15 Royal Russell Students and 6 teachers visited Japan in July. This was the 12th annual trip led by Mr Moseley to visit Hitachi First High School to help train the Japanese delegates attending our annual conference in October. In recognition of the link between RRS and Hitachi First High School our students were also the only European Representatives at the 38th All Japan High School Cultural Festival held in Tsukuba. The festival celebrates Japanese schools and traditionally two Asian schools and one European or American school are invited to the festival. This year in recognition of the 12 years of co-operation and visits by Royal Russell and Hitachi First High School, Royal Russell Students were invited to perform at the opening ceremony in front of 1,900 guests, including the Emperor’s son, and take part in the Parade.
In the opening ceremony the students presented a short film on the Model United Nations conference which the school organises. The students also sang a song written by Mr Moseley one of the school’s Deputy Heads who has spearheaded the link between the two schools. Afterwards the Royal Russell students joined the parade with over 60 student bands and dance groups who paraded through the town.
As well as visiting Hitachi First High school and performing at the festival Royal Russell students found time to take the bullet train to Kyoto for a couple of days sightseeing and to also visit a number of sights in Ibaraki province.