3 European School Students to Visit Japan for Hokkaido Photography Festival

The Embassy of Japan in Luxembourg has announced that three students from the European School Luxembourg I will travel Hokkaido, Japan, to participate in a photography festival.

Higashikawa town in Hokkaido is holding its annual International High School Students' Photo Festival Exchange, inviting secondary school students from different countries and regions to participate. The event promotes international exchange among young people through photography. Each participating country selects one representative school (three students and one teacher) to attend the event.

In Luxembourg, ten secondary schools entered the national contest this year - an increase compared to the 2024 edition. The European School I emerged as the winner with six "impressive" photo submissions, earning the students the opportunity to visit Higashikawa from Monday 18 and Sunday 24 August 2025 for the festival.

As in the previous year, an independent jury from the Fédération Luxembourgeoise de la Photographie Artistique (FLPA) selected the winning entries.

Prior to their departure, the Japanese Ambassador to Luxembourg, Tadahiro Matsubara, invited the three students, their teacher and one of the judges to the Embassy of Japan on Monday 4 August 2025. The ambassador warmly welcomed the group, expressed an interest in their activities and passion for photography, and wished them well for their upcoming travels and international experience.

The Embassy said it was "delighted" to able to send these Luxembourgish students to Japan for this "exceptional international exchange opportunity". It expressed hope that the visit "contributes to the development of bilateral relations between Japan and Luxembourg and to their personal growth". The Embassy also wished the students "the best of success."