ihouse

1. Date

20th (Sat)-21st (Sun) December 2008
Sat: 10am~5pm, Sun: 10am~4pm

2. Venue

International House, Osaka 2-6 Uehommachi, 8-chome, Tennoji-ku, Osaka
Nearest Stations: Tanimachi 9-chome (Subway), Uehonmachi (Kintetsu)

3. Theme

"What We Can Do To Create A Better World"

4. Aim

Every year sees international issues such as the destruction of the environment, suppression of human rights, and poverty become ever more serious. Peace, human rights, the environment, and poverty are all issues which are connected to our everyday lives and as such there is a need for us to alter the way we live our lives accordingly. It was with this in mind that the One World Festival was initiated in 1993. It is a way of promoting the importance of international cooperation to citizens, and offers them a way of actively taking part in such activities. It is now in its 16th year, and is the largest international cooperation event in the Kansai region.

5. Organizers

The One World Festival Organizing Committee. (Secretariat＝Kansai NPO Alliance)

6. Characteristics of the One World Festival

6.1 The largest international cooperation event in the Kansai region, at which NGO/NPO’s, government organizations from around Japan, international organizations, educational institutions, businesses contributing to society etc, gather to introduce their activities.

1. NGO/NPO Introductory Booths
2. Ethnic Food Stalls
3. ODA Organization Booths
4. International Organization Booths
5. Educational Organization Booths
6. Business Introductory Booths
7. Film Showings focusing on issues such as poverty and human rights
8. Many fun activities such as introduction to kids games from around Asia, fun environmental games corner, ethnic music and clothes, try out a Mongolian tent etc
9. International culture introductory seminars, international youth volunteer report sessions, child labor and poverty symposiums etc

6.2 The organizing committee is made up of NGO/NPO’s, ODA organizations, international exchange foundations, educational institutions, and members of the business community. The event is closely managed by the committee at all stages.

6.3 The event is organized in order to be a catalyst and starting point for further international cooperation activity by those that participate.

6.4 Volunteers play a large part in the festival. The festival is planned and run by the organizing committee in tandem with volunteers. The 2008 event saw 150 volunteers take part, from many backgrounds, including students in their 20s, foreign students, senior citizens etc.

6.5 A festival built on cooperation. A feature of the festival is NGO/NPOs , ODA organizations, businesses, and educational organizations working together and collaborating.

6.6 Active participation from citizens, who attend the event for different reasons such as an interest in volunteer work, a desire to take part in international cooperation activities, a keenness to learn about foreign culture etc. Organizers also try to organize programs allowing participants to “see”, “hear”, “taste”, “think”, “discuss”, and “experience” things.

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