Tanseisha, Fukui Prefecture, together with THAP, a non-profit organization that conducts various community activities based in Tsuruga City, and Ignition Point Corporation, a business consulting and innovation company, will start using the largest crowdfunding service in Japan, "Readyfor", to finance the "Tsuruga International Cultural Exchange Festival" (hereinafter referred to as the "Event") to be held this autumn in Tsuruga City (Fukui Prefecture). The event will be held in Tsuruga City, Tsuruga Prefecture, in the fall of 2012, and the largest crowdfunding service in Japan, "Readyfor", will be used to finance the event.
This event is being held in collaboration with the city, local companies and organizations, local people, and various relevant parties from Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Israel, with which Tsuruga has deep historical ties, in order to preserve the history of "humanitarianism" and cultural exchange* that Tsuruga City has as its slogan, "Tsuruga: a port town that connects the world, a hub city developed by everyone," and to develop Tsuruga as a city of cultural exchange.
We will invite people familiar with the cultures of the four countries to Tsuruga as instructors, and create more opportunities to deepen cultural exchange through language, music, dance, cooking, crafts, etc. We will also use the crowdfunding service "Readyfor" to arouse interest and encourage participation from related parties, including local Tsuruga residents. Our initial goal is to raise 2 million yen to hold more workshops for this event, and once this is reached, we will raise the goal amount and use it to invite international students from the four countries to workshops in order to deepen mutual exchange even more.
Tsuruga City will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Poland (2019), the 120th anniversary of the opening of Tsuruga Port (2019), the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Polish orphans (2020), and the 80th anniversary of the arrival of Jewish refugees (2020-2021). By continuing to hold this event, we hope to help make Tsuruga a fully-fledged city of cultural exchange where you can enjoy the cultures of Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Israel.
*Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, flourished as a gateway to the continent during the Meiji period, when the Euro-Asia International Express train operated between Tokyo and Tsuruga, passing through Vladivostok from Tsuruga Port and on to Europe. Tsuruga Port is the only port in Japan where Polish orphans landed in the 1920s, and Jewish refugees with "visas for life" issued by Chiune Sugihara in the 1940s, and has a history of "humanitarianism" in which the citizens of the city warmly welcomed the refugees at the time.
Scene of the departure of the Japan-Manchuria ferry (Source: "Recollections of my hometown Tsuruga")
Tsuruga Port when the Jewish refugees landed (Source: Reminiscences of My Hometown Tsuruga)
Current Tsuruga Port
Overview of the "Tsuruga International Cultural Exchange Festival"
| theme | Preserving the history of humanitarianism and cultural exchange in Tsuruga |
|---|---|
| Contents | Cultural experience and exchange in Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Israel |
| Event Schedule | Saturday, November 3rd - Sunday, November 4th, 2018 (planned) |
| Organizer | Tsuruga International Cultural Exchange Festival Executive Committee [NPO THAP, Tanseisha Co., Ltd., Ignition Point Co., Ltd.] |
| Supported by | Tsuruga City |
| venue | Around Kanagasakicho, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture (Kanagasaki Green Space, Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse, Kirameki Minatokan, etc.) |
Event Background
(1) Rediscovering the historical value of Tsuruga
This will allow citizens to reaffirm the historical role that Tsuruga Port has played, and will also enable information to be widely disseminated both domestically and internationally, leading to increased appeal and brand recognition for Tsuruga.
(2) Continuing friendly relations with countries with which Japan has historical ties
100 years have passed since Tsuruga became a "Port of Humanity," and memories of that time are gradually fading even in the local area. Instead of letting the history of the landing of Polish orphans and Jewish refugees fade away, it is important to continue to foster friendly relations and cultural exchange from the present to the future.
(3) Operational methods that create sustainability and economic circulation
Recently, there has been a call for how to hold events autonomously and sustainably without relying on public funding. In addition, it is expected that events will promote the circulation of local economies, rather than merely attracting temporary visitors.
Comment from the event representative
Executive Committee Chairman: Yutaro Ikeda (Chairman of the Board of Directors of NPO THAP)
Tsuruga City has a natural harbor and has flourished since ancient times as a trading hub connecting various regions of Japan with the Asian continent, with Tsuruga Port as its base. We would like to widely disseminate Tsuruga's wonderful history and culture both domestically and internationally, and to create opportunities for citizens to come into contact with the people and cultures of countries with which Tsuruga has deep historical ties and feel closer to them. By continuing to hold this event in the future, we hope that the relationship between Tsuruga and the countries with which it has deep historical ties will take root among the citizens, and that Tsuruga will become a city rich in international color.
Vice Chairman: Yuki Tashiro [Senior Manager, Ignition Point Co., Ltd.]
This year will be the first year for this festival, but we hope to continue it every year so that it will become established in Tsuruga and foster friendly relations with other countries into the future. We hope to be able to make a contribution that is unique to our company, a venture company.
Vice Chairman: Seiichiro Yoshida (General Manager, Business Development Division, Cultural Space Business Division, Tanseisha Co., Ltd.)
As a designated manager involved in the operation of the Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse, I feel that Tsuruga has many attractions that are not yet fully known, including its history of "humanitarianism." I hope that this international cultural exchange event will help spread the value of Tsuruga's regional resources to the world, thereby contributing to the further revitalization of the region.
Crowdfunding Overview
| Listed site | Readyfor https://readyfor.jp |
|---|---|
| Donation period | June 22, 2018 (Friday) 16:00 - August 24, 2018 (Friday) 23:00 |
| Project name | "Connecting the history of humanity! We want to hold an international cultural exchange festival!" |
| Project Page | https://readyfor.jp/projects/tsuruga-festival |
| Target amount | 2 million yen (for inviting workshop instructors) If we reach this target within the period, we will set an additional target amount to cover the costs of inviting students from the four countries. |
About the Nonprofit Organization THAP
THAP was formed as a citizen volunteer group with the aim of developing the city of Tsuruga. They own and manage Tsuruga City's official mascot, "Tsunuga-kun," and visit nursery schools and conduct Tourism promotional activities. In addition to their own projects, THAP also holds public events in collaboration with government and public interest groups, and regularly cleans green spaces and beaches.
Name of organization: Nonprofit Organization THAP
Competent authority: Fukui Prefecture
Founded: 2000 (certified as a non-profit organization since 2004)
Chairman: Yutaro Ikeda
URL: https://www.facebook.com/npothap
About Ignition Point, Inc.
By fusing our core consulting business, which supports digitalization and new business development, with our creative business, which is made up of top-level designers and creators, and our innovation business, which promotes the development of cutting-edge, high-growth venture businesses, we continue to create unprecedented value in the market and local communities.
Company name: Ignition Point Co., Ltd.
Location: Shibuya Property Tower 1F, 1-32-12 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo “SPARK 2045” (Head Office)
Established: June 4, 2014
URL: http://www.ignitionpoint-inc.com
Related information
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