Hillman PS students forge ties with Japanese counterparts through mural project

Students from Hillman Primary School have busy been forging ties with a Japanese school in the City of Rockingham’s sister city Ako, as part of an international collaborative learning experience.

Since September, Year 5 and 6 students from Hillman Primary School have been engaged with Une Elementary School through the International Intercultural Mural Exchange, which was facilitated with assistance from the City’s Global Friendship Committee.

The IIME is a project that matches schools from around the world with a school from Japan to interactively learn about global themes and to express their own culture through the development of a jointly created mural.

Une Elementary School, a small education institution in Ako, has eight students taking part in the project, while Hillman has 15 students participating.

Hillman is the only Australian school to be included in the project and became involved after Ako City approached the City of Rockingham seeking the involvement of interested local schools, and the City’s Global Friendship Committee helped play a key role in establishing the partnership.

Une Elementary School was first to complete their half of a mural, with Hillman students starting work on their half in early February.

Once complete, the mural will be displayed in Japan and may also travel to any of the other 64 countries in the IIME project.

Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels said he was delighted to see that the efforts of the City’s Global Friendship Committee had been a success in connecting the two schools.

“The City of Rockingham has been engaged in a mutually beneficial sister-city relationship with Ako for more than 20 years, so it is fantastic to see Hillman Primary School take the initiative and continue to build on that friendship,” Mayor Sammels said.

“Students have also been

corresponding with each other through photos and PowerPoint presentations, with the aim of developing friendships that last long after the IIME project has finished.”