April 2022

Newsletter
From the Board
Kia ora koutou GCNZ members.
As the COVID-19 pandemic wave continues, the GCNZ
Board recently made the difficult decision to postpone
the planned April Blenheim conference to 2023. In anycase, this does align with the intention of the Board totransition GCNZ to a 2-yearly conference cycle fromnext year, with a smaller one-day forum event every
other year, as requested by member feedback. We do
appreciate your continued support and understanding
in these challenging times.
In better news, we do have a very special GCNZ forumto look forward to at the end of the year... In November
in Wellington, GCNZ will host an event at Parliament’s

New Member:

ManawatūYoungChamber

Grand Hall to not only celebrate our members’ special
sister city milestones, but also mark the anniversaries ofseveral key diplomatic relationships with New Zealand
including the U.S.A. (80 years), Japan (70 years), SouthKorea (60 years) and China (50 years). Sister City
connections and people-to-people links have been avital part of these diplomatic relationships, so this will bea great opportunity to celebrate our global friendships
and the members and stakeholders who have been partof it all.
Save the date!
Ngā mihi nui

New National Administrator
GCNZ would like to introduce our new National
Administrator, Karyn Lo.
Jess Skinner relocated away from Wellington andKaryn took over the role in December as a temporary
assignment until the end of May. Please see Karyn's
profile below.

By Ramola Duncan, MYC Chair & Advisor
Manawatū Young Chamber is a part of Manawatū BusinessChamber. It supports youth development and youth
participation by creating an environment for sharing
knowledge and expertise within the business community
in the Manawatū region.
Young Chamber aims to be the hub of information,building connections and developing professional skills byconnecting students, young professionals and businesses
through collaboration and development opportunities.
As a one-stop shop for young people, the Chamber ispartnering with other local organisations to provide
insight and information about enterprise, governance,
employability, and partnership through our monthly events.
The board comprises Ramola Duncan - Chair & Advisor,
Sarah Ma - Vice Chair, Nelson Harper and Ella Moffat.
Manawatū Young Chamber are excited about the futureof Global Cities New Zealand (GCNZ) as a new member.
The organisation has always been an important role instrengthening the connections between New Zealand’s
cities, communities, and the world.
With the existing sister cities that New Zealand andthe Manawatū region are maintaining, Young Chamber
is looking forward to having more people-to-people
connections with our sister cities in not only business but
also in education and cultural exchange.

Karyn is a Wellingtonian with an academic
background in Japanese and Zoology. Aftercompleting her postgraduate diploma in Museum
Studies, she is now continuing her studies with aMasters' thesis. Her research focuses on sister city
relationships between Japan and Aotearoa New
Zealand, and one of her key research interests is
examining how these international relationships
affect the museum and heritage industry as well as
their local communities.
Karyn is passionate about the benefits of fosteringinternational relationships for the local community
and its potential for the arts and heritage sector,
and is excited to be part of the work that GlobalCities New Zealand does for Aotearoa.
Alongside her studies she is also working as apreservation technician at Archives New Zealand Te
Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga. She is a member of
the New Zealand Kyudo Federationand stays involved in the JET
programme as an alumni.

To learn more about theGCNZ Board please visit
globalcities.org.nz/board

GCNZ Newsletter / April 2022

Good things comein threes
By Palmerston North City Council
Despite the ongoing pandemic, Palmerston North has
many reasons to celebrate in 2022: a new international
relations team that has doubled in size, and two sistercity anniversaries.
After the departure of the legendary Toni Grace - thefirst-ever International Relations Manager at Palmerston
North City Council - most international activities went
into hibernation for six months.
In recognising the important role of international
relations to the city, Palmerston North City Council has
welcomed not only a new International Relations Manager- Gabrielle Nguyen, but also a new International Relations
and Education Advisor - Kate Harridge, to manage
the city’s international education portfolio. The teamstarted in mid-November 2021 and have reconnectedwith all Palmerston North’s global partner cities andother key stakeholders. Both Gabrielle and Kate havea strong background in international education, global
engagement, and international networking. Palmerston
North City Council’s new international relations team are
passionate about utilising city-to-city connections andthe soft diplomacy power of international education tocreate a vibrant community of global citizens and vigorous
economic development for Palmy.
In 2022, Palmerston North celebrates two milestone sister

You can’t beat Palmy on a good day! Cuba Street hummingin the sunshine. Photo: Alexander Robertson, Imaging andContent Specialist, Palmerston North City Council

city anniversaries - 30 years of partnership with Guiyang,
Guizhou Province, China and 40 years of partnership withMissoula, Montana, USA. These cities have the longest
history with Palmerston North and the relationships havewithstood the test of time. Conversations of bilateralcelebration activities commenced in December 2021 andPalmerston North has worked with our counterparts inGuiyang and Missoula to create a calendar of exciting
events, kicking off in March 2022. The emphasis of
this year’s activities is on community engagement anddeepening the sister city relationships by furthering
cooperation and collaboration in existing fields as well as
exploring future opportunities.

