United Nations Day festivities aimed at expanding horizons

There was chanting and hand-holding and heady talk of peace, love and understanding. There were shirtless young men dancing on the grass. Alas, there was no "Kumbaya," although someone did have the foresight to include "Age of Aquarius" on the official playlist.

Sunday’s day-early United Nations Day Celebration at the Leahi Millennium Peace Garden (at the entrance of Diamond Head State Monument) may have been a modest affair — about 40 people turned out, nearly all from the sponsoring organizations — but it was hardly lacking in youthful energy or idealism.

"We’re hoping to promote international understanding and cooperation," said 27-year-old Sara Ortiz, young professionals coordinator for the United Nations Association Hawaii chapter, who along with chapter President Joanne Tachibana organized the event. "We want young people here to expand their horizons beyond the islands and to see the world from other points of view."

The event kicked off with a Hawaiian chant delivered by Ortiz and fellow UNA Hawaii member Jay Williams, and proceeded with a hand-in-hand peace circle around the Leahi Peace Garden, which was established in 1999 as a symbol of international peace.

Attending the event were some 16 international exchange students brought to Hawaii by AFS-USA (formerly known as the American Field Service). Hailing from Italy, France, Thailand, Norway, Brazil, Chile and Denmark, the students live with volunteer host families and attend local high schools.

"It’s in a gathering like this, when you can see people from all over the world standing in one place, that the world makes sense," said Hawaii Pacific University geography professor Leon Watson, who helped revive AFS-USA in Hawaii after two decades of inactivity. "They’re here where you can meet and understand them. They’re not tourists; they’re here for a full year, and they will be forever changed by Hawaii."

Also attending was City Councilman Stanley Chang, who called the event "a good reminder" to local residents of the larger world of which Hawaii is a part.

Chang said the event reminded him of his participation in a Model United Nations conference while a student at ‘Iolani. (He was representing Bahrain.)

The celebration also featured performances by the Tahitian dance troupe Tahiti Mana, headed by Manarii Gauthier. Toward the end of its set, the group prodded the international students to take to the lawn for a crash course in chest slapping, hip rolling and foot stomping.

Afterward a still-beaming Andre Malczewski of Brazil reflected on the meaning of the day.

"In the world right now there is chaos and bad people doing bad things," said Malczewski, 17. "If we all stick together and think of ourselves as one race, one color, we can make it through these difficult times. I left behind my group of friends in Brazil, and now I have a new group of friends in Hawaii. It is good for me and good for all of us to learn about other cultures so we can all live together in peace."