THE FUTURE IS HERE!
The Most Important Nikkei Conference in the Americas
September 20-22, 2019, San Francisco, USA
The Conventions of the Association of Pan American Nikkei (COPANI) returns to North America for the first time since the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) last hosted the event in Vancouver in 2005.
The convention has been held every two years since 1981, bringing together Japanese descendants across the Americas. The current member countries of PANA/APN (Pan-American Nikkei Association) are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Japan (extra-regional member country), Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Venezuela, and the United States.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of COPANI XX are:
- To offer opportunities to engage and interact with other Nikkei through conference lectures, discussions, workshops, cultural and social activities, tours, and more.
- To play a vital role in connecting the Nikkei communities world-wide, while paying tribute to the legacy of Issei pioneers who left Japan for opportunities in the Americas, and celebrating the vitality and pride of being Nikkei.
- To share our experiences as Japanese immigrants and their descendants with the common and inevitable struggle to preserve our communities.
- To support the younger generations growing up in this new digital world by keeping them engaged, and promote their enthusiasm, vision, and creativity which will redefine what it means to be Nikkei.
- To develop tangible and innovative take-aways from the event to incubate future projects in participants’ greater communities.
- To reach a new level of engagement with new opportunities and areas of focus at this COPANI in order to establish the relevancy of our diaspora to the world-at-large.
PROPOSED SCHEDULE AND WORKSHOPS
The current schedule for the convention is as follows:
Friday, September 20, 2019
AM Registration
Opening Ceremony
Keynote Speech
Panel Discussion
PM Lunch
Presentations
Welcome Reception (limited to the first 180 registered guests)
Saturday, September 21, 2019
AM General Session
Workshop Session 1
PM Lunch
Workshop Session 2
Sunday, September 22, 2019
AM City Tour
PM Fisherman’s Wharf Luncheon
Closing Ceremony
Kasuga Foundation Award Ceremony
Sayonara Dinner Party
The following streams of workshops will be offered during the convention:
- Business
- Youth
- Arts and Culture
- Family and Community
- Civil Rights and Social Justice
Pursuant to the theme, “The Future is Here”, one main objective for our conference is to give more responsibility and voice to our current generation. This would be an opportunity to present the first all-youth panel so that they can share their dreams, aspirations and project ideas.
MAIN VENUES
Most of the sessions and activities will take place at these venues:
WEST BAY CONFERENCE CENTER
1290 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
BUDDHIST CHURCH OF SAN FRANCISCO
1881 Pine St, San Francisco, CA 94109
REGISTRATION AND ACCOMMODATIONS
Online registration is now open at the conference website copani.org/register
The registration fee is $375 USD and can be submitted via on-line payment at the registration website. If you register prior to March 1, 2019, you can qualify for a $50 USD savings on the registration fee.
Travel and accommodation recommendations can be found here: copani.org/travel-info
As hotels are filling up fast, you are encouraged to make your hotel bookings as soon as possible given the limited availability of hotels in the area.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information about this convention, please contact Kevin Okabe of the NAJC at ed@najc.caor by phone at 403.561.7572.
The latest information about COPANI can be found at the following links: copani.org
