|
International House Festival 2013
|
On November 3 last year, International House Festival 2013 was held at Hiroshima City International House.
The aim of the event is to promote international exchange between international students and Hiroshima citizens, and provide an opportunity for international students to give presentations and participate in community activities.
This large-scale annual event, which started in 2001 when International House was first opened, has now reached its 13th year.
The theme for this year's event was "Happy!" - the aim was to provide an opportunity for international exchange full of vitality and positive feelings.
Although it was raining on the day, around 2100 visitors enjoyed the event.
At 10:30am, the festival opened in the hall with "Travel Land", where the international students introduced their home countries.
International students from nine countries, including the Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea, and the Syrian Arab Republic, gave presentations using photographs and videos.
In addition to explanations of cultural and tourist aspects, the students also spoke about folk history and their country's past, and the audience listened intently.
One of the visitors commented
"There are few opportunities to hear from international students about what they think about their home countries, and this was a valuable experience".
|
|
"Let's Work with International Students!" section
|
In the training room was the "Let's Talk with International Students!" section.
Visitors and international students sat facing each other, and the international students talked about their home countries while answering in Japanese various questions from the visitors.
Approximately 80 students from 15 countries and regions participated, forming teams for each home country.
The students added their own personal touch to their respective explanations, some using PCs and tablets to show photos and maps, and others holding crafts in their hand as they spoke about cultural traditions.
|
|
The "World Food" section, held every year, was upgraded this year and held in two venues: the area outside International House and the hall.
The sweets and drinks from all over the world were made and sold not only by the international students, but also those from international exchange and cooperation organizations who also regularly use International House.
International color was expressed through the words and illustrations used, as well as small objects and tablecloths.
Efforts were also made with the packaging of the products, and every stall was a sight to behold.
Visitors loved many of the ideas used, such as groups wearing matching t-shirts and students
|
|
in the stalls wearing their national costume.
The delicious flavors were popular at all the stalls, and despite the light rain at lunchtime, people lined up for the food.
Food at all stalls was sold out.
For international students from some countries, it has become a tradition to run a stall at this festival, based on the practice of those who came here before them.
Those running the stalls showed off their culinary skills, talking to the customers and enjoying interaction with other stall-holders at the same time.
Visitors went from stall to stall enjoying the national foods and conversation.
|
The Mongolian stall
|
In the exchange lounge on the 1st floor, the "Experience World Games!" event was held with the support of the international students, their families and volunteers from the general public.
In the area introducing the Chinese game Jianzi, international students from China gave a demonstration of the game.
The players repeatedly kicked the weighted shuttlecock decorated with colorful feathers with the arch of their foot or inner heel to prevent it from falling to the ground, and competed over the number of times they kicked it.
They also enjoyed kicking it up high in a relay with the person next to them.
International students from Mongolia and their families did their best to explain in Japanese how to play a Mongolian puzzle game.
There was also a section where visitors could try playing traditional Japanese games
(hanetsuki, otedama, origami, ohajiki, karuta, fukuwarai, kendama and gomoku narabe).
Many families visited
|
and the section was busy the whole day.
Although these were traditional Japanese games there were many visitors who said it was the first time they had played them.
Visitors who tried just one of these games had a chance to play darts, and received a small souvenir gift from a home country of the international students.
Apart from this there was also a cultural introduction section, where there was a koto (Japanese harp) performance by an international student from China, a Filipino bamboo dance, and a demonstration of aikido, the traditional Japanese martial art.
Visitors could also try aikido for themselves.
|
Bamboo dance
|
|
The most popular part of the day was the "National Costume Fashion Show" held from 2:30pm, and the "International Students' Mini-Event" that followed.
At the fashion show, approximately twenty people from thirteen countries and regions appeared resplendently dressed on stage like professional models, looking gorgeous in their respective national costumes.
There were also detailed explanations provided on which clothes are worn in which situations and seasons.
There was an international student who came up on stage with the entire family, groups of friends and families from the general public who participated on the spot, and the venue was filled with the flashes of cameras.
At the Mini-Event, there were dances by international students from Indonesia, Nepal and Inner Mongolia, singing and performances by international students who attend music school, and all were met with rounds of applause from the audience.
|
|
National Costume Fashion Show
|
|
There were also various other events held including a display of artworks by a Korean student majoring in art, and a section where non-Japanese visitors could try wearing a kimono.
The participation and cooperation of so many people made this a day where we could truly feel the connections that are created through international exchange.
This "Happy!" event gave participants the opportunity to come into contact with other cultures, taste their foods and meet the people of the world, all without needing a passport, and it left a smile on many faces.
|
|
| (Hiroshima City International House) |
|
|
|
