The Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival is a unique and progressive event that brings together people with Okinawan roots from all over the world, much like a large family reunion. Here's an overview of this significant gathering:
Purpose and History
The Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival aims to:
Honor the achievements of Okinawan descendants worldwide
Expand and develop the "Uchina Network" through exchanges with Okinawa residents
Reaffirm participants' roots and identity in their ancestral homeland
Pass on Okinawan culture and heritage to future generations
Background
Okinawa has a rich history of emigration spanning over a century
Approximately 420,000 people of Okinawan descent (known as "Uchinanchu") live abroad
Okinawan immigrants have overcome hardships and maintained strong ties to their homeland
Key Aspects of the Festival
Held every five years in Okinawa
Features cultural workshops, stage shows, and welcome events in various municipalities
Includes exhibitions on Okinawan immigration history and cultural exchange events
Promotes understanding of Okinawa's unique soft power (culture, traditional arts, history, language, customs, and nature)
Objectives
Strengthen the Uchina Network and deepen bonds among Uchinanchu
Encourage younger generations to explore opportunities abroad
Promote understanding of diverse cultures and Okinawa's peace-loving spirit
Showcase Okinawa as an international tourist destination and its local products
Significance
The festival coincides with the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to Japan, making it a particularly momentous occasion. It serves as a platform for cultural exchange, identity reinforcement, and the continuation of Okinawan traditions worldwide
This year, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to Japan, the "7th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival" is generating great excitement. Although not widely known in mainland Japan, this is a very progressive and warm event where people with Okinawan roots living around the world gather like a large family. It's a once-in-five-year opportunity. I will also participate as an observer for three days starting from October 30.
The International Red and White Singing Festival (Kokusai Kohaku Utagassen) is a musical event that promotes international exchange and mutual understanding. In this unique format, Japanese participants sing in foreign languages while non-Japanese participants perform songs in Japanese.
This event draws inspiration from Japan's traditional New Year's Eve program, "Kohaku Utagassen," but with an international twist. The festival typically divides participants into two teams regardless of race, nationality, and gender.
The primary goals of the International Red and White Singing Festival are:
To foster cross-cultural appreciation through music
To create a platform for international exchange
To build a compassionate society that transcends ethnic, national, and gender boundaries
Many foreigners living in Japan and international students are working hard to contribute positively to Japanese society. Through this event, organizers aim to create an inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds can unite and build a brighter future for Japan.
The Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan aims to foster cultural understanding and international exchange through music. Japanese participants will sing foreign songs, while international participants will perform Japanese songs, creating a unique platform for cross-cultural appreciation
Event Details (quoted from the 2024 event)
Objective: To expand international networks through music and create a welcoming atmosphere for global visitors in Osaka
.Performance Structure:
Approximately 20 acts, including individuals and groups
Performers are divided into two teams, regardless of gender, competing in a format similar to Japan's famous Red and White Singing Festival.
Musical Diversity:
Genres: J-POP, anime songs, enka, and various others
Japanese participants will sing in English, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and other languages
International acts include Brazilian music groups and gospel choirs
Other performances which inspired by the concept of IRWS.
Additional Features
Cultural Exchange Activities:
Fashion show utilizing recycled clothing, aligning with SDG concepts
Hula dance performances featuring arrangements of Japanese songs
"Radio Taiso" (Japanese radio calisthenics) sessions with international participants
Grand Finale:
All performers and volunteers will gather on stage
Audience participation in a mass chorus
Live streaming of the event to a global audience
This event at the Expo site aims to create a vibrant, inclusive atmosphere that welcomes visitors worldwide while promoting cultural exchange through the universal language of music.
The International Red and White Singing Festival (IRWS) and the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 are being promoted through a multifaceted approach that combines cultural exchange, volunteer activities, and international outreach.
Volunteer Activities
Since April 2022, a group of dedicated university and high school students has been conducting volunteer activities on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month
These activities include:
Learning about the excellence of Japanese culture
Providing English-language guided tours of Osaka Castle and Houkoku Shrine
Over 60 participants have completed the initial training in Osaka, and the number is expected to grow with support from Osaka City and Osaka Metropolitan University Volunteer Center.
Expo 2025 Involvement
The volunteer activities will continue during the Expo, with participants sharing the excitement of the Osaka-Kansai Expo with foreign tourists.
Many of these volunteers are also involved with the IRWS and the Expo.
International Red-White Singing Festival
The IRWS is actively promoting cultural exchange and the Expo through various initiatives:
Global Reach: Holding events not only in Japan but also in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil, inviting outstanding performers to Osaka.
