80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JAPANESE CANADIAN INTERNMENT – SURVIVORS REUNION LUNCHEON.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the uprooting of Japanese Canadians during the second world war from British Columbia, we will host a reception luncheon to honour the survivors of Central and Northern Vancouver Island for their strength, stoicism, and resiliency in overcoming adversity. We have identified 60-70 survivors in our region, and will also invite Japanese Canadian friends and family of survivors in our community to celebrate the survivors.There will be 150-200 attendees.The event will be held in the summer or fall of 2022. In addition to the Japanese luncheon, there will be a guest speaker and entertainment (Taiko, Odori dancers, musical performance). The proposed location is the Beban Social Center. We will have display boards of pre-war on Vancouver Island, and Nikkei history over the years. We want to remember the vibrant communities that thrived on Vancouver Island prior to 1942. The goal is to honour the Issei and Nisei and recognize the living survivors. We will provide transportation and assistance where necessary for survivors to get to the event. We are planning on inviting Dr Satsuki Ina, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in community trauma. She is a survivor of the Japanese-American incarceration during WWII and currently resides in Sacramento, California. We feel this grant is our opportunity to provide mental wellness to our survivors and plan to use this project to bring about better understanding of the effects of the Internment. We are hoping to create a safe, joyous environment to celebrate Japanese Canadian survivors with their friends and family members.

• Listing ID: 1511
• Primary Applicant: Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society
• Event or Completion Date: Saturday, July 16, 2022
• Approved Amount: $10,000
• Location: Nanaimo, BC