March 14, 2007 - 5:00pm
Residents on Vancouver Island are welcome to attend the fourth annual Japanese Festival at Malaspina University-College's Nanaimo campus on Saturday, March 31, from 11 am to 4 pm.
“This is a free public event for the benefit and enjoyment of people living in Vancouver Island communities,” said Masaya Shimazaki, a third-year student in Malaspina's Business Administration program. “This is our way of sharing our Japanese culture and traditions and also an opportunity to say thank-you to all the people who have given Japanese students such a warm welcome while we study in Canada.”
The Festival is an annual cultural event presented by Malaspina’s Japanese international students. Student volunteers will introduce rich Japanese culture by showcasing the fine art of origami (Japanese paper folding) and calligraphy. Other booths will feature displays of Japanese ornaments, artifacts, magazines and cartoons. Children will be able to try out traditional and modern Japanese toys. Tasty Japanese cuisine prepared by students will also be available for sale, and proceeds donated to a charitable cause.
About 30 Japanese students and other international students at Malaspina are looking forward to interacting with the public during this year’s Festival. Shimazaki has also recruited Japanese friends at the University of Victoria and Camosun College to help out.
Cultural displays during the day-long Festival will be set up in Malaspina's main cafeteria, (Building 300). There will be cultural performances in the Malaspina Theatre (Building 310) including traditional dance, Japanese folk music, a drama called “AOI” written by Yukio Mishima, and folk and pop songs performed by Japanese students.
The Japanese Festival has attracted approximately 3,000 people to the Nanaimo campus over the past three years. Profits from selling food have been donated to Nanaimo Arts Alive, Malaspina University-College Global Studies Friends of Paraquay project, and Tsunami Relief through the Canadian Red Cross.
For more details about this year's Japanese Festival, visit the website at www.jfestival.net or contact the festival organizers at j-fes@hotmail.com.
Tags: In the Community
