Chief Minister's Sharing Our History, Securing Future Peace Study Tour

Sharing Our History, Securing Future Peace Study Tour Submission Page

Guiding Question:
“How did the Second World War shape the partnership between Australia and Japan, and how can it continue to grow in the future?”

This is the page for submitting your entry to the Chief Minister’s Sharing Our History, Securing Future Peace Study Tour.

If you are not submitting an entry, please visit the Sharing Our History, Securing Future Peace Study Tour homepage to find out more about the program.

Overview

The Sharing Our History, Securing Future Peace Study Tour is a new Northern Territory Government initiative designed to connect young Territorians with history learning opportunities, the region’s military history, contemporary defence partnerships, and future opportunities in diplomacy, peacebuilding and leadership.

In June 2026, six students from across the NT will travel to Okinawa, Japan to visit significant Second World War sites, take part in commemorations, and engage in leadership and reflection activities.
Participants will also complete pre-departure preparation and post-tour activities.

This fully funded tour will include:

• visits to historical sites and museums
• cultural exchanges
• engagement with Australian and international defence representatives
• leadership and reflection activities
• commemorative ceremonies.

Participants will also take part in pre-departure orientation and post-tour engagement activities.

Who can apply

To be eligible, you must:

• be enrolled in Year 9 or Year 10 at a school in the Northern Territory in 2025
• hold, or be willing and able to obtain, a valid passport for travel in June 2026
• have parent/guardian permission to apply and participate if selected. Parent/guardian contact details will be required for verification and communication.

We strongly encourage applications from students across all regions of the NT, including remote and regional communities.

Submission checklist

Please upload the following:

• a digital version of your multimodal entry (e.g., essay, video, poem, presentation, song, website, model/photos + reflection)
• basic personal and school information
• confirm availability to participate in the tour and associated activities
• declaration that your submission is your own original work and not generated using artificial intelligence or other automated tools.

Selection process

Once submitted, your entry will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• perspectives and interpretations
• relevance to the guiding question
• creativity
• use of historical sources
• communication.

Shortlisted finalists will be contacted directly by the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet.

Shortlisted students will then be interviewed by a panel including senior representatives of CM&C (General Manager DefenceNT), the DefenceNT Strategy Group, and the Department of Education and Training.

In addition to student submissions, the panel will consider the following criteria:

• interest in learning about the Second World War and Australia-Japan relations
• commitment to learning from others and through experiences
• interest in exploring pathways in diplomacy, leadership and Defence
• commitment to sharing learning with school and broader community.

The interview panel will select 6 successful applicants, who will be contacted before a public announcement.

Privacy and Communications

By submitting, applicants and their guardians acknowledge that if selected, the student’s name, school, and image may be used in Northern Territory Government communications, including promotional materials, media releases, and social media, for the purposes of promoting the program and celebrating student achievements.