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Grassroots level exchange is carried out between Kurume and its Friendship and Sister Cities. Kurume's Friendship City is Hefei, Anhui Province (China) and its Sister City is Modesto, California (USA).
Friendship CityHefei City, Anhui Province, China (since May 12, 1980)
| Population | Approximately 8 million (as of 2018) |
|---|---|
| Area | 11,445km2 |
| Local Specialties | Whitebait, Hemp Mochi (sticky rice cake), Grapes, Strawberries |
| Traditional Handicrafts | Pyrography (wood burning art), Bird-feather Folding Fans, Bamboo Carving |
Located about 400 kilometers west of Shanghai, Hefei is the capital city of Anhui province, and is an inland city that lies adjacent to the waters of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers. Called Luzhou in ancient times, Hefei is an old city with a history dating back about 2300 years, when it was established as the capital of Hefei County in 221 BCE. Known as a battleground during China's Three Kingdoms Period, it is famous as the hometown of Bao Gong, a Chinese politician from the Song Dynasty who was known for being upright and cleanhanded. It was also the home of Li Hongzhang, a politician from the Qing Dynasty. It is said that Hefei's name came from its location at the junction of two rivers, the South and East Rivers. In recent years, it has flourished as one of the four major education bases in China under the University of Science and Technology of China. Its New High Tech Industrial Development Zone, Economic and Technological Development Zone, and New Station Development Zone attract famous firms locating not only from within China, but also from Western countries and Japan, making Hefei one of China's leading new industrial cities, attaining a remarkable level of growth.
BACKGROUNDHow Kurume and Hefei Became Friendship Cities
In June of 1979, when the China-Japan Friendship Boat came to call at Hakata Port, the sub-leader of the delegation and vice-mayor of Beijing, Mr.Guo Xian-Rui visited Kurume City. This visit offered the opportunity to inaugurate the Japan-China Friendship City Promotion Association, formed by representatives from every field in the city. Regarding this develpoment, the Chinese Embassy in Japan actively supported the conclusion of a friendship city agreement. In October of 1979, Kurume City presented documents with this proposal to Hefei City, firming up the foundation of entering into a friendship city agreement. In April of 1980, Kurume's mayor visited Hefei City. After carrying out negotiations, Hefei's mayor came to Japan with his delegation on May 12th of the same year. On that day at a ceremony in Ishibashi Bunka Center, the Friendship City Agreement was signed by the mayors of both cities, marking its formation.
INTERACTIONSMain Exchange Achievements
- ・Mutual dispatch of junior high school students
- ・Sports exchange of elementary school soccer teams
- ・Cultural exchanges through art exhibits and performances by song and dance groups
- ・Private exchanges through the Japan-China Friendship Association and citizen group visits to Hefei
Sister CityModesto, California, USA(since April 15, 1992)
| Population | Approximately 210,000 (as of 2018) |
|---|---|
| Area | Approximately 116km2 |
| Local Specialties | Dairy Products, Nuts, Fruit, Grapes (for wine), Chicken |
Modesto is located in the middle of California, near the famous Yosemite National Park, about 148 kilometers east of San Francisco and 109 kilometers south of the state capital of Sacramento. During the Gold Rush in the 1870's, Modesto was established as a railroad town. Its name comes from "modesto", the Spanish for "modest". Originally, it was going to be named "Ralston" after William C. Ralston, the Bank of California founder who invested in the early years of California's foundation. However, he declined the honor, and the phrase "modesto" was said to describe him. Situated in the middle of the Great Central Valley, one of the world's greatest farm belts, Modesto's main industry is agriculture. Starting with the California wine of the world-famous Ernest and Julio Gallo Winery located in this city, Modesto is also known as the headquarters of Crystal Creamery (a dairy produce company), Stanislaus Foods (a tomato produce company), and Sciabica Olive Oil. With the processing plant for Del Monte Foods, Modesto has developed as a city known for harvesting and processing agricultural products. Along with the development of the railroad and agricultural industries, the population continued to increase. This led to an the development local culture, with the formation of MoBand (1919), the Modesto Orchestra (1931), the Modesto Opera (1983), and the Modesto Nuts, a minor-league baseball team. Famous people from Modesto include the brothers who founded Gallo Winery, swimmer Mark Spitz and movie director George Lucas. His film, "American Graffiti" is said to have been modeled on Modesto, where he spent his high-school days.
BACKGROUNDHow Kurume and Modesto Became Sister Cities
In 1990, the mayor of Modesto, along with Modesto's international exchange association, approached Kurume with the idea of becoming sister cities. The same year, a youth conference delegation visiting the USA from Kurume received a request to visit Modesto, so they called upon Modesto's mayor and head of the Chamber of Commerce, entering into discussions. Later, documents were exchanged beween each city, and in October of 1991, a delegation from Modesto City visited Kurume. Along with negotiations regarding exchange between the two cities, the mayor, the chairman of Kurume city council, and the chairman of the Kurume International Exchange Association received an invitation to visit Modesto in the near future. After receiving this invitation, in November of the same year, the mayor, the chairman of Kurume city council, and chairman of the Kurume International Exchange Association visited Modesto, where discussions were held with the mayor of Modesto. Following confirmation of each city's desire to enter into the Sister City Agreement, the two cities concluded this pact in the spring of 1992. On April 15, 1992, after welcoming a delegation of 10 representatives from Modesto City, the two cities were united by taking a sister city vow, pledging goodwill and friendship going forward.
INTERACTIONSMain Exchange Achievements
- ・Mutual dispatch of high school students
- ・Mutual exchange between citizen's groups
- ・Cultural exchanges through receiving youth and adult orchestras
- ・Private exchanges through groups such as the Japan-America Society and the Rotary Club