Live Streaming: The Osaka event will be broadcast live worldwide, increasing global exposure.
Collaboration: Working with the Osaka-Kansai Expo's radio calisthenics group and Children's EXPO to enhance the welcoming atmosphere for international visitors.
TEAMEXPO Challenge: The IRWS is registered as part of the TEAMEXPO Co-Creation Challenge, aligning its goals with the Expo.
Multilingual Performances: Japanese participants sing in foreign languages while international participants perform in Japanese, fostering mutual understanding.
By combining these efforts, the IRWS and the volunteer activities create a strong foundation for promoting the festival and the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, emphasizing cultural exchange, international understanding, and the warm welcome awaiting visitors to Osaka.
The International Red and White Singing Festival (IRWS) aims to evolve into an event similar to Okinawa's Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival but focused on welcoming people with Japanese roots to mainland Japan, particularly in Osaka. The future goals of the IRWS beyond the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 include:
Creating an "International Uchinanchu Festival" for mainland Japan, warmly welcoming those with Japanese heritage, including those who may not speak Japanese.
Expanding the event to include and celebrate not only those with Japanese roots but also foreign nationals with an affinity for Japan.
Strengthening connections with Japanese diaspora communities worldwide, estimated at 4.5 million people, including 300,000 living in Japan.
Deepening collaboration with Japanese karaoke organizations in countries with significant Japanese populations, such as Brazil, the United States, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, and China.
Using music and cultural performances to bridge generations and maintain Japanese cultural heritage among descendants living abroad.
Fostering international relations and cultural exchange between Japan and countries with large Japanese diaspora populations, as exemplified by the successful collaboration with São Paulo in the 12th IRWS.
Providing a platform for Japanese descendants to showcase their preservation of Japanese culture, as demonstrated by Paula Hirama's performance in Brazil.
Utilizing the momentum gained from the Osaka-Kansai Expo to strengthen ties between Osaka and cities like São Paulo, and more broadly between Japan and countries with significant Japanese populations.
The IRWS aims to foster relationships with both incoming foreign residents and the global Japanese diaspora, recognizing the importance of maintaining connections with Japanese communities worldwide while promoting international exchange within Japan.
As the season welcomes new encounters, uplifting songs encouraging and cheering on people, and songs urging us to strive together, filled the air.
I happened to learn about this event through a post from my acquaintance, Mr. Terao from Human note, and decided to visit. It seemed that he also guided the general choir participants.
When I heard my favorite song "You are my Joy" by Human note after a long time, the faces of many people I've been grateful for came to my mind, and my heart filled with gratitude.
The latter part featured Chris Hart, who won the "Nodojiman the! World" singing contest for foreigners singing Japanese and later debuted as a singer. His stage was followed by the main stage performance where Chris Hart sang alongside 50 individuals selected from the audience.
The packed venue included students, families, seniors, and people with roots abroad, among others. It seemed like everyone overlaid their memories and emotions onto the numerous songs sung.
Music is a wonderful culture that connects people from the past, present, and future.
Seeing everyone leaving the venue with such satisfaction, I felt excited for the new beginnings ahead.
The 11th International Red and White Singing Festival(IRWS)
Thank you to everyone who supported us.
IRWS is a music event promoting international exchange through Japanese singing in foreign languages and foreigners singing in Japanese. We successfully concluded the 11th edition with great enthusiasm.
Event Overview:
Date and Time: November 19, 2023, 13:30-17:00
Venue: Minoh Cultural Exchange Center, 6-3-1 Minoh, Osaka 562-0001, Japan
Support: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan-ASEAN Center, Overseas Japanese Association, Study Abroad Support Consortium Osaka
Sponsors: City Housing Corporation, Handy Network International Corporation
This event served as the final event of the first-ever "Study Abroad Student Week," initiated from November 13 to 20 to deepen the exchange between international students and Japanese people (organized by the Study Abroad Support Consortium Osaka). It was held at the Minoh Cultural Exchange Center in Osaka and connected online with Cebu and Sao Paulo.
Participants from 11 countries and regions, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Macao, India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, and Japan, gathered, including performers and volunteers both at the Osaka venue and online.
Host: Sunny Francis, a popular TV and radio personality with 32 years in Japan, and a former Indian international student.
Assistant: Representing student volunteers, Mayo Inoue, a 3rd-year student from Osaka University's School of Foreign Studies.
Opening: Kicked off with the support song "Asian Gateway Osaka"
After that, the enthusiasm of the 13 participants continued to heat up. Later on, people from overseas sang songs J-pop like "Marigold," "Melody," and the theme from "Demon Slayer" in Japanese. Japanese participants showcased Thai and English songs.
