Albany's 2nd 'Pecha Kucha' Night – Meaning of 'Work'

An event called "Pecha Kucha Albany" is returning for its second installment Friday night, Oct. 25, with short, informal presentations by local individuals from a wide range of backgrounds exploring the not-so-simple topic of "work."

The "Pecha Kucha Night" type of event started in Tokyo in 2003 and has spread to more than 700 cities. It involves very short, informal presentations. ("Pecha kucha" is Japanese onomatopoeia for "chit chat.")

Each person speaking at the Albany Community Center will have 6 minutes, 40 seconds. The event is free and scheduled between 6:30 p.m. and 8:20 p.m.

The following description – provided to Patch by the city's Recreation & Community Services Department – is from from Emanuel, one of the department's special projects coordinators:

Think about the time back in grade school when a doctor, a firefighter, or a banker came to talk to your class about how cool their work was...That what this upcoming Pecha Kucha will bring you!

Devised by a pair of Tokyo architects back in 2003, Pecha Kucha has travelled the globe to over 700 cities. The events are designed to be an informal and relaxed way for folks of all people to share experiences on knowledge with an audience free of charge. 

The only thing is that the folks presenting this time only have 6 minutes 40 seconds! (Trust me, you would be surprised how long is 6 minutes. The average span of attention for presentation is 4 minutes...)  This keeps the audience and the presented at the edge of their seats during the Pecha Kucha thrill ride!

The next Pecha Kucha event will be tomorrow Friday at 6:30 at the Community Center on 1249 Marin Avenue. Join us for a night of presentations on cocktail drinks, Alcatraz prisoners, and Wastewater systems, and many more topics! We will also have light refreshments and LIVE music! 

More details and the event flyer can be seen on the Pecha Kucha Albany web page.