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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0105.002 2010-2012William T. Takaba Managing Director William P. Kenoi Mayor Walter K.M. Lau Deputy Managing Director �11WI r of p'nival"i Off re of f h e AnUar 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808) 961 -8211 • Fax (808) 961 -6553 KONA: 74 -5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg. C • Kailua -Kona, Hawaii 96740 (808) 323 -4444 • Fax(808)323 -4440 March 17, 2011 The Honorable Dominic Yagong and Members of the County Council County of Hawai'i Hilo, HI 96720 Dear Chair Yagong and Council Members: Pursuant to Hawai'i County Code, Section 2 -166, the following report is submitted on the status of Hawai'i County's active sister -city programs. Article 31 of the Hawai'i County Code provides that the County protocol officer shall submit an annual report by July 31 of each year covering the previous year's sister -city activities. I apologize for the delay of this submittal. The last report submitted to the Council was on November 28, 2008. This report is intended to cover December 2008 through June 2010. In accordance with Article 31, the next report will be due to you on July 31, 2011, covering July 2010 through June 2011. The following active sister cities are listed by order of inception: NAGO CITY, OKINAWA Resolution No. 154 -86, dated April 9, 1986. The supporting organization is HUI Okinawa. August 2009 — Mayor Kenoi sent a letter to Mayor Shimabukuro sending regrets to attend Nago City's Haari Boat Races. He also extended an invitation to Mayor Shimabukuro to Hilo's Haari Boat races to be held in August 2010. Comm. No. 1 S• 2 Ref. To GI County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Ref. Gate 1IAR 2 1 a�'� The Honorable Dominic Yagong and Members of the County Council Page 2 March 17, 2011 LA SERENA, CHILE Resolution No. 324 -94, dated November 30, 1994. August 2009 — Mayor Kenoi sent a proclamation to goodwill ambassador and liaison, Anamaria K. Araboli -Smith of La Serena in celebration of their 465 Anniversary month. YURIHAMA CITY, JAPAN — Formerly Hawaii -Cho Resolution No. 400 -96, dated October 16, 1996. The supporting organization is the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawai'i ( JCCIH). February 2009 - Mayor Masamichi Miyawake and Mayor Billy Kenoi signed an Agreement renewing and reaffirming the sister -city relations with Yurihama. Mayor Miyawake, accompanied by Supervisor of Planning Division Takayori Nishida and Coordinator of International Relations Ian Furguson visited Hilo for three days. The Mayor's Office hosted a dinner for the official visiting guests. Yurihama City's co- sponsor, the JJCCIH also sponsored a dinner. Amy Aoyagi coordinated activities and visits to the Hawai'i Community College and the Imiloa. August 3 -7, 2009 — 14 middle school students and three adults stayed with host families from the Hilo Intermediate School Builders Club. Their schedule was coordinated by Amy Aoyagi and Tommy Goya. The County of Hawai'i assisted with transportation and the JCCIH hosted several dinners. SHIBUKAWA CITY, JAPAN (Formerly Ikaho - Machi) Resolution No. 16 -97, dated January 27, 1997. The supporting organization is the Japanese Community Association of Hawai'i (JCA). For the past 12 years, a delegation from Ikaho has attended and participated in the Hilo Merrie Monarch Festival by inviting the overall winning halau to their Ikaho Hawaiian Festival that is celebrated annually in August. The festival now counts more than 4,000 hula performers and musicians from throughout Japan who dance and sing at two venues for four days. County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. The Honorable Dominic Yagong and Members of the County Council Page 3 March 17, 2011 January 2009 — Mr. Hisashi Machida, President of the Shibukawa International Association, Mr. Sanuemon Chigira, President of Ikaho Hot Springs Tourism Association and three other members from Shibukawa City visited Hilo to attend the Japanese Community Association (JCA) of Hawai'i's 2009 Shinen Enkai. The JCA hosted the group during their five -day visit. Mayor Kenoi