Through the MIRAI Program, young people from the Western Balkans have the opportunity to experience Japan first-hand, discover its culture and institutions, exchange perspectives, and bring new ideas and inspiration back home.
For Blendi Hodai from North Macedonia, the experience became much more than a visit to Japan. A MIRAI participant and alumnus, Blendi shares the moments, observations and lessons that stayed with him after the journey.
“Words fail to capture the life-changing experience of my journey in Japan through the MIRAI visiting program. Immersed by the stunning hospitality, kindness, rich culture, and unparalleled beauty, every moment was unforgettable. From the busy streets of Tokyo to the historic city of Hiroshima and the breathtaking allure of Miyajima island, each destination left a mark on my heart.”
Although Japan and its nation have some lessons that we in the Balkans shall follow:
- The Japanese nation is one of the most loving and warmest welcoming nations in the world. Incidentally, even if you turned to a citizen in passing to help you, he stops and tries to help you in any way, even accompanying you to a place or even on the subway if necessary.
- Their philosophy of life is based on an autodidactic principle, that of self-discipline and respect. They are always on time (by the way, they even surpass the Germans in terms of punctuality), they respect every nation or culture, but they also have a great love for their own nation. The opposite happens in the Balkans, or as Faik Konica says “Albanians, when the train leaves them, they never say we were late, but we missed it”!
- The Japanese culture of state building is very interesting because of the high social consciousness they have: they do not see the state and the law as the basis for the functioning of society, they are patriots in the full sense of the word and feel it is a civic duty to take care for cleanliness, maintenance of public order, tourist development, etc. Everyone remembers when during the world championship in football, after the matches of the Japanese national team, the Japanese fans stopped and collected the waste in the stadium. Patriotism and love of the nation are the reasons why there is no nepotism and corruption in Japan. Patriotism for the Japanese people means developing your country.
- During the meeting with professors and students from Sofia University, which is also the oldest in Japan, they told us that for them the education system is the foundation for their country and people, without which there can be no social and economic development. The education system in Japan, in the last period, is also being opened to foreign students, as for them inclusivity is important to face the global challenges that the world has today.
Meanwhile, in our small Balkans, which sometimes we have in common and sometimes not, we are still dealing with a pathetic and pseudo-folkloric patriotism, which does not develop, but rather divides.
There is always hope that by following these examples we can move and change things, although changing ourselves as citizens is the first step to do it.