1. Purpose

As part of the Nanjo City Festival, which is held every four years, we will promote international exchange and increase understanding of multicultural coexistence by introducing African culture and the current situation to all prefectures of Okinawa in a five-sense experience. This project was held for the purpose of

2. Specific activities

Using the Sugar Hall and Tsukishiro Square in Nanjo City, the following two projects were conducted over the day of October 26. There were a total of 547 visitors.

(1) Free movie screening business

・Africa held a free screening of the movie “Grandpa and the elementary school in the grasslands” on the theme of “learning” in Kenya. In the lobby, we exhibited and commented on Kenyan history, people, and characters in the movie. The number of viewers reached 352 from the upper grades of elementary school to the elderly. The viewer said, "(The hero's grandfather) didn't give up on going to school, so I thought it would be strong. I'm not so good at the desk or anything, but I was studying hard and I also had to work hard. "I found that the conflict between peoples was more serious than I had imagined. I wanted to help each other across national borders so that we could make peace with our own hands."

 (2) Participatory African introduction project

・We used the lobby of the Sugar Hall and Tsukishiro Square to hold events and activities to introduce Africa. From children to adults, we provided a place to participate in play and learning while actually interacting with Africans and stimulating local international exchange.

・A participatory taiko workshop was held by "Africagia", a group of African taiko and jembe who are active in Okinawa. Twenty-six people from the region and 21 JICA trainees from JICA participated in the workshop, creating an improvisational performance using jembe, songs and dances. When the Ambassador of Kenya to Japan visited Ogut, all the participants showed "Jumbo," a famous African song.

・A total of 63 toddlers/children/students participated in the taiko workshop for children, and experience the fun of performing ensemble and moving with a rhythm while familiarizing themselves with the African musical instrument that they touch for the first time. I was asked to. By working with JICA African trainees, we provided an opportunity to feel and interact with Africans.

・At the end of the event, we had a live performance of "Africagia". After listening to the professional performance, the participants of the above-mentioned workshop also joined the performance, JICA Africa trainees and participants came out in front and danced together, and finally all the visitors. By moving the body according to the rhythm of the genbe, it was a performance of the participation type/player/audience integrated type.

・An African board game using pebbles called "Bao" and a coloring area using African pop art called "Tingatinga" were set up for children and their families to experience. Many children were enthusiastic about "Bao", but it was particularly popular among children with developmental disabilities and daycare, and was enjoyed repeatedly. "Tinga Tinga" set up a board to display painted works and colored the venue.

・Displayed 50 books on Africa for reading. With the cooperation of the Urasoe City Library, we conducted a story-telling of African folk tales for children.

・We set up a try-on section for African national costumes centered on kanga, introduced the message that is always written in kanga, and demonstrated that there are many ways to wear kanga, which is a piece of cloth. .. There were some visitors who tried on the clothes and were happy to take a commemorative photo.

・With the cooperation of the Okinawa Children's Foundation, actual giraffe bones (skull and thigh bone) were exhibited. Some of them are touchable. The visitors were amazed at the size and feel of the bones and were able to experience the scale and scale of African animals and nature.

・A panel exhibition on Africa was held to introduce the state of Kenya, which is the stage of the movie, and the surrounding countries. Planned and introduced by Okinawan residents and residents who were actually involved in the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and other international cooperation activities such as African nature, animals, food, lifestyle, children and schools, etc. It was an opportunity to get people to like Africa while giving specific information.

・A JICA corner was set up to display the panel of the Conference on African Development (TICAD V), which will be held in June 2013, and to distribute PR materials including pamphlets for children on Africa.

3. Achievement

(1) Free movie screening business (352 people)

・While actually watching the story set in Africa, the viewers will be able to view Africa from their respective perspectives, such as the colonial era of Africa, the struggles associated with independence, hopes and challenges for post-independence development, and school education I was able to know the current situation of.

・Awareness as a global citizen while changing the image of “far place” to a more concrete and familiar one, and overlapping the problems faced by Africa and the problems of the local and Okinawa (peace, development after return, etc.) Was able to improve.

・ Through the story that the hero goes to elementary school in his 80s, I was able to feel the significance of lifelong learning including school education in the area.

・It was an opportunity for the citizens of the prefecture to deepen their understanding of the significance of international exchange and cooperation activities with a concrete image. Motivation for international exchange and cooperation at the citizen level was promoted.

(2) Participatory African referral project (for 547 people)

・ Through workshops and live performances of African drums, prefectural people of all ages, from children to adults, can see, hear, and touch, as well as "actually engage with Africans" and "perform together." It was possible to provide a truly ideal opportunity for international exchange in which the five senses were used to interact and collaborate.

・I was able to show the above situation to the Ambassador of Kenya, Japan, who invited Ogut, and I was impressed by the possibility that friendly relations between the Okinawan people and Africa would continue to develop. It would have been possible to establish a supportive system for promoting international exchange and cooperation at the citizen level.

・ Through the experience of playing with African children, trying on national costumes, exhibiting bones of animals living in Africa, photo exhibitions, reading books about African books, etc., experience the experience of local people with all five senses. We were able to provide a valuable opportunity to make Africa feel closer to us. After all, it could be said that it contributed to the development of global citizenship.

・Japan's efforts by directly introducing/introducing pictures of prefecture/residents involved in international cooperation activities in Africa, including the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, and introducing JICA's projects for Africa. Was widely known. It can be said that it was possible to promote the involvement with local JICA domestic organizations and participation in the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers project.

4. in conclusion

In the previous year, which was the first year for our corporation, we were able to conduct an exchange project that links Africa/Mozambique and Okinawa. Although it was a life-size initiative of this corporation and it was never a project with a large number of beneficiaries, we were able to get a solid response from the reaction of the beneficiaries regarding the significance of working on a friendly relationship between Africa and Okinawa. ..
This response was used as the driving force for contribution to more citizens of the prefecture this year, and we worked on this project. I was able to realize the significance of "promotion of international exchanges in the region" again by seeing the scene where the citizens of the prefecture accepted African culture and both parties were champled. In the future, I would like to continue promoting grassroots international cooperation through international exchanges and continue to transmit the message of peace unique to Okinawans through them. The pledge is also new so that we can grow as an organization that carries out sustainable and developmental activities in the region. We would like to express our deep gratitude for the support provided by related organizations. Thank you very much.