Hi, my name is Kaoru Nakahara. I organize and host theWorld Reads for Children (WRC) and the World Shares Child-rearing Experiencesprojects.

 

WRC has been hosting book-reading sessions incooperation with various embassies and organizations in Japan.

 

Followingcorporations and embassies have participated in this fun and highly educationalevent:

 

Finland, Canada, Jordan, Egypt, Bulgaria, Thai, Sweden, Israel, DominicanRepublic, Denmark, Hungary, Eritrea, Romania, Chile, Finland, The Delegations of the European Union: UnitedKingdom, Greece,Holland, Oxford University Press and Columbia International School. The projecthas also been featured in the Japan Times, the Asahi Newspaper and other mediaoutlets.

 

 

We also have a monthly international book-readinggathering in Yotsuya. Our activities includes reading books from around theworld, exchange cultures, sing children's songs, and have potluck parties.

Additional Information: http://worldreadsforchildren.jimdo.com/english/

 

http://webdacapo.magazineworld.jp/author/nakahara_kaoru/

 

Emailaddress kaorunakahara05@gmail.com

 

http://twitter.com/nakaharakaoru

 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002093073885

 

I'm　also on facebook as kaoru nakahara.

 

We're looking for international families who can read books from their cultures to other members at our monthly Yotsuya gathering.

 

If　you are an international family in Japan, please join us! There is no charge.All you need is to read a book from your country in your native language,introduce your culture to other members, share your love for books and embracediversity!

 

At the same time, you can enjoy other members reading books from their culture as well.

If　you join us as a featured book-reading help, your participation in the Yosuya event is　always free.  You don't have to read every time you come unless you want to. Please email me for more details. kaorunakahara05@gmail.com

 

If you would like to join us just as an audience, we welcome you to drop by.

 

Time:Every 1st Saturday of the month unless otherwise determined.

Place:Ｓａｗａｋａｍｉ　Ａｓｓｅｔ　Mａｎａｇｅｍｅｎｔ　Ｉｎｃ．　Ｓｅｍｉｎｏｒ　Rｏｏｍ

 

http://www.sawakami.co.jp/

Kioichofukuda-ya BLDG 2F

Kioi^cho6-12Chiyoda-ward, Tokyo.

(5minutes from JR Yotsuya station: Chuo line, Sobu Line, Maruno-uchi line,Nanboku-Line)

Afew buildings behind the Sofia University.

 

 

 

Greetings!  

 

My name is Kaoru Nakahara. I organize and host the World Reads for Children (WRC) and World Shares Child-rearing Experiences project. WRC has been hosting book-reading sessions in cooperation with various embassies and organizations in Japan.  

 

If you're international family in Japan, please join us for free.  All you need to do is to read books from your country in your native language and introduce your culture for other member and share your love for books and embrace our diversity!

 

Subject: Join us!  the World Reads for Children in person or via internet.

 

Event:  “The World Reads for Children” is an event for international families.

  

Time: Monthly

 

Place:  various foreign embassies and other venues. 

 

Additional Information: http://worldreadsforchildren.jimdo.com/english/

 

Email address  kaorunakahara05@gmail.com

http://twitter.com/nakaharakaoru

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002093073885

I'm on face book as kaoru nakahara

 

I host International Book Reading Session with embassies every month. Different embassy and corporations reads books from their country in their language with Japanese translation and introduces their country.

Following countries embassies and corporations have already participated to this fun and very educational event.

Finland, Canada, Jordan, Egypt, Bulgaria, Thai, Sweden, Israel, Dominican Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Eritrea, Romania, Chile, Finland, The Delegation of the European Union : United Kingdom,Greek, Holland, Oxford University Press, Columbia International school, Austrian children's book writer and artist Edgar Honetschläger

  

During our activity-filled visits, children and their parents listen to the ambassadors and corporate executives read books of his/her country in their native tongues, and listen to songs that children grow up with in those countries.

 

 

We also share traditional children’s snacks from those countries and ask the ambassadors questions such as what kind of bedtime stories their parents read to them.

 

We have similar programs for adults as well.

  

I am looking forward to working with ambassadors, CEOs, parents, children, publishers, writers, educators and more across the globe in sharing the wonderful world of books and stories. If you can come to one of our book reading party in person that's wonderful or you can join us via internet.

If any corporations are interested in sponsoring us, or if there are web sites that are willing to support us, do contact us!

  

Thorough this event, I hope children and parents will learn to embrace diversity in cultures and languages and also develop interest in books.  

 

The event is carried out in English with Japanese translation.

 

During our activity-filled event, children and parents listen to the ambassadors or Corporate executives read picture books of his/her country in their native tongues, and listen to songs that children grow up with in those countries. We also share traditional children’s snacks from those countries and ask the presenters questions such as what kind of bedtime stories their parents read to them. 

 

We welcome international families to join us in this fun and educational event.

 

Also you can be one of the presenter in person or via internet and take this opportunity to showcase your country and the kids’ culture. 

