction of Fukuoka as a cosmopolitan city, which historically and geographically has had a key role in exchange between Japan and the cultures of continental Asia. This philosophy has been carried down to the present day by the people in charge, and the programs have been evolving each year with their efforts and improvements.
Since its foundation, APCC has developed from a simple international exchange event into an international educational program involving a number of cities and schools to nurture OMOIYARI global citizens. In 1998, to commemorate the 10th APCC, an international network of former APCC participants, “BRIDGE CLUB” (BC), was founded. BC has branch organizations in a number of our participating countries and regions and they work to promote peace and coexistence between their members and the wider community. When the APCC marked its 20th anniversary in 2008, all the BCs came together and founded the “BRIDGE CLUB International Organization” (BCIO). BCIO has produced APCC Global BRIDGE Leaders who were expected to become the driving force to disseminate the APCC vision and strive to embody it through lively activities as OMOIYARI global citizens. During the same 20th year, APCC started the “Nurturing Project” which was continually conducted for the next decade, to further develop the children of Fukuoka by equipping them with global knowledge and perspectives after they had their first international exchange experience at age 11.
Based on our achievements over the past years, we have expanded the range and aims of this effort. From 2019 we have added new features to our two main programs, “BRIDGE Summer Camp” and “BRIDGE Challenge Trip”, and provide even further support for our participants to grow. We promise to create wider opportunities for both children and adults to help them naturally realize the importance and benefits of achieving global competency.
Slogan
Vision of APCC
We, as members of APCC, will become global citizens with an “OMOIYARI” spirit, creating a more peaceful world where the smiles of children abound.
Programs
BRIDGE KIDS PROGRAMS is the newly-adopted name for a set of international exchange programs that NPO Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention in FUKUOKA (APCC) provides: the “BRIDGE Summer Camp” and the “BRIDGE Challenge Trip”.
BRIDGE Summer Camp is a program implementing every summer, to which over 200 eleven-year-old children from around the globe are invited. The participants in this program take part in various interactions, such as sleeping and eating together under the same roof with hundreds of foreign friends, experiencing Japanese school life, and learning the Japanese way of life at a homestay, in a dynamic intercultural environment that turns all of Fukuoka into one big campsite!
BRIDGE Challenge Trip is a program that dispatches children from Fukuoka to the countries/regions across the world during Japanese spring and summer vacation. The children take on challenges in intercultural communication while experiencing the local lifestyle firsthand.
BRIDGE KIDS PROGRAMS are designed to help us overcome all kinds of differences in cultures, customs and generations by promoting mutual understanding through exchange and communication. Not only in other countries, but even within our own borders we find diverse beliefs and values that may be difficult for us to accept. BRIDGE KIDS PROGRAMS encourage us to embrace and understand those differences, and broaden our horizons. If we can connect with each other through this OMOIYARI spirit, our future will be alight with abundant smiles.
Children, who connect the present with the future, are the core of BRIDGE KIDS PROGRAMS, but adults with youthful hearts are also important players. Through “exchange” and “communication”, BRIDGE KIDS PROGRAMS connect people’s hearts, helping to achieve the vision that is captured by our slogan: “We are the BRIDGE.”
What is BRIDGE CLUB International Organization (BCIO) ?
The APCC has executed projects for 31 years since 1989 and commemorated the 10th anniversary with the successful inauguration of the BRIDGE CLUB. Having assessed its success in past BC Projects and looked at issues it currently faces, we have planned our vision for the next 10 years. At the 20th APCC in 2008, the executive members and Peace Ambassadors from 22 countries decided to establish “BRIDGE CLUB International Organization (BCIO)”, with an aim to further accelerate the setup of BCs in all non-BC countries and regions and to enhance the building of networks between existing BCs. BCIO has committed to improve and vitalize BRIDGE projects and utilize the strengths of each BC and to establish active global citizens. Whilst doing this we are also working to strengthen the BC Network with the launch of the “Respect and Understanding” program in order to maintain strong BC’s. At the 25th APCC in 2013, BC Presidents from 32 BC countries participated at the “1st BC Presidents Meeting” with an aim to support BCIO development and strengthening active participation among BCs. BC Presidents meetings are held every two years, alternating between Fukuoka and a different BC country/region. In 2015 the “2nd BC Presidents Meeting” was held in Bali, Indonesia. 21 BC Presidents/ Representatives, including former BCIO HOMs attended. The aim of this meeting was to develop strategic programs and use the Global networks and encourage leadership and management skills of BC members, and also to consider the roles and responsibilities that BCs should work on to foster Global BRIDGE Leaders. The 3rd BC Presidents Meeting was held in 2018 during the 30th Anniversary of APCC where 35 BC Presidents participated and discussed on the strategy growth of BCIO & strengthen the BC network. The main commencement was introducing new management team, appointing General Manager and Assistant Manager from the former Junior Ambassadors and inauguration of all BC Presidents and BCIO Management.
Aims and objectives of BCIO
1. To improve and vitalize BRIDGE projects
2. Utilize the strengths of each BC and to establish active global citizens.
3. To give a foothold for all APCC participants and local BC members.
In order to achieve these goals, BCs work beyond the APCC to form a human network around the world. Each APCC participating country has a local BC, and they plan their own activities depending on local needs, such as humanitarian assistance, cultural exchange and education. BC also acts as an alumni association for former participants of APCC, enabling them to keep in touch and sustaining their friendships throughout the world.
