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To all the peace-loving people;
We would like to invite you to "The Full-Moon Festival", in which various
people express their wish for peace by music, poems, dances, speeches、and so on.
As coral is said to lay eggs at the full-moon night, the full moon is the symbol
of life and peace for the people of Okinawa, whose land is made from the coral
reef. We would like to invite you to the full-moon festival in Hamamatsu to
share our wish for peace.
NOT WAR BUT PEACE!-LIFE IS THE MOST PRECIOUS
THING
It seems as if we human beings are abandoning the wish for peace and the
feeling of awe for life, both of which we have acquired through our bitter
history of war and destruction.
However, we never give up! We do believe we can change this situation if each
individual will stand up and say, hand in hand, "Not war but peace!"
The moon above us is only one; whoever we are, wherever we are. Let all the
peace-loving people of Japan and of the world get together under the full moon,
and enjoy the feast for peace with music, dance, poem, etc.
THE HISTORY OF THE FULL-MOON
FESTIVAL
The first "Full-Moon Festival", Dec. 23 '99, was called by the people of
Okinawa and Korea, where huge U.S.bases are located, causing various kinds of
incidents and accidents such as car accidents, injury cases, rapes and murders.
In Okinawa, there is a plan to move the U.S. heliport from Futenma to Henoko,
Nago. Many people gathered at the festival to protest the plan, because it's not
only a move but the reinforcement of U.S.base and the destruction of fishing and
the environment.
The second one was held on the night of the last lunar eclipse of 20th
century. The third (Apr. 8 '01) was held in more than 60 places including
Okinawa, Korea, Hawaii, and many places in Japan, one of which was Hamamatsu
(the first one in Hamamatsu).
The fourth (Nov.17 '02) was held under a tense situation; the terrorism on
America, the attack on Afghanistan by America, the dispatch of the Self-Defense
Force of Japan, in Korea two girls being run over and killed by the armored car
of U.S. army, and the Korean people's protest against America.
And the 14th of September '03 is the fifth, which will be held under tenser
situation; the attacking Iraq by America and England supported by Japanese
government, the passing of the emergency bill in Japan, the "anti-North Korea"
campaign, the new Iraq bill (which really is the supporting of U.S.invasion of
Iraq bill), etc. It's nearly just before the war.
THE FULL-MOON FESTIVAL IN
HAMAMATSU
After we first held our first Full-Moon Festival on Aprl.8 '01 at Ryusen-ji,
we held the second on June 23 '02 at Ryusen-ji, the third on Nov. 17 '02 at
Kanro-ji; each of them had more than 100 peace-loving audience and performers.
The followings are some of the performs:
* Okinawan music (sanshin, folk songs, and eisa, dancing with drums)
* The Andes music
* Country & Western
* Guitar and songs
* Shakuhachi, the Japanese bamboo flute
* Piano
* Poems
* Speeches on various topics (atomic power plant, airport, pollution, labor,
etc.)
* Fee: free
* Staffs: invited
* Promoted by "The Full-Moon Festival, Hamamatsu" (representative:
Yakushiji)
* The festival will be held in Korea, Okinawa, and many places in
Japan.
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