- 2011/09/18
Japanfest Day 1: September 17, 2011
Today I went to Japanfest to volunteer at the Asian Pacific Children Convention booth and to enjoy the Japanese cultural in general! It was held at the Gwinnett Center: 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097.
The mission of JapanFest is to improve understanding and appreciation of linkages between Japanese and Americans residing in the Southeastern United States through an annual salute to Japanese culture and friendship entitled JapanFest. This celebration will promote multicultural education, encourage social harmony, and ensure the cultural integrity of JapanFest by providing an appropriate mix of authentic contemporary and traditional programs on Japanese art and culture. Activities include a wide variety of performing arts, demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and exhibitions. These grassroots efforts are coordinated by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, The Japan-America Society of Georgia, and the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta and implemented by a host of community volunteers. JapanFest is committed to organizing a self-sustaining event, supported in part by non-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and non-Japan-America Society of Georgia members, and provides meaningful financial support to educational endeavors in Georgia.
There were many booths that were set up and I met my chaperone, Julia and her friend, Abby, there! We took pictures with people who dressed up like anime characters; they were quite a sight.
There were so many things to do there: eat, play games, buy Japanese products, did I mention eat?!
Chopstick Challenge: I thought I was pretty skilled at chopsticks...but guess not :P You were supposed to use chopsticks to take out parts of electronic devices using chopsticks without touching the sides and making the machine go "BEEP!"
Praying for Japan: Every crane was one dollar and contributed funds to the tsunami and earthquake.
Conveniently, plans were made for the BC to have a massive reunion on October 22nd to discuss this year's Common Activity and establish a BC logo with Yoshi and Julia.
Familar faces were also seen including Charlie (JA 2007), Clay & Ismail (JA 2011), Jennifer (Chaperone 2010), and Patricia (teacher).
With this month's update in check and promoting the APCC at our booth, I'm looking forward to the massive reunion held on the October 22nd!
Article by: Stephanie Tan (BC Atlanta President)
