[Date & Time] Saturday, Dec. 6, at 11:00~16:40[Spots] Tsurugaoka-Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 21 JICA trainees from 12 countries, with 6 from Vietnam, 2 each from Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Mexico, 1 each from the Philippines, Argentina, Chile, Panama, Uruguay, Lesotho and Swaziland
[Attendants] 18 KSGG members and 2 observers[Language] English/Spanish
It was a fine, clear day all day long and the red and yellow leaves were particularly beautiful. The chief attendant turned his attention to and accompanied two trainees from Swaziland and Lesotho, small Republics in Africa. Swaziland, which is an inland country surrounded with South Africa and Mozambique, was a British protectorate and became independent in 1968. Swaziland has a population of 2 million and an area of 17,000 sq. kilometers, and its capital is Mbabane. The Swazi people speak English and SiSwati. Swaziland, the main industries of which are agriculture and forestry, has a high production of sugar. Lesotho, which was a British protectorate like Swaziland, became independent in 1966, and has a population of 2.05 million now. It has an area of 30,000 sq. kilometers, and its capital is Maseru. The people speak English and Sotho, and their main industries are agriculture and livestock farming. Lesotho, which produces a lot of mohair, exports clothes made of it and other textile products. The attendant said, “This year is the Year of Africa and I am happy to have learned about it by communicating with a lot of people from Africa.”