Guest Singer: Tatsuya Kitagawa, Minoh J-POP Ambassador, made a special appearance.
The finale saw Mr. Mizohata, Chairman of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, singing "WE ARE THE WORLD" along with international students, all performers, volunteers, and staff involved.
Online connections with Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Cebu (Philippines), featuring guest singer videos and a Zoom connection with Ebihara, Chief Judge of the Sao Paulo Nikkei Karaoke Association, introducing local karaoke culture. Followed by a connection with Cebu Music Learning Center, which supported the event in 2017-2018, discussing future collaboration.
Recognition:
Two students from Indonesian medical universities, selected through Indonesian qualifiers, were invited. One student, Naya, received the Osaka Convention &Tourism Bureau Director's Award. The Indonesian Ministry of Health reported the warm reception of Japanese society towards healthcare professionals.
Insights from Local Representatives:
According to local representative Haruyama, who supported the Indonesian qualifiers, the global competition for caregiving and nursing talents is intensifying. Despite the relative decline in Japan's attractiveness due to a weaker yen compared to Germany and Saudi Arabia, Japan emphasizes its solid reception infrastructure and welcoming atmosphere.
The six student interpreter volunteers took on various roles, serving as ambassadors for the International Red and White Singing Festival. They engaged in promotional activities, such as radio appearances and promoting the event at the Children's EXPO. On the event day, they assisted as assistants to the hosts, conducting interviews with participants in both Japanese and English.
The event plans to continue regular online meetups with participants and volunteers from Cebu and Sao Paulo. Building on the success of online interactions, efforts will be made to deepen connections between guest participants, Japanese participants, and volunteers, aiming to create an online community for the International Red and White Singing Festival in preparation for next year's event on November 17, 2024, at Maple Hall in Minoh City.
Event Coverage and Publication
Pre-event PR:
Children's EXPO Feature: "Let's Talk About Osaka-Kansai Expo and SDGs"
Provided by Nishio Rent-All Co., Ltd.
Event Participation: October 28
FM Kobe KISSFM - Guest Appearance on VANDY's "What's Going On"
Guest appearance on VANDY's show, "What's Going On," on November 12.
Newspaper Coverage: Yomiuri Shimbun (Published on November 20) & Yomiuri Online
ABC Radio - Sunny Francis's Masala Radio (18-21h) - November 19
Sunny Francis, who hosted the event, humorously covered the International Red and White Singing Festival on his radio show for over 10 minutes. https://abcradio.asahi.co.jp/masararadio/
Jimoto Topics on JCOM (Osaka Area) - November 25-December 1
A local information program, "Jimoto Topics," was broadcast three times a day from November 25 to December 1 on JCOM in the Osaka area.
Jimoto Topics Link
Featured on Minoh FM816's "Minoo NOW" program on November 27 and 28. https://now.minoh.net/
During International Student Week 2022 "11/12-11/20", the popular sushi-making "Nigiri Sushi Experience" was held at Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka.
International students from all over the world enjoyed the first experience of their lifetime.
Japanese cuisine can be said as the culmination of Japanese culture, such as its cooking method, presentation, and beauty of tableware,
If you are familiar with Japanese culture
Off course you all know "Sushi SUSHI" and "Tempura TEMPURA".
Through this kind of "nigiri sushi" experience, Hopefully the awareness of Japanese food culture spread among international students.
Considering as Int'l exchange program, this "Nigiri sushi experience", of students of Tsuji Culinary Institute and int'l students have the potential to become a new type of entertainment, where you can eat the sushi you made.
This event is held as the venue of called "International Student Week" (sponsored by the International Student Support Consortium Osaka), which is the first in Japan, starting from November 13 to 20 to deepen exchanges between international students and Japanese people. It was held online by connecting the stage in Osaka and Cebu, Bali, Sao Paulo, Tokyo.
*Number of event participants
Approximately 150 participants (Hagoromo Gakuen Auditorium, Osaka)
Participants from 13 countries and regions including Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Inner Mongolia, China, Russia, Brazil, Japan.
*The number of viewers:
Approximately 1000 in real-time. Access has continued to grow, reaching 2500 counts (as of Dec 15th). By December 22, an e-mail newsletter will be delivered to 15,000 people in Japanese and English. Therefore, it is expected to be accessed about 10000 counts as a whole by the end of the year.
MC is Sunny Francis, a former international student from India. And he is Kansai's popular TV/radio personality who has been in Japan for 35 years. Ryoko Yuasa, a 4th year student at Kwansei Gakuin University, acted as an assistant.
