BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//PYVOBJECT//NONSGML Version 1//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:events.uid.6655@www.discovernikkei.org DTSTART:20220910T000000Z DTEND:20220910T000000Z DESCRIPTION:<strong>OAA to host virtual info session for grand homecoming i n Okinawa</strong>\n\nOn <strong>September 10 (Saturday) at 1 p.m. Pacific Time\,</strong> the Okinawa Association of America (OAA) will host their <strong>second information session for the 7th Worldwide Uchinaanchu Taika i/Festival in October.</strong> It will be held virtually on Zoom. For att endees who do not have internet access\, a very limited number of in-perso n spots will be available at the OAA Center in Gardena. <strong>Registrati on is required: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/oaa-taikai-22" target="_blank ">tinyurl.com/oaa-taikai-22</a></strong> <em>(the Zoom link will be emaile d to you)</em>\n\n<em> </em>\n\n<em></em><strong>After the 2021 postponeme nt\, the Okinawa Prefectural Government has officially decided that this y ear’s Taikai/Festival will be both in-person and virtual (October 30 - N ovember 3\, 2022).</strong> <span style="text-decoration: underline\;">Par ties who are interested in traveling to Okinawa for the festivities are hi ghly encouraged to attend the OAA’s September 10 information session to learn about the latest travel restrictions\, risks\, and registration proc esses. Those who attended the first information session are also encourage d to attend\, as parts of that presentation are now out of date.\n\nEstabl ished in 1990\, the Festival/Taikai is hosted by the Okinawa Prefectural G overnment (OPG) and serves as a grand "homecoming" for Okinawan immigrants and descendants. Participants from Argentina to Zimbabwe have attended. T his is a fantastic opportunity for Okinawans to deepen their roots as well as interact with international communities\, with an extensive range of a ctivities ranging from festive outdoor gatherings to classical theater per formances\; global cultural exchanges to leadership symposiums\; and even tournaments for karate and eisaa drumming. Several of the activities have multilingual accessibility.\n\nThis Festival/Taikai is the only event of i ts kind in all of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture was once the independent Ryūk yū Kingdom and that sense of unique identity and rich cultural heritage h as remained strong among Okinawan natives\, those who emigrated\, and desc endants around the world. The first Okinawan immigrants arrived in Califor nia over a century ago.\n\n<strong>The OAA-hosted session on September 10 will be a hybrid event with a limited in-person option to assist those wit hout internet access.</strong> In-person attendees are required to RSVP (< span style="text-decoration: underline\;">walk-ins not accepted) and follo w the OAA’s COVID-19 safety protocols. The event will be recorded and an edited version will be available at a later date.\n\nAlthough the OAA wil l not be handling travel arrangements\, support and registration assistanc e will be available for current OAA members (free with membership) and non -members (service fee applies). <strong>Interested parties are also encour aged to visit the Festival/Taikai’s official multilingual website: <a hr ef="https://wuf2022.com" target="_blank">wuf2022.com</a></strong>\n\n<stro ng>Please contact the OAA for more information:</strong> 310-532-1929 (ple ase leave a message)\, oaamensore@gmail.com. The OAA is a 501(c)(3) non-pr ofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Okinawan culture. Facebook/Instagram: @oaamensore DTSTAMP:20240424T142201Z SUMMARY:Info Session: Uchinaanchu Taikai/Festival in Okinawa URL:/en/events/2022/09/10/info-session-uchinaanchu-taikaifestival-in-okina/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR