1. Purpose

Videoletter exchanges between schools in Okinawa and Mozambique will deepen international mutual understanding through mutual exposure to the traditional music and culture of Okinawa and Mozambique, and will foster youth with a global perspective. To this end, the following activities will be carried out with Kaori Nagamine, who is currently working as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer in Mozambique, and Mozambique trainees and trainees from various African countries.

2. Specific activities

(1) Exchange of Okinawa and Mozambique video letters

① Shiva Primary School (Mozambique, October 15)
・Mr. Kaori Nagamine, an incumbent teacher in Okinawa Prefecture who is active as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer in Mozambique, shows the life and activities in the field, the scenery of the traditional music timbila in Mozambique, Shiba Elementary School where Mr. Nagamine is active Created a videoletter showing the chorus, ensemble and dance of the traditional music timbila by the students. I received this video letter in Okinawa.

② Nago Special Support School (Okinawa, November 22)
・Visit the Nago Special Needs School, where Mr. Nagamine was enrolled, and held a screening of a video letter created by Mr. Nagamine.
・At the support school, Mr. Armindo, a Mozambique trainee, introduced Mozambique culture and demonstrated traditional music. The students at the support school also tried to sing and dance in Mozambique with Mr. Armindo.
・Scholars of the shamisen and Okinawan music performed by the students of the support school. I shot a video of the situation and sent it back to Mr. Nagamine, who is active in Mozambique.

③ Shiva Primary School (Mozambique, March 8)
・We held a screening of a photo from Japan at Shiba Elementary School, where Mr. Nagamine was dispatched.

(2) Introduction of culture of Mozambique and African countries

JICA Okinawa International Center (Okinawa, 26-27 November)
・At the 2011 International Cooperation and Exchange Festival, we held a traditional Mozambique music and traditional African children's play experience event for families and children visiting the festival. At that time, trainees from all over Africa (Mozambique, Liberia, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania) explained about African play and interacted with the festival participants.
・At the festival, a quiz-style panel exhibition was held to introduce culture such as African language, food, and clothes.

3. Achievement

(1) Exchange of video letters between Okinawa and Mozambique (80 people)

・Through a video letter from Mozambique, Kaori Nagamine, who was a homeroom teacher until just before being dispatched to Mozambique, saw the words of the local language fluently and was active, and the teacher who was familiar with him was abroad. I was able to understand how he was active. For the students, it was a great opportunity to get a feel for the situation in a distant foreign country, giving them a smile and energy.
・ Through the introduction of Mozambique music and dance by Mr. Armindo, a Mozambique trainee, students of a special needs school experienced African dance characterized by African unique rhythm and free movement. The students, who rarely move their bodies to dance, were exposed to the fun of African dance, which was useful for emotional education.
・Introducing the culture of Okinawa by chorus of shamisen and Okinawan music, and being able to experience the cultural similarities with African culture, mutual interaction not only with Africans and foreign languages Was able to deepen. Therefore, it also provided a meaningful opportunity in terms of international understanding education.

(2) Introduction of cultures in Mozambique and African countries (1500 festival participants)

・Visitors who experienced African play at the festival heard many impressions about "the commonality between African play and Japanese play", and we felt more familiar with African countries, which seemed to be distant and unfamiliar. I felt it.
・The trainees and visitors from Africa were able to meet each other directly through play in Africa, and while having language barriers, they had a good time together and deepened mutual exchanges.

4. in conclusion

Through the connection of one incumbent teacher in Okinawa Prefecture, I was able to develop a grassroots exchange project by bridging Mozambique and Okinawa. In everyday life, there are not many opportunities to think about and interact with foreign countries. Opportunities for international exchange are further limited in developing countries. Under such circumstances, we were able to provide each other with opportunities to come into contact with foreign countries since we were students. Although the number of beneficiaries is not large, it is evaluated that the project was deeply memorable for the target people.
The project to promote "promotion of international exchanges in the region" supports grassroots exchange projects that are difficult to obtain from the government and is a wonderful project to practice "Think Globally, Act Locally". For our corporation, which was just established in 2011, we were able to learn business operations, which led to the growth of the organization. We would like to express our deep gratitude for the support of related organizations. Thank you very much.