On Sunday, November 24, IAC held a year-end party at the Seishonen-Kaikan Hall. Foreign people and partners who helped us this year, and students of our Japanese Language Classes were invited. The party was also to welcome the Australian university students who were staying with their host families in Chigasaki for 4 days and 3 nights. Total 138 participants, more than usual, joined the party. So it was a blast.
The planners and coordinators of the event started setting up the banquet hall and reception desks, and preparing food and drink at 11:30. Mr. H, the Secretary-General and Ms. S, a member of the Chigasaki Cultural Conference, emceed the party. Mr. N, the Chief Director, Ms. T, the manager of the Gender Equality Promotion Section, and a representative of Mitsui & Co. (Australia) Ltd., which invited the Australian students, said a few words at the beginning of the party. Then, eight university students from Australia and their host families were introduced. Mr. I, the Director, proposed a toast.
Not only the food and drink, we also enjoyed entertainments such as piano performance of Ms. S, a pianist and a member of IAC, songs and dance of the Australian students, and a piano – erhu duo by Ms. S, a member of IAC and Ms. M, a lecturer of education for international understanding. We also enjoyed dancing Hawaii Ondo and Akatombo Ondo in a circle. Hawaii Ondo is a bon dance popular in Honolulu, a sister city of Chigasaki. Akatombo Ondo is an original bon dance of Chigasaki and the dance sequence is the same with Tanko Bushi.
We also played Bingo. There were so many prizes that everybody looked really excited.
Lastly, we sang “Imagine” praying world peace. The party was concluded with a closing speech of the Deputy Chief Director.
Many thanks for the planners and coordinators of the party who took a long time to prepare everything!
