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The Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Programme (SSEAYP) is a program which provides youth with the opportunity to live on board large scale ships for a period of 40 days. This program was organised by the Cabinet Office of Japan and supported by the governments of Southeast Asia. It was started in 1974, with a joint statement issued by Japan and five ASEAN countries - Republic of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Republic of Singapore and Kingdom of Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined the SSEAYP as a participating country from 1985. In 1996, Vietnam became a participant. Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Union of Myanmar joined in 1998 upon admission to ASEAN as members in 1997. Myanmar joined in 1998. In 2000, the Kingdom of Cambodia joined SSEAYP following its admission to ASEAN in 1999. Participants of the programme are called Participating Youths (PYs), i.e. participants from Singapore will be called SPYs.

The programme brings together more than 300 youth from ASEAN countries and Japan, providing them with the unique opportunity to live together on board the ship M/S Nippon Maru or M/S Fuji Maru for over 40 days. While the number of PYs from each participating ASEAN countries is the same, the number of PYs from Japan is usually greater. PYs will be flown to Japan where they will attend the inauguration of the year's programme. PYs will make port-of-calls on 5 ASEAN ports, and upon berthing they will participate in the local programme, coordinated by the local SSEAYP alumni and the government.

Each country's contingent is led by the National Leader (an alumni of SSEAYP), a Youth Leader and an Assistant Youth Leader.

Japan-ASEAN Youth Leaders Summit (JAYLS)
Local Youths (LYs) from Japan will join PYs in the Japan-ASEAN Youth Leaders Summit (JAYLS). They will be separated into groups and take part in Discussion Group Activities. This summit also coincides with the Japan-ASEAN Cultural Exchange Programme, where contingents from various ASEAN countries put up cultural performances and set up their Country Exhibition booths to showcase their cultures.

Institutional Visits
Upon calling at the port, PYs will first visit local institutions.

Discussion Programme
When the ship is sailing, PYs engage in activities on board such as the Discussion Programme. There are about eight different Discussion groups (DGs), with each group comprising a mixture of PYs from each participating country.

Cultural Exchanges
Other on board programmes include the National Day performances where the contingent will put up its cultural performance for the evening. The contingent, whose country will be the port-of-call, will perform on the eve of the arrival to its country. During the day of the National Day performance, PYs get to enjoy the country's cuisine during mealtimes.

PYs are also grouped in Solidarity Groups (SGs) and participate in SG activities, which tend to be competitive among various SGs.

Club Activities also form a key part to the cultural exchange experience on board. During periods of Club Activities, the working group of each contingent will organise its cultural activities at various places around the ship. The other PYs will get to tour around and experience different activities.

Courtesy Calls
The National Leaders, Youth Leaders and Assistant Youth Leaders may be invited to make courtesy calls on the Head of State of the participating countries.

On Board Ship Cruise (OBSC)
The On Board Ship Cruise (OBSC) is the SSEAYP alumni representative of each participating country, who will go on board the ship and introduce to new PYs about the respective country's alumni & its activities.

SSEAYP International General Assembly
SIGA is an annual general meeting of former PYs, their families and host parents. It is organized by SSEAYP International (SI) and hosted by an Alumni Associations on a rotational basis. The inaugural SIGA was held in Malaysia in 1988, hosted by KABESA – the Malaysian Alumni Association.

The objectives of SIGA are: On-going activities pursuant to SIGA are:
 * To sustain the mutual relationship among the ex-participating youths (ex-PYs) of ASEAN and Japan.
 * To create the opportunity for the reunion of former participants in order to realize our desire to promote lasting friendship, understanding and goodwill.
 * To help in the development of the activities of all the Alumni Associations through the exchange of information.
 * To exchange information on activities of respective Alumni Associations and the Secretariat of SSEAYP International.
 * To support government in promoting youth activities at the international level.
 * SI Travel Network
 * SI HR Network
 * SI Social Contributions Activities