In connection with International Cooperation Day on October 6, Oita City and JICA Kyushu have designated October as "Oita International Cooperation Awareness Month" and are planning a variety of awareness-raising events.
In late September, a lecture was given by the representative of Glocal Ono, a voluntary group that works toward harmonious coexistence between technical intern trainees and local residents, and about 50 citizens attended. The representative is a nurse who was sent to Laos for two years as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer and founded the group in 2024. In Bungo-Ono City, the group continues to hold small exchange gatherings at the neighborhood-association level and events led by technical intern trainees.
In the lecture, the representative said the activities began from feeling that, although the number of foreign residents was growing, there was little exchange with them, and spoke of the belief that building a relationship with each individual, without denying differences, leads to international understanding. Coming up are a panel exhibition introducing the activities of related organizations and the "Oita World Festa," with booths where visitors can enjoy dishes from around the world.
Key points
- A panel exhibition runs October 5–19, and the World Festa takes place on October 31
- A citizen's initiative that puts experience as a volunteer to use in building community exchange
- International understanding that starts with trying to get to know the person in front of you
Why this news is worth your attention
International cooperation is not only something that happens overseas; it also means living alongside people from other countries in our own communities. This is a helpful example of how a volunteer's experience can be put to use after returning home, in creating places for community exchange.
Panel exhibitions and festas are opportunities that are easy to join, even for people encountering international cooperation for the first time.
Editor's comment
Perhaps international understanding starts not with anything special but with the small step of speaking to the person next to you.
If you live nearby, why not drop in on the events during the month?