Title
40 Year Anniversary Delegation Visit to Sister City Kato Japan Report
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a report on the recent delegation visit to Olympia's Sister City, Kato Japan to commemorate the 40 year anniversary of the relationship between the two cities.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a report on the recent delegation visit to Olympia's Sister City, Kato Japan to commemorate the 40 year anniversary of the relationship between the two cities.
Staff Contact:
Susan Grisham, Assistant to the City Manager, 360.753.8244
Presenter(s):
Mayor Cheryl Selby
Councilmember Jim Cooper
Councilmember Y?n Hu?nh
Councilmember Dani Madrone
Olympia Kato Sister City Association and Hyogo Sister State Liaison Karen Fraser
Background and Analysis:
A Sister City Friendship Agreement between the City of Olympia and the Town of Yashiro, Japan in April 1981. Kato city was founded on March 20, 2006 from the merger of the former towns of Yashiro, Takino, and Tojo. Yashiro became one of the "districts" in the new city of Kato.
The first official delegation of 12 from Yashiro (now Kato) visited Olympia in 1981, led by Mayor Ishiko and his wife. This was the start of annual visits, with Japan visiting Olympia in odd years and Olympia going to Japan in even years.
The Sister City relationship fosters grassroots exchange projects through mutual visits and actively exchanging information on the fields of education, environment, municipal administration, and commerce.
In 2021 Olympia and Kato paused visits due to the pandemic and did not have the opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sister City friendship. In April 2023 a delegation that included the Mayor; Councilmembers Cooper, Hyunh, and Madrone, Assistant City Manager Debbie Sullivan; Assistant to the City Manager Susan Grisham and a group of members of the Olympia Kato Sister City Association visited Kato City t...
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