presented gifts and hosted a dinner for the group and four members of the JCA on their final night. March 2009 — Mayor Kenoi received a letter from the JCA informing him of the cancellation of a student exchange group from Hilo, scheduled to visit Shibukawa City in June 2009, due to the instability of the local and national economy and concerns of the student families' commitment to the airfare. April 2009 — Mr. Toshiro Yoshida, President of Japan Hawaiian Music Association, Mr. Masaaki Ijichi, Secretary- General of Japan Hawaiian Music Association, Mr. Toshiko Hashizume, Chief, Ikaho Onsen Tourism Association and Mr. Hideo Nakazawa, an Official with the Shibukawa City Government visited Hilo during the week of Merrie Monarch. They participated in the parade and presented the winning halau an invitation to the Ikaho Hawaiian Festival in August. Mayor Kenoi presented gifts and hosted a dinner for this group that also included members from the JCA. May 2009 — Mayor Kenoi received a letter from Shibukawa Mayor Kogure Jiichi informing Hawai'i County that due to the concern with the Swine Flu (H1 N1 influenza) epidemic, the student exchange from Shibukawa, scheduled to visit Hilo in August, 2009 would be cancelled. July 2009 — Mayor Kenoi received notice that Mayor Kogure Jiichi passed away on July 28, 2009, and that funeral services would be held on August 16, 2009 in Shibukawa. Mayor Kenoi sent a condolence letter on behalf of the County of Hawai'i. October 2009 — Mayor Kenoi received a letter of introduction from the newly - elected Mayor of Shibukawa, Sadaji Akutsu. January 2010 — Mr. Sanuemon Chigira, President of the Ikaho Hot Springs Association, and three members of the Shibukawa City International Association visited Hilo for a commemorative tree planting ceremony at Liliuokalani Gardens in honor of the late Mayor Kogure Jiichi. Mayor Kenoi and members of the JCA participated in this event, which ended with a ceremony at the tea house. County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. The Honorable Dominic Yagong and Members of the County Council Page 4 March 17, 2011 April 2010 — Mr. Sanuemon Chigira, President of the Ikaho Hot Springs Tourism Association, Mr. Takahiro Omori, Vice Chairman of the Ikaho Hot Springs Tourism Association, Ms. Masako lino, Member, Ikaho Hot Springs Tourism Association and Mr. Nobukaki Tomita, Kyoto Kimono Designer visited Hilo during the week of Merrie Monarch. They participated in the parade and presented the winning halau an invitation to the Ikaho Hawaiian Festival in August. Mayor Kenoi presented gifts and hosted a dinner for this group that also included members from the JCA. SUMOTO CITY, Japan Resolution No. 282 -00, dated August 9, 2000. The supporting organization is the Kiwanis Club of East Hawaii. July 2009 — A group of 11 Jr. High students and eight adult chaperones from Sumoto City participated in a student exchange with Hilo High School students. The Hilo High School Key Club and the Kiwanis Club of East Hawai'i hosted the students during their six day stay by providing homestay locations, activities and meals. The Mayor's Office provided gifts, transportation, secured the waiver for Volcanoes National Park entry fee and paid for a portion of the farewell potluck dinner. October 2009 — A group comprised of Hilo High School students and chaperones, and members of the Kiwanis Club of East Hawai'i travelled to Sumoto City to participate in a student exchange. They were hosted by government officials of the city, and members of the Sumoto International Association. Pertinent to this report, I would like to inform council members that other than the tragic loss of family, loved ones and friends, our sister cities in Japan are not situated in the vicinity of the recent devastating tsunami and earthquake, and therefore did not suffer the kind of catastrophic damage that we continue to see unfold. Mayor Kenoi has written a letter of condolence and support on behalf of the County of Hawai'i to the mayors of each sister -city. Respectful) submitted, Charmaine igemura Executive Assistant Sister -city Protocol Officer County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.