MC , Sunny Francis, and Ryoko Yuasa emphasized:
『Only one thing we want your favor. please send big applause and cheers to performers』
『IRWS is not for competition. IRWS is for praise for all performers 』
The opening started with "Asian Gateway Osaka", a cheering song for IRWS in Osaka, and it was followed by "Smile and HAPPY VOICE".composed for Japanese learners.
After that, the student from Myanmar sang "365 days of paper airplanes" and "nada so so" in Japanese, and Japanese participants sang Korean, Thai, Swedish, and English songs.
Chairman Mizohata of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau also sang "WE ARE THE WORLD" with international students to encourage them.
The IRWS 2018 Cebu winner (Philippines) The IRWS 2018 in Bali winner (Indonesia)
In the second half, the IRWS 2018 in Bali winner (Indonesia), the 2018 Cebu winner (Philippines), Sao Paulo (Brazil), and Tokyo were connected and introduced,
Prepared videos of the guest singers were played at the venue, and they were so happy to see them. Keisha (17 years old) is already active as a singer and wants to study music in Japan.
Although unofficial, a pre-exchange meeting was held only for online participants, although performers who have geographically separated, made good friends by sharing their interest in Japan and listening to each other's songs.
TV coverage began a few days before the show, and three cameras were on the day, and many overseas participants were interviewed. It seems that it would have been a good memory for the participants.
This time, the state of emergency was lifted one and a half months before the event, so most of the participants' adjustments and volunteer meetings were done online. live-streaming on YOUTUBE was also done.
We plan to hold regular online social gatherings with the participating members and volunteers to promote efforts to shorten the physical distance and create a friendly IRWS community online for next year.
Special guest from Philippines
（polarのAshley＆Faith）
“polar” (Ashely & Faith) graduated from the popular group MNL48 (Philippines version of AKB48) also took into consideration their activities in Japan, and for this day, they practiced Japanese songs and made a friendship appearance online.
Special guest from Tokyo
Miho Ogata (緒方美穂) World tour of Folk song：Turkey version) She is the main vocalist of the group called 『ORINOVIVO』, which plays world folk songs of more than 25 countries. Their concert is said to be The world tour of folk song music.
Two online participants from San Paulo, Brazil
In addition, there were two online participants from Brazil this time, but they learned about this event and participated with the introduction of the Nikkei Karaoke Association (registered members of about 100,000) in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
We had a lot of online meetings in advance with Mr. Ebihara, who has been the representative for 25 years since the Asso. was founded. In the future, we confirmed that we will create closer relationships with each other. We will continue to interact with each other in order to have representatives at each event. São Paulo is also a sister city of Osaka,
We hope to promote "song exchange" with Sao Paulo, Brazil, the home country of many Japanese Emigrants, and create an atmosphere where many people will come to Japan at the 2025 Osaka Expo.
4: TV Tokyo 『YOUは何しに日本へ』( What do you want to do in Japan?)
Very popular long-lasting TV program ( On Air date is not fixed yet.)
TV crew brought 3 cameras and spent 3 days taking a movie, many Non-japanese contestants have been interviewed. They had very good memorable experiences.
I would like to invite my friends in Visayas once again, especially those who are in CEBU, to please join this event which will be held in AYALA Center in August. this is a very awesome experience! Those who can sing Japanese songs are very much welcome!
The 2016 World Water Week will address sustainable growth through the lens of inclusiveness, equity and shared benefits. It is our intention that the Opening Plenary will inspire delegates to reflect over sustainable growth concepts and practice.
Speakers will deliberate upon the importance of water for sustainable growth; what it implies and demands from the global community. Speakers will also consider the role of water for achieving coherent implementation of Agenda 2030 and the Paris agreement.
Ms. Margot Wallström
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
Mr. Angel Gurría
Secretary-General, OECD
Ms. Charlotte Petri-Gornitzka
Director General, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Dr. Nkosozana Dlamini-Zuma (tbc)
Chair, African Union
Ms. Charafat Afailal
Minister Delegate to the Minister of Energy, Mining, Water and the Environment, for Water, Morocco
Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai
Chair, FICCI Water Mission and Chair, India Sanitation Coalition
H.E. Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Vatican
Ms. Charlotte Petri-Gornitzka
Director General, Swedish International Development Agency
Prof. Kevin Chika Urama
Senior Advisor to the President of the African Development Bank
Ms. Karin Wanngård
Mayor of Stockholm
Ms. Claire Reid
Chief Impact Officer and Founder of Reel Gardening and Winner of Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2003
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