Many Okinawans left their home prefecture to go overseas both before and after World War II, making Okinawa a prefecture in Japan with one of the largest emigrant populations. Today, there are about 400,000 people of Okinawan descent in North and South America and throughout the world. These “World Uchinanchu” (Uchinanchu being the Okinawan word for Okinawan people) gather once every 5 years in their home prefecture of Okinawa at the “World Uchinanchu Festival”.

( from World Uchinanchu Festival official site) good book.

This association was originally started for the “World Uchinanchu Festival in 2011” organized by Youth Uchinanchu and students. During the festival in 2011, we could connect with Young Uchinanchu in the world and organize this World Youth Uchinanchu Association (WYUA). The head branch is based in
Okinawa, with other branches based in mainland America, Hawaii, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and England. We plan and manage the “World Youth Uchinanchu Festival” that will be held worldwide. We also promote the creative dance called “Ryukyu-Stomp” that tries to incorporate Okinawan traditional
performance art and Ryukyuan language (Uchina Guchi). In Okinawa, our events involve many young Uchinanchu that includes high school and university students in Okinawa, international students, and trainees from other countries.

In preparation for “The Fifth Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival” in 2011, the very first “Youth/Student Executive Office” was established as their mission to inherit, preserve and carry on the desires, hopes and wishes from millions of ancestors for the future generation. Through networking and exchanging information with youth overseas, we were able to hold a Youth International Conference. Young representatives from 8 different countries (America, Hawaii, England, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Okinawa) gathered together at this conference to discuss what we want to do for the island in which we love so dearly and take great pride in being Uchinanchu. As a result of the conference, the World Youth Uchinanchu Association was formed and the organization’s missions and future activities were proposed to the Okinawa Prefectural Governor. As we prepare towards the 6th Festival, proposal was announced to hold the World Youth Uchinanchu Festival in many countries.

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