Please refer to the BCIO website for further information; http://www.bcio.org/
APCC Online Database (Doors+)
APCCs Online Database for APCC Global BRIDGE Network, Doors+ is an online exclusive platform where only APCC former and current participants can access to his or her personal data stored in the APCC office and keep it updating, search APCC friends, and log your hours of APCC or BC related activity. This door enables you to connect APCC network anytime, from anywhere.
We would like to invite the people who have participated in the APCC in the past as a Junior Ambassador, Chaperon and as other APCC participant, to join this “Doors+”. Please register on “Doors+” to get connected with your old and new APCC friends. After joining Doors+, you can control your personal information to show or not to show in your profile.
You can register to Doors+ from this link: https://apcc-doors.net/
APCC History at a Glance
| 1988.11 | Established executive committee of Asian Pacific Children’s Convention in Fukuoka (APCC) |
| 1st APCC, 1989 | Asian-Pacific Exposition, an event to celebrate Fukuoka city’s 100th anniversary 1st APCC was held as a commemorative event of the 1989 Asian-Pacific Exposition. Invited 1,110 participants from 35 countries and regions |
| 4th APCC, 1992 | Inauguration of APCC Supporters’ Association |
| 6th APCC, 1994 | Mission Project starts |
| 9th APCC, 1997 | Logo and theme song ‘We are the BRIDGE’ were created |
| 10th APCC, 1998 | Invited Peace Ambassadors (69 PAs from 37 countries/regions) BRIDGE CLUB established |
| 12th APCC, 2000 | ‘School visit’ program was launched |
| 14th APCC, 2002 | APCC was granted NPO status |
| 15th APCC, 2003 | Invitation project was cancelled due to outbreak of SARS. Heart from Fukuoka was created in response to this cancellation. |
| 16th APCC, 2004 | 16th APCC was held alongside the World Assembly for JAs Participants from Europe, America, South America Held Global camp including 240 Japanese children |
| 20th APCC, 2008 | 20th anniversary special event and PR campaign was held ‘Next APCC’ the 10th year strategic pan was announced. Launched BRIDGE CLUB International Organization Launched new education program, Wing Kids Program |
| 21st APCC, 2009 | Invitation project events after the exchange camp was cancelled due to influenza A (H1N1) |
| 24th APCC, 2012 | One day school visit program at local elementary schools was co-hosted by APCC and the Fukuoka city board of education |
| 25th APCC, 2013 | 25th Anniversary special event and PR campaign was held NEXT APCC conception, Global BRIDGE Leader and its core qualities was developed A fictional film ‘Midor’s Flying Goldfish’ was created and screened nationwide. 1st BRIDGE CLUB Presidents meeting as held Summer Mission Project was started |
| 28th APCC, 2015 | 2nd BRIDGE CLUB Presidents Meeting was held in Indonesia Global BRIDGE Leader (GBL) action program was launched |
| 30th APCC, 2018 | 30th Anniversary program and Grand reunion was organized Future plans from 31st year was announced Proposed new name ‘BRIDGE KIDS Program Expanded the range and aims and added new features to the two main programs, “BRIDGE Summer Camp” and “BRIDGE Challenge Trip” |
1st APCC~ 30th APCC, Participants record
| Countries/Regions | Total Participants | Junior Ambassadors | Chaperon | Peace Ambassadors |
| 55 | 11,518 | 9,384 | 1,427 | 707 |
Mission Project
| Countries/Regions | Children | Leaders |
| 38 | 3,113 | 422 |
| Host families | Volunteers | BRIDGE CLUB |
| 6,849 | 6,531 | 41 |
List of Participating Countries/Regions
(as of 2019)
| People’s Republic of China | Republic of Vanuatu |
| Republic of Korea | Samoa |
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | Guam |
| Taiwan | Northern Mariana Island |
| Republic of Singapore | Marshall Island |
| Republic of the Philippines | Federated States of Micronesia |
| Kingdom of Thailand | Republic of the Union of Myanmar |
| Malaysia | Russia |
| Republic of Indonesia | New Caledonia |
| Socialist Republic of Vietnam | Tahiti |
| People’s Republic of Bangladesh | Kingdom of Tonga |
| Kingdom of Bhutan | Republic of Maldives |
| Brunei Darussalam | Tuvalu |
| Islamic Republic of Pakistan | Cook Islands |
| Republic of India | Niue |
| Lao People’s Democratic Republic | Canada |
| Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal | Kingdom of Cambodia |
| Mongolia | Guangzhou |
| Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | Ipoh |
| Commonwealth of Australia | Oakland |
| New Zealand | Busan |
| Hawaii | Atlanta |
| Republic of the Fiji Islands | Jiangsu Province |
| Republic of Kiribati | Dalian |
| Republic of Nauru | Bordeaux |
| Independent State of Papua New Guinea | Republic of Peru |
| Solomon Islands | Ho Chi Minh |
| Republic of Palau | (55 countries and districts |
Click here to read the Annual Report of APCC: https://www.apcc.gr.jp/cms/apcc/web-pamph
2-8-1-9F Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka 812-0011 Japan
TEL: (81)-92-710-6102 / FAX: (81)-92-710-6103 / E-mail: info@apcc.gr.jp