After being cuatro días en Vancouver My next stop is Mexico City. I stayed here as the midpoint of my final destination is Cancun, where a mega event called nikkei Nikkei Pan American Convention (COPANI) which will be held in September, and we as NYN, be supported in the recreation and leadership presentations Nikkei.

Since my visit to Mexico last year, I have a good relationship with the young people of Mexico Nikkei (Ojn or Nikkei Youth Organization), y Jun Yoshikai, one of the boys group leaders, (also lead singer of a group of Mexican JRock! Shokora) I stay at home.

My stay in Mexico began with a party because it was the birthday of Junichi's mother, followed by a meeting with youth organizers COPANI 2011.

I was finally able to talk quietly with Hiro Kashiwagui, the main organizer COPANI 2011. I think it's the first time in history COPANI are young people who are organizing most of the things of the event and would like to congratulate and thank the people who made the decision to give the baton to the future of Nikkei communities.

With Hiro speak more in detail what is Nikkei Youth Network, what we intend to do in COPANI and how we encourage young Nikkei as individuals and groups who want to take in this world. It was very pleasant and interesting to talk to Hiro as one of the founders of the ojn, has a clear vision of young nikkei of Mexico today, and advise me on how much of us achieve this goal without creating friction or misunderstandings. Nikkei Youth Network aims, encourage and assist young people who are active in their community and who want to make a difference, so it's not that we have to introduce new forms or rules but to help and work with interesting projects that are on foot.

Young Vibra

The next day, I was lucky enough to see how the younger guys, come together in weekly meetings to organize another international youth event called "Young Vibra”. Is an international event where young Nikkei 13 a 25 age,from various Latin American countries meet to share their experiences, make new friends and learn from each other. It is a cultural exchange where they create emotional connections in many cases, friendships become lifelong.

The most interesting part of this event is that it is only made in Mexico, but also in Peru and Argentina. Just with a different name in each country. (Peru:Lidercambio, Argentina: Dale, Mexico:Young Vibra).Is exactly the kind of activity as we would like to support NYN yet, learn more about them too.

Junichi woke me up at 10am telling me about this meeting and were rushed to the meeting to be held in Kaikan (Japanese Mexican Center) . Within ojn members, members are elected to host the annual Youth Vibra. I participated in this meeting where some member had the experience they had in the exchange of Argentina ( Dale) just ended, and how they could introduce some of the concepts used in that exchange.

Young Vibra youth organizers 2011 at its weekly meeting

After giving this presentation of the Dale, we all went to the garden, to changing environments, and talk a little more detail and without mincing words about how the organization of the event was.

Listening to them talk, reminded me of when I was a student in Japan, having our meetings talking about keeping the group together. The organizing an event is not easy, and many of these guys do first. They spoke of these difficulties and how to overcome them to achieve a successful event and the whole team motivated to do. Watching them talk, reminded me how important it is to talk and listen with honesty and modesty.

I hope we can help in creating your new site online and make their activities more older also seen by, to see that young people are "Gambatte" also in its way. He gave me a little sad to know that in Mexico there are also a departure from the young Mexican Nikkei Nikkei organizations, either by disagreements, disinterest, or simply by the university and labor work. I feel it is important and crucial duty, ensure that more young people and adults to reconnect Nikkei and that there is mutual support for these communities to prevail. Not so much to keep the Japanese culture it is to maintain this “Kimochi "brotherhood and values we have with this culture.

I liked the exercise you did to make everyone know what they are doing more organizing committee of the group each, yet, reflect their own work to better coordinate the event. What they did was just talk 5 minutes one-on-one with each member, team and know you are doing, like this, feelings, they want to do, etc..

I was fortunate to join this year and talk to each. I wish I could do this every organization with large groups, because it was the best way to learn from each, in their own words, that expected from Young Vibra, and they wanted to achieve individually. Here is a photo with each member.

Speaking frankly and openly with someone, serves not only to know more about the event, it is also very refreshing experience helps us to know more each other and have a stronger friendship.

Everyone was very happy after this year and while we waited for the kids to give the presentation of Young Vibra, in front of more than 100 people at an event in Mexico Yamaguchi Kenjinkai, I began to take their more "creative pictures".

Thank you very much to members of Vibra ojn and Young for having so pleasantly and reaffirm the potential there to have this global network of young leaders Nikkei. See you in Cancun!

Vibra Young team 2011