 

As we all know, we are flooded with “information” from the web, TV, and imported materials when it comes to international exposure, but there are certain things you can only get through actual experience. I think parents are looking for much more than two-dimensional data for their children. I hope to offer visitors to my event a piece of that real-life international experience to take home and to help them toward their future learning and understanding.

 

My efforts do not involve making profits. As a mother, I simply want my child and his future fellow global citizens to have the opportunity to meet the world at an early age.

 

I believe it’s every adult’s responsibility to try to give him or her that chance. The world is very inter-connected today and will only continue to be even more so. We are all interdependent, and we must understand and cooperate with each other on so many different levels.

 

It is my wish that all the children and parents who participate in the event will celebrate diversity and be inspired by a role model like you as you represent the beacon of mutual respect and understanding between Japan and your country.

 

This is also a great opportunity for your company to directly communicate with Japanese families and promote your products and services. I hope you will find the time out of your busy schedule and make their day a memorable one!   

 
Now, some administrative information. I plan to carry out the book-reading sessions in the following fashion. This is the way I usually do a session at embassies. But the order and details can be changed according to your needs. I welcome your input and comments. 

 

1.        SHOW & TELL 

 Children or parents will make a small presentation about your country or introduce their culture to you.  It is to give children a chance to get involved and be part of the presentation, not just sit in and receive lecture.   About 10min.

 

2.        Introduction of the country and your company from your side. Make a small presentation to the audience about the country and the company in any way you like. You could feature the population, tourist spots, major exporting goods, major events and news in recent years and so on. 10min.

 

3.   Presenter read children’s books. Read them in your native language.  There will be a translation of your reading. 10min

 

4.   Presenter sings or plays CD. The music/songs should be classic or popular children’s songs from your country. 10min.

 

5.   Q&A session. Here are sample questions: How often did your parents read for you when you were a child? How did book-reading help you to become international journalist? What was your favorite story? 10min.

 

6.   Taking pictures with the children in the audience. Promote organization, products or services or give away free samples or leaflets.  You can also sell products at the venue. 10 min

 

There can be more than one presenter. The presenter can be the member of your organization him/herself, his/her spouse or children. The session will be hosted in Japanese with an English interpreter if needed. If you wish to speak in a language other than Japanese or English, I have to ask you to have an interpreter. 

 

The links below are information regarding WRC. I hope you will join the book-reading sessions along with other embassies and corporations. Please click links to see previous book-reading sessions with different embassies and organizations. 

 

I am looking forward to seeing you at The World Reads for Children. 

 

 

Right now, I live in Japan so we hold the event in Japan but you can join us via internet or you can start The World Reads for Children in your country!

 

From the start I envisioned that there'll be The World Reads for Children in every country.  Please let me know if you'd like to start this project in your country.  I'll do my at most to give you any support I could give.  I welcome your thoughts and ideas on how we can make this project better and localize it to your country's needs.

 

I'm hoping diplomats, ambassadors, corporate executives, and writers who red the story for us or anyone who's willing,  will start The World Reads for Children in their country or in their next posting so The World Reads for Children would spread around the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who can't join us in person, will you share your book-reading with the world by uploading it to the project's channel on youtube?

 

 

 

I am trying to create a place for families from all over the world in various cultures and languages to come together on the web.

 

If you know another language, please pass on this message in that language to parents all over the world.

 

I also welcome volunteers who would translate the local languages that the videos are in, as well as people to spread the word out about the project.

I will introduce the submitted audio and video files on the WRC project web site.

 

In addition, it could be pretty difficult for many mothers and fathers to attend an actual fair with their jobs, daily household affairs and family commitments.

 

As I got more involved in the planning of WRC project, I thought about how I can make available seemingly remote world's children's books and reading samples to everyone. And I realized that the internet and the technology already exist!

 

 

 

I am looking forward to working with ambassadors, CEOs, parents, children, publishers, writers, educators and more across the globe in sharing the wonderful world of books and stories. If you can come to one of our book reading party in person that's wonderful or you can join us via internet.

If any corporations are interested in sponsoring us, or if there are web sites that are willing to support us, do contact us!

 

 

If you are a children's book writer or publisher, please introduce your book on the video and give us a demonstration of book-reading.

 

Let's give the gift of book-reading in your native language using your selection of books. I will deliver it to families who are eager to know how your children's education takes place in your home.

 

I hope we can all share the wonderful tradition of story-telling in various countries.

It would also be neat to archive many of the disappearing languages and stories along the way.

 

If you are uploading your book-reading on YOUTUBE or other video web sites, please standardize the title as below so that it is easier for the rest of us to search.

 

WRC project: (the language), (book/story title) by (reader name/screen name/anonymous)

 

For example; "WRC project: Japanese, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Kaoru"

 

As you submit your files, I will screen and rummage through the collection of various languages, dialects, accents, ages, locales, and introduce the best on the web site.

 

I am also hoping to add translation as much as possible.

I would appreciate it if anyone can add comments or subtitles to the videos.

We can all pull together and overcome the language difference!

 

 

 

 

I welcome all your comments and ideas.

 

Come join the World Reads for Children Project!

 

Thank you, in advance!

Kaoru Nakahara