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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0419.000 2014-2016 +tY OiM ' ' +,,`. Walter K.M.Lau .' �. V 4e Managing Director William P.Kenoi • * ••4 "' '�•+ • Mayor • Randall M.Kurohara •+!, ti*,`% Deputy Managing Director (11ti1tztf . Of%t stn Office of"t >e cUavr.or 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo,Hawai`i 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 o C WI O C7 CD July 29, 2015 c = ' The Honorable Dru Kanuha 114 and Members of the County Council County of Hawai'i a —' Hilo, HI 96720 Dear Chair Kanuha 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. Sister-cities are listed below in the order of inception. OSHIMA ISLAND, JAPAN Resolution No. 146-62. March, 2015 —A gift that was hand carried and delivered by a delegation from Oshima Island to Mayor Kenoi in 2012, was hung on the wall of the County Building as part of the display of Hawai'i County's sister cities. This handmade copper art piece that was presented on behalf of Oshima Island Mayor Masafumi Kawshima depicts a rainbow bridge between the sister cities of Hawai'i Island and Oshima Island. The piece also celebrates the 50 year relationship with Oshima Island that was established in 1962. NAGO CITY, OKINAWA, JAPAN Resolution No. 154, dated April 9, 1986. The supporting organization is Hui Okinawa. August, 2014 — 12 Students and two chaperones visited Hilo to study English and learn about the Hawaiian Culture. They also participated in the Annual Haari Boat Festival. Comm. No. 9 Ref. To; Ref. Dote AUG 0 5 20 County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Chair Kanuha and Council Members Page 2 July 29, 2015 LA SERENA, CHILE Resolution No. 324-94, dated November 30, 1994. August, 2014 - Serena celebrated their 470 Anniversary. Mayor Kenoi sent a proclamation to Mayor Jacob in honor of this celebration. It was presented by Anamaria Maraboli-Smith, sister-city liaison to La Serena. September, 2014 —Anamaria Maraboli-Smith presented gifts from Mayor Jacob to Mayor Kenoi during a visit to Hilo. 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). July 2014 — Members of the Halau Unukupukupu under the direction of Kumu Hula Dr. Taapouri Tangaro from Hawai'i Community College were invited by Yurihama to perform at the Yurihama Hawaiian Festival. They presented a message on behalf of the Mayor. October 2014 — Mayor Kenoi's planned visit to Yurihama for the Yurihama Hawaiian Festival in October was cancelled due to the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano that impacted the Puna Community. March 2015 —The County of Hawai'i received a donation of $17,586.55 from Yurihama to be used for the benefit of the residents of Lower Puna who were affected by the June 27 lava flow. June 2015 - Resolution 192-19 was passed by the Council on June 3, 2015, accepting the above donation. 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). County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Chair Kanuha and Council Members Page 3 July 29, 2015 August 2014 — Kaycie Saiki, Administrative Services Assistant in the Office of Management, and Roxcie Waltjen, Department of Parks and Recreation's Culture and Education Administrator represented the County of Hawai'i at the Shibukawa Hawaiian Festival. They participated in the Hawaiian Festival events, and visited a tree that was planted a year ago in honor of Aunty Dottie Thompson, who is Kaycie's grandmother. April 2015 — Delegation from Shibukawa visited Hilo to participate in the Merrie Monarch activities: • Mr. Sanuemon Chigira, Past President, Ikaho Hot Springs Tourism Association, the owner, Chigira Jinsentei Hotel (original Ikaho & Hawai'i Island sister city coordinator). • Mr. Takahiro Omori, Chairman of Ikaho King Kalakaua Merrie Monarch Festival. • Mr. Osamu Yamamoto, former Vice Chairman, Tokutomi Roka Museum of Literature and the owner of Ikaho Kaidan Tofu Shop, Head of Ikaho Hawaiians — Hawaiian Music Group (original Ikaho & Hawai'i Island sister city coordinator). • Wife and daughter of Mr. Yamamoto. SUMOTO CITY, JAPAN Resolution No. 282-00, dated August 9, 2000. The supporting organization is the Kiwanis Club of East Hawai'i. July 2014 — 12 high school students and six adults — members of the Sumoto Government and Sumoto International Association visited on a student exchange. They stayed with host families of students from the Hilo High School Key Club. The group participated in student activities at Hilo High School and visited various sites in the Hilo area including Volcanoes National Park. October 2014 — High school students from the Hilo High Key Club and advisors traveled to Sumoto on a student exchange. They stayed with host families, and visited many historical and cultural sights. KUMEJIMA, OKINAWA, JAPAN Resolution No. 42-11, dated May 17, 2011. The supporting organization is the Friends of NELHA. No activity. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Chair Kanuha and Council Members Page 4 July 29, 2015 LA REUNION Resolution 197-12, dated January 4, 2012. The supporting entity is goodwill ambassadors and liaisons, Alain and Marie Gerente. May 2015 —Alain and Marie paid a courtesy call to the Mayor's Office with La Reunion National Park Superintendant Daniel Gonthier. They were here for Bioblitz at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. During this event, La Reunion National Park and Volcanoes National Park signed a sister-park agreement. ORMOC, PHILIPPINES Resolution No. 77-11, dated June 15, 2011. The supporting organization is the Congress of Visayan Organizations — Kona Visayan Club and Hilo Visayan Club (COVO). No activity. GOKSEONG COUNTY, SOUTH KOREA Resolution No. 138-11, dated September 21, 2011. The supporting organizations are Natural Farming, LLC, Kohala Intergenerational Center, Hawai'i FFA Foundation, University of Nations, Cho Global Natural Farming-Hawai'i, Big Island Korean Club and Hilo Korean Church. No activity. In February, 2015, a display of boards depicting all Hawai'i County's official sister cities was completed and displayed in Hilo at the County Building and in Kona at the West Hawai'i Civic Center. This exhibit provides the public with the history of the program, identifies the section of the Hawai'i County Code that authorizes and institutes the criteria and formal procedures for the formation of a sister city relationship, and gives the history of the establishment of each city's relationship with Hawai'i County. Respectfully submitted, Charmaine igemura Executive Assistant Sister City Protocol Officer County of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.