AIRA promotes communication with other associations in Tokatsu and makes use of their activities for its own. The activities of these associations have been restricted due to COVID-19 for over two years, but new styles of international exchange have also been started. (No.22-4)Date & time: May 20th(Fri), 2022 13:30～15:40
Venue: Nagareyama City Lifelong Learning Center, A101 Meeting Room
Participants: AIRA (Abiko), KIRA (Kashiwa), NIA (Noda), MIEA (Matsudo) and NIFA (Nagareyama)
The organizer is Nagareyama NIFA this year and the meeting was emceed by Mr.Nakahashi from NIFA. The agenda was as follows: (1) FY2021 Financial statement (2) FY2022 Appointment of officers (3) FY2021 Activity report and FY2022 Action plan (3) Business reports of foreign-language and Japanese-language classes (4) Exchange of information about Ukraine-related activities.
1. Activities FY2021
Most activities intended for people to gather were cancelled under COVID-19, but the situation is now getting back to normal gradually.
・ International FESTA by Kashiwa KIRA and International Festival by Abiko AIRA were held with preventive measures against 3C’s and using online videos.
・ Matsudo MIEA cancelled its festival, but carried out International Cultural Festival and International Exchange Party.
・ Nagareyama NIFA, marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment and the 10th of the designation as an NPO, held the ceremony, which had been cancelled last year, at a larger place and with a smaller number of participants.
2. Speech Contests
Each association exercised their ingenuity in organizing speech contests.
・ Kashiwa KIRA held on-line “Japanese Language Speech Contest”.
・ Matsudo MIEA held “Japanese Language Speech Contest” with no audience, prior filming and YouTube uploading. Also, “High-School Students English Speech Contest” was held without audience while “English Speech Contest” was cancelled.
・ Nagareyama NIFA held “Japanese Language Speech Contest” on a smaller scale while Abiko AIRA cancelled “International Speech Contest.”.
3. Foreign-Language and Japanese-Language Classes
The number of students of foreign language classes decreased in most of the associations and some classes were cancelled. Many classes were held face to face while Noda NIA and Matsudo MIEA held on-line classes.
・ Each association held Japanese language classes online while Noda and Matsudo held both on-line and face-to-face classes.
4. International exchange/ Overseas dispatch
As for the international exchange like dispatching people to their sister cities, each association cancelled home-stay or exchange programs while Kashiwa KIRA organized on-line international exchange. Matsudo cancelled their overseas dispatching program to the sister city and instead, carried out “Cross-cultural experience at British Hills (Fukushima Prefecture),” a plan for participants to study British culture without leaving Japan for 3 nights and 4 days.
5. Others
The followings are major activities carried out by each association;
・ Kashiwa KIRA: “Food bank”, an international exchange walking event (Kashiwa-no-ha), a mini-lecture titled “Friendship Time”
・ Nagareyama NIFA: Cultural classes (Latin dance and French songs), “Dutch Class” at an elementary school
・ Noda NIA: Education for international understanding at elementary schools
・ Matsudo MIEA: “Worldwide Tour” (classes of K-Pop dance, French family cooking, Australian multi-cultures, field walking in Noda, Japanese ceramic art, etc. ) and a one-day trip to Hakone
Also, they started a class “Easy Japanese for Nursing”, which teaches basic words related to nursing care.
6. Regarding to the activities related to Ukraine, fundraising is being conducted by KIRA, MIEA, NIFA and AIRA.
Kashiwa KIRA is recruiting volunteers who speak Ukrainian or Russian to support refugees in their life in Japan.
AIRA is preparing to start “Russian Language Club”.
Though a lot of international exchange activities were suspended under COVID-19, each association is pursing new activities in their FY2022 Action Plan such as “Multi-language Supporting Center at Disasters” by Kashiwa KIRA, supporting for the exchange between Japanese and foreign university students by Matsudo MIEA, etc.
This meeting was filled with enthusiasm for international exchange of each association which tries to stay positive under any circumstance.
(Translated by NAKAJIMA Katsumi)
