HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 Sister City Report2 0 2 1
A N N U A L
R E P O R T
HAWAI I COUNTY SISTER CITIES
W W W .H A W A I I C O U N T Y .G O V | 2 5 A U P U N I S T . | 8 0 8 -3 2 3 -4 4 4 1
Aloha!
Our Sister City relationships have always been integral to our identity, diversity, and vibrancy here
on Hawaiʻi Island. Yet, amidst a global pandemic, they have become so much more than that. They,
instead, have become a symbol of hope. A symbol of togetherness and solidarity. A symbol of aloha
and the spirit that binds us.
The COVID-19 pandemic has proven just how close we all are and reminded us that we are all one
ʻohana.
As we begin our island’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, let us not forget to look to our
Sister Cities to seek solutions, examples, and understanding. To discuss with each other our failures
while celebrating our successes. To talk about what brings us together while showcasing what
makes us unique.
There is no one right way for us to reopen and return to “normal,” but there is a way for us not to do
it alone.
So, I would like to challenge our county to remember that, although we are located on the most
isolated landmass in the world, we can draw upon the ideas and experiences of France, Chile, Japan,
Korea, and the Philippines to find global solutions for our local problems. By leveraging our
relationships and working with one another, we can and will return to a thriving and vibrant Hawaiʻi
Island – faster and more prepared.
Together we are stronger and more resilient. Together we are Sister cities.
Mahalo,
Mitch D. Roth
Mayor
County of Hawaiʻi
M A Y O R 'S M E S S A G E
MISSION:
Promote friendship, goodwill, and
understanding between global
communities by providing
opportunities for the residents of
Hawai'i Island and our sister cities to
experience different cultures through
education, social and economic
interaction.
Provide opportunities for local
government, business leaders, and
the wider community to experience
and explore other cultures through
long-term community partnerships.
Promote and develop economic,
trade, cultural, educational,
technical, social, and other
beneficial exchanges.
Foster international understanding
and the exchange of information.
OBJECTIVES:
The County of Hawai'i's new sister-city
logo is a representation of all that
connects us. Bound by a triangle, the
strongest and most durable shape, are
varying mountain peaks representing the
unique and distinct differences between
our homelands. Though different in
appearance, the peaks are all part of the
same mountain - much like our cities and
counties. Together we make up a global
network of partnership and collaboration
that will exist far past our time and be
revered far longer. Though the sun rises in
the East and sets in the West, it is the
same sun felt by each of us. A constant
reminder of our connection and shared
purpose. As we continue to solve the
problems of our home, let us remember
that we are not alone. We are connected
as siblings, as one 'ohana (family). Forever
we will be sister-cities.
The U.S. sister city program formally began in 1956
when President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed a
people-to-people citizen diplomacy initiative. It was
originally a program of the National League of Cities,
and Sister Cities International became a separate
corporation in 1967 due to the growth and popularity
of the U.S. program.
H IS T O RY
E S T A BL I SHM EN T P R O C E S S
shares a historical, cultural, or ethnic
relationship with the people of our county;
offers reciprocating educational,
technological, or economic benefits,
including special knowledge, know-how, or
expertise that is beneficial to our businesses,
industries, and labor force;
is similar in population size or character,
which makes for analogous problems and
concerns and the opportunity to exchange
meaningful ideas and applicable solutions for
either or both places or;
recognizes other common bonds that are mutually
beneficial to the citizens of both places and serves
as a liaison for exchanging information and other
lifestyle and practical values.
Article 31, Section 2 of the Hawai'i County Code
institutes the criteria and formal procedures for
forming a sister city relationship. It states the
County of Hawai'i may consider the
establishment of a sister city relationship with a
city or county that:
A sister city relationship is established by adopting a
council resolution and the signing of a formal
agreement between the mayor of the County of Hawai'i
and the appropriate public official of the proposed
sister city that ties exist.
CO N N E C T I N G H AWA I 'I I S L A ND T O T H E W OR LD
HA WAI'I COUNTY'S 1 1 SISTE R CIT IES A C ROSS THE PACIFIC AND BEY O N D
La Serena, Chile
Noveber 1994
Ormoc City, Philippines
September 2011
Cabugao City, Philippines
July 2017
La Reunion, France
January 2012
Gokseong, Korea
September 2011
Oshima, Japan
February 1962
Nago, Japan
April 1986
Yurihama, Japan
October 1996
Shibukawa, Japan
January 1997
Sumoto, Japan
August 2000
Kumejima, Japan
September 2011
CO N N E C T I N G H AWA I 'I I S L A ND T O T H E W OR LD
HA WAI'I COUNTY'S 1 1 SISTE R CIT IES A C ROSS THE PACIFIC AND BEY O N D
OSHIMA, JAPAN
Izu, Oshima, which means "Big Island",
is home to waterfalls, valleys, black
sand beaches, hot springs and Mt.
Mihara, an active volcano standing at
2, 507 feet.
NAGO CITY, OKINAWA, JAPAN
The first place in Japan where the
cherry blossoms bloom, and home to a
Cherry Blossom Festival similar to
Waimea's. Teams from Nago participate
in Hilos annual Haari Boat Race.
YURIHAMA, JAPAN
A Hawaiian fetival takes place every
July with hula hālau form all over Japan
Hawai'i. Also, students from Yurihama
and Hilo Intermediate School participate
in an annual student exchange.
SHIBUKAWA, JAPAN
Just as Mauna Kea is considered the
piko of the Pacific, Shibukawa is the
bellybutton of Japan. The annual Ikaho
Hawaiian festival features winning
hālau from Hilo's Merrie Monarch.
LA RÉUNION
a French island located east of
Madagascar, Réunion's environment is
both unique and similar to Hawai'i
island. Like Kīlauea, their Piton de la
Fournaise volcano is a World Heritage
Site.
GOKSEONG, SOUTH KOREA
Gokseong is the center of nature-
friendly agriculture devoted to
resotring the environment. A Mountain
View piggery was the first to adopt the
Korean Natural Faming methods in the
U.S.
LA SERENA, CHILE
La Serena is the second oldest city in
Chile and is home to the southern
twin telescope of Mauna Kea's Gemini
North.
ORMOC CITY, PHILIPPNES
Ormoc hosts the biggest geothermal
plant in Southeast Asia. The city enjoys
economic growth because it supplies a
large part of the country's power needs
with its abundant geothermal power
resources.
SUMOTO, JAPAN
Students from Sumoto and Hilo High
School have participated in a student
exchange every summer since 2000.
Sumoto City is famous for its Kobe
beef, Naruto oranges and Awaji onions.
CABUGAO, PHILIPPINES
The Salomague Port in Cabugao was
the place of departure for over 100
Sakadas (migrant workers) destined
to work in the sugarcane fields of
Hawai'i in the 1930's -40's.
KUMEJIMA, JAPAN
Kumejima has a deep-sea water pipe
like the Kona's Natural Energy Lab, and
the development of ocean thermal
energy conversion there occured in
tandem with similar development here.
Sumoto and Hawai'i County celebrated its 20th
anniversary of the sister-city relationship. Mayor
Michihiro Takeuchi sent a video greeting to
commemorate the event.
S I S T E R C I T I E S AC T I V I T I E S
·Okinawa Prefecture hosted a virtual workshop with
the broader theme “Hawai’i Okinawa Clean Energy
Workshop,” from January to February 2021. The
online format included pre-recorded presentations
and real-time discussions. As in the past,
participants from Hawaii County, such as HATCH,
HNEI, and Keahole Center for Sustainability, and
Kumejima Town, presented on various energy-
related topics.
·Shibukawa, Japan, virtually participated in the
Japanese Community Association of Hawaii's 46th
Annual Shinnenkai and Installation of Officers and
Directors on January 27, 2021.
·Mayor Roth received a congratulatory letter from
Yurihama mayor Masamichi Miyawaki.
AUGUST 2020
Mayor Roth received letters of congratulations
from Oshima Island mayor Toshihiro Mitsuji,
Sumoto City mayor Michihiro Takeuchi and
Kumejima Mayor Haruo Ota.
Kumejima hosted an informal online year-end
meet-up between friends in Hawai'i County and
Kumejima on December 19, 2020.
DECEMBER 2020
JANUARY 2021
MARCH 2021
Hawai'i County renewed its membership with Sister
City International. Sister Cities International (SCI) is
a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates
and strengthens partnerships between
communities in the United States and those in
other countries, particularly through the
establishment of "sister cities."
Screenshot of Mayor Roth's video message to the people
of Nago City, Japan
Screenshot of Sumoto Mayor Takeuchi's video message
to the people of Hawai'i Island.
Virtual meeting with sister city protocol officer Jane Clement and
representatives from Nago, Japan. Noriko Sauer from West Hawaii
Planning Dept. helped with translation and interpretation.
Attendees to the online“Hawai’i Okinawa Clean Energy Workshop”
included representatives from Kumejima and Candee Ellsworth,
Executive Director for Keahole Center for Sustainability
APRIL 2021
Mayor Roth delivered a video message to Mayor
Taketoyo Toguchi and the people of Nago City to
commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Hawai'i
County and Nago City sister-city relationship.
Revamped the sister-city page on the County's
website to include timely and relevant information.
Mayor Roth received a congratulatory letter from
Ormoc City mayor Richard Gomez.
Began planning for the first annual sister-city
virtual concert.
MAY 2021
Invited the Hawai'i County-Japan sister cities host
organizations to a Reaffirmation Signing Ceremony
on May 10, 2021. Hawai'i County has six sister-
cities in Japan and is supported by five local
organizations. They are the Japanese Chamber of
Commerce and Industries of Hawaii, the Japanese
Association of Hawai'i, the Kiwanis Club of East
Hawai'i, Hui Okinawa, and the Keaohole Center for
Sustainability.
·Received a copy of Sumoto Mayor Michihiro
Takeuchi's letter to the Kiwanis Club of East Hawaii
acknowledging the cancellation of the scheduled
October 2021 student exchange visit to Sumoto due
to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Hosted meet and greet virtual meetings via zoom
with representatives from Ormoc City, Kumejima,
Nago City, and Oshima Island.
JUNE 2021
Completed the creation of "Sending Aloha," an
original song composed by local musician Brandon
Nakano made especially for the sister-city virtual
concert.
·Started filming and production of "A Whole New
World," Hawai'i County's first annual sister-city
virtual concert.
Mayor Roth received a congratulatory letter from
Cabugao mayor Edgardo Cobangbang, Jr.
Hosted a meet and greet virtual meeting with
government representatives from La Serena, Chile,
and Cabugao City, Philippines.
C ONT INUE D FR OM PA G E 6...
Virtual meeting with sister city protocol officer Jane Clement and
representatives from Ormoc City , Philippines
Virtual meeting with sister city protocol officer Jane Clement
and representatives from La Serena, Chile
Virtual meeting with sister city protocol officer Jane Clement and
representatives from Sumoto, Japan. Noriko Sauer from West Hawaii
Planning Dept. helped with translation and interpretation.
Hawai'i County-Japan sister cities Reaffirmation Signing Ceremony
Front: Aaron Chung, Candee Ellsworth, Art Taniguchi, Maile David, Jane
Clement, Robert Kaneshiro
Back: Lee Lord, Ross Birch, Tommy Goya, Mayor Mitch Roth, Bobby
Command, Dwayne Mukai, Doug Adams
UPCOMINGEVENTS "A Whole New World" is Hawai'i County's first-ever
sister city virtual concert. This event is created as a way
to reconnect with our sister cities and to share messages
of hope and aloha as we continue to face the challenges
of the COVID-19 pandemic together.
The full cooperation we received from our sister cities in
the creation of this event is a testament to the strength
of our relationships and our commitment to each other.
A special in-person and online screening of this virtual
concert is scheduled for July 26, 2021, from 5:30 pm to
8:00 pm at the Wainaku Executive Center. Invited guests
will include representatives from sister cities, host
organizations, the County Council, and other special
guests.
V I RTUA L CON C E RT
S P E C I A L S C R E EN I N G
Hawai'i County received approval from Hawai'i Airport
District Manager Chauncey Wong Yuen to install a
free-standing or a wall-mounted display case in the
new Federal Inspection Station at the Kona airport and
in the departure lounge at the Hilo Airport to showcase
Hawai'i County's sister cities.
The display will include curated items that Hawai'i
County received from its sister cities as gifts/omiyage
over the years and information about each of the sister
cities. Students' artwork from the sister city art
exchange program may also be showcased.
I N S TA LLA TIO N O F SI S TER-CI TY
D I SPLA Y C AS ES A T KON A A N D
HI LO AIR PORT
Initial planning is underway to commemorate the
anniversary of the sister city relationship between
Hawai'i County and the following sister cities:
Kumejima, Japan - 10 years, September 2021
Ormoc City, Philippines - 10 years, September 2021
Oshima, Japan - 60 years, January 2022
S I STE R CITY A N N I V ER SA R Y
COM M E M O RA T I O NS