Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Veena Bhatnagar.

The Saga Prefecture Exchange Program will create new opportunities and areas of cooperation with Women from Japan.

This was highlighted by the Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Veena Bhatnagar during the opening of the event at Novotel Conference Centre in Lami today.

Bhatnagar says it will ensure that women are economically empowered and be agents of change in their respective communities.

Bhatnagar says Fiji will continue to uphold its Foreign Policy and bilateral ties with the Japanese Government.

The Assistant Minister says that with this new initiative and knowledge of the “Ikebana Flower Arrangement”, most of them are eager to learn from this Traditional Art of Flower Arrangement, which Japan is well known for throughout the world.

She stresses that flower arrangements in Fiji is categorized as an art, hobby and to some it is their livelihood on a daily basis.

She says the Ministry of Women together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will ensure that this initiative progresses through and women’s groups from Fiji can attend the Exchange Program in Japan.