Organizers of the Sixth Worldwide Youth Uchinanchu Festival (“Wakamono Taikai”) are seeking participants for next year’s festival, set for Feb. 6-10, in Lima, Peru. Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35.
Hawai‘i yonsei Collin Hoo participated in the second and fourth festivals, which were held in the U.S. and the Philippines, respectively. “To be able to meet people from halfway around the world and talk to them about what it’s like growing up in their countries as Okinawan — it was a very perspective changing experience for me,” he said.
The festival is an opportunity for Uchinanchu youth to come together and exchange ideas aimed at preserving and promoting the culture of Okinawa. It is also an opportunity to grow in leadership, bond with fellow young Okinawans and find a community back home — in short, to enjoy the experience of a lifetime.
The 2018 festival will include international performances, a sports competition, youth symposium, and the study of Ryükyüan language and other dialects spoken in Okinawa. There will be also be an opportunity to learn about Okinawan immigrants in Peru through study tours, a Peruvian cooking class and participation in Peru’s annual Okinawan Festival.
“There’s so much potential to create an even stronger global Uchinanchu network by working and connecting with Okinawans in South America, across the U.S., throughout Asia and even Europe,” Hoo added. “In turn, we can help to make the future for Okinawa, our homeland, a lot brighter.”
The registration fee is $350, which includes lodging, transportation to all festival-related activities and meals on the main festival days. Participants are responsible for their own round-trip airfare, overseas travel insurance, transaction and application fees related to registration requirements and personal expenses. The registration application deadline is Sept. 30.
For online registration form and more information, visit http://eventregist.com/e/wyuf-peru2018-english. Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, in good health and take full responsibility for their overseas travel. English-speaking staff is available to answer any questions at wyuf-entry-o@wyua.okinawa.
