This programme was conducted in place of the tag rugby exchange programme with children at a refugee camp in Jordan, which had been initially scheduled for March 2020 but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As face-to-face interaction was not possible in this pandemic situation, an online exchange event was held on December 26, where Japanese and Jordanian women’s rugby players from the same generation interacted and built friendships between them.

First, three Japanese players from the Women’s Sevens Youth Academy delivered a presentation in English about Japanese culture, activities at the Academy and the Olympic education. Then, the participants broke up into three groups and conversed, introducing themselves and asking their counterparts questions. Lastly, they shared what they found they have in common and the insights they gained from the dialogue.


Comments from a Jordanian player
Suha Al-Takrouri (15 years old)
I enjoyed the exchange event so much and learned a lot about Japanese food, famous sites and culture as well as how Japanese women’s players from my age are coping with this COVID-19 situation. It was a valuable opportunity for us to share our thoughts and new insights. I hope I can have this kind of opportunity again in the future to know each other and to improve our rugby skills as well.

Comments from a Japanese player
Natsumi Takahashi (17 years old)
I learned a lot about Jordan as we spoke in English and talked about our hobbies and favourite music. I was impressed by the passion for rugby in both countries. The event reminded me that it is essential for top athletes to learn English to communicate with players from other countries. I’d like to make use of this valuable experience in my activities going forward.