JAPANTOWN MULTICULTURAL NEIGHBOURHOOD CELEBRATION
Celebrate the history, diversity, and enduring promise of Vancouver’s Japantown
Saturday, March 28, 2009, 10:00am – 9:00pm
Various venues, including: Japanese Hall, Oppenheimer Park, Chapel Arts, Kalayaan Centre, and the streets of Japantown
INFO: 604-628-5672 or www.vjls-jh.com
Celebrate the history, diversity, and enduring promise of Vancouver’s Japantown in the first Japantown Multicultural Neighbourhood Celebration (10:00am-9:00pm, March 28). This full day of cultural events and public forums reflects upon the journeys of the past, the diversity of the present, and the promise of the future.
The Japantown Multicultural Neighbourhood Celebration features concurrent activity at the Japanese Hall, Oppenheimer Park, Chapel Arts, Kalayaan Centre, and in the streets of Japantown. Japantown lies on the traditional territory of the Coast Salish First Nations and is the site of Vancouver’s earliest beginnings. For Japanese Canadians, this neighbourhood is natsukashii, a place that is abundant with memories. The Japantown Multicultural Neighbourhood Celebration shines the spotlight on the diverse populations that continue to thrive in this historic area.
Share stories of growing up, working and participating in Japantown. View displays of the past, present and future of the neighbourhood. Enjoy music and spoken word performances. Participate in a street procession featuring local groups and an Okinawan children’s choir and attend an afternoon ceremony honouring the milestones and initiatives of the community. Cap off the day with a gala at the Japanese Hall featuring local artists such as Sawagi Taiko, and the First Nations a cappella trio M’Girl, as well as dancers from the Bandou-ryu School of Nihon Buyo from Tokyo.
The Japantown Multicultural Neighbourhood Celebration is produced by the Powell Street Festival Society, Tonari Gumi, Vancouver Japanese Language School & Japanese Hall, and Vancouver Moving Theatre, in association with a host of community partners. With this day of celebration, the partners move forward on the City of Vancouver’s Historical and Cultural Review (2008); commemorate the 80th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Japan (2009); explore Japantown’s multicultural past and present; and encourage the current community to voice its hopes for the neighbourhood’s future.
The Japantown Multicultural Neighbourhood Celebration takes place between 10:00am and 9:00pm on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at locations throughout Japantown. All events are free. For more information, call 604-628-5672 or visit www.vjls-jh.com.