This project is a free Family Christmas Concert in Minami Soma, Fukushima, to bring Christmas cheer to local families and children. A variety of exciting entertainers will perform on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the 1000-seater Minami Soma Citizens Cultural Hall. This event is endorsed by Fukushima Prefecture, City of Minami Soma, Minami Soma Board of Education, TBC-Tohoku Broadcasting Company, TV-U Fukushima, and the Kahoku Newspaper.
Residents of Minami Soma and surrounding towns live with ongoing uncertainty and stress from a variety of health and social issues associated with the radiation and upheaval from the nuclear disaster at the nearby power plant. Evacuees have a higher incidence of PTSD, and children are not able to play outside freely. Many families are still struggling with despair and low expectations for the future due to the long road to full recovery.
The Family Christmas Concert in Minami Soma is designed to bring a message of hope to encourage the families and children living in the area. The concert will feature 4 Japanese artists: Megumi Ota, a children's musical performer who has worked for Disney and Japan's national broadcaster, NHK; Zoku Yakara, a dynamic and young Japanese drums and shamisen set from Sendai; Syan, Japan's world champion balloon artist; and New WIngs! a popular, youthful and exuberant gospel choir from Kyushu.
The concert will be a memorable experience for all and leave an impression on many children and their families to look towards the future with hope and be a part of their own recovery. The 1000 attendees will be invited to participate in other regular programs run by our organization in the city, which are designed to provide psychosocial support for the community, and opportunities for advancement by local children and young people, in areas of computer training, and cultural arts.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