#PalmyProud

Nelson to champion Hubei-New Zealand Week
By Barbara Markland, President Nelson Branch NZCFS
After the difficulty of maintaining substantial sistercity links during the pandemic Nelson Branch NZ-China
Friendship Society is delighted to have been invited
to participate in a significant event in Hubei Province
in China; Huangshi City and Nelson having a longestablished relationship.
The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of theestablishment of diplomatic ties between New Zealandand China, also the 125th birthday of New Zealander andfriend of China, Rewi Alley, who made a great contribution
to the people of Hubei Province.
In order to enhance friendships between the peopleof New Zealand and Hubei, there will be a Hubei-NewZealand Week which includes a series of activities inHubei to commemorate the 125th birthday of Rewi Alley,
and Nelson Branch NZCFS has been asked to cooperate,
and will do so by:•Sending digitally 10 paintings themed “the same whitecloud, the same blue sky” by Nelson children. Thepaintings will be exhibited in related city libraries andprimary and secondary schools in Wuhan and someother cities of Hubei province in late May during theNew Zealand Week period. After that those paintings
will be permanently collected by the Hubei Provincial
Library. A local intermediate school has agreed toparticipate and the original paintings will be displayedin Nelson during China Week in September.
•Inviting the Mayor of Nelson to attend a joint videoconference, probably in May, of Hubei-New Zealandsister cities and deliver a speech, discussing how todeepen friendly exchanges and cooperation between
the two countries.

•Recommending a primary school or middle school inNelson to exchange with one in Huangshi and sign a
Letter of Intent for Friendly Communication on thejoint video conference.

We have been advised that during the New Zealand Week
period, ‘re-walking the road that Rewi Alley had walked’
will take place in the Bund Park in Wuhan, which Clare
Fearnley, New Zealand Ambassador to China, relativesof Rewi Alley, representatives of New Zealand students
in Hubei, representatives of New Zealand enterprises in
Hubei, and officials of Hubei will all attend and walk 1250
steps to commemorate the 125th birthday of Rewi Alley. Alsoa joint seminar themed by “Opportunities and challengesof economic and trade cooperation between central China
and New Zealand under RCEP framework” will be held in
Wuhan in late May, which concerned specialists, scholars,entrepreneurs and friendly personages will attend andgive speeches.

GCNZ Newsletter / April 2022

Cambridge Community Board
commemorates 70 years of diplomaticrelationships with Japan
By Alana MacKay, Cambridge Community Board
The Cambridge Community Board was excited to receivea request from the NZ Embassy in Tokyo (via GlobalCities NZ) to help commemorate 70 years of diplomatic
relationships with a short Japanese language videomessage.
The 60 second limit was a challenge, but we managed tocover the basics on how our Sister City relationship withBihoro, Hokkaido, began in 1997. October 12 is our 25thAnniversary.
In 1992 a Bihoro resident, Professor Masaharu Yamaki
was holidaying in New Zealand. He liked Cambridge anddecided he would approach the Waipa District Council
about being Sister Cities with Bihoro. A formal agreement
was signed in 1997.
After this Masaharu gifted $NZ10,000 to advance therelationship, this now helps pay for expenses when
students travel between Cambridge and Bihoro for school
exchanges.
We have visits every two years, all visitors are home hosted
to provide a full experience in each other's culture.
We also have been successful in having some trade in
agricultural machinery, as well as Mr Takanori Toyoshimacome to Cambridge for three months and volunteering toteach Japanese.

All these have helped us bondwith our Bihoro friends andwe look forward to continuing
our special relationship. If
you would like to view thevideo it is available here:
Japanese with English subtitles:

f b.watch/bTzfzT0AiSEnglish with Japanesesubtitles:
f b.watch/bTzhv_MsHB
Big thanks to Matt Hicks
Media Productions for doing
this for us, and to our video
stars Grahame and Ayako. This project has inspired us tolearn and share more about the history of our relationshipwith Bihoro, which we are doing through ourFacebookpage.
www.facebook.com/CambridgeBihoro-Sister-Cities-104403718515653 thanks to thearchives of the Cambridge Museum.
Above right: Article from the Cambridge Edition 15.4.1993.
The original caption reads: ‘Community Board chairman Pat
Allen applauds Masue and Masaharu Yamaki for their hearty
rendition of God Defend NZ in Maori.’

Simon Cave awarded GDSC Life Membership
By Jan Calder, GDSC Secretary
Mayor Rehette Stoltz, Chair Jim Osