Date:              Thursday, October 24, 2024

Time:              6:00–6:45 pm: Arrive and mingle

                        7:00 pm: Dinner

                        8:00–9:00 pm: Presentation

Place:             Hilton Osaka (Umeda), 4F

Cost:              FEW members: ¥6,000

                       Nonmembers (women only): ¥8,000 

Register:        Hilton: By Wednesday, October 16, midnight

                             [FEW Kansai members may participate in monthly meetings via Zoom if unable to join in person at the Hilton.    

                          Please go to the Event page for details.]

Japan is grappling with an aging population and a dearth of young people in rural communities. Yet communities willing to experiment with innovative ideas are finding measures of success in overcoming these challenges. One unique initiative supporting rural revitalization is the "Everyone’s Grandchild Project" in Ueyama, Okayama Prefecture, which aims to create intergenerational connections while preserving rural cultural heritage. The project has successfully restored abandoned rice terraces, transforming them into a thriving, self-reliant environment now home to 80 elderly residents and 40 younger individuals. Outreach is key to the project’s success, as they raise funds and awareness through activities offered to the general public.

Amelia Ijiri, our speaker, spent time in Ueyama along with more than 40 participants from over 10 different countries. She will be sharing her experience and takeaways, including how the "grandchildren" (young people who have moved into the area) are fostering sustainable living practices and even enhancing biodiversity through their alternative lifestyles and choices. Join us to learn how this rural Okayama area embraced something new to preserve their rural cultural heritage and is building a thriving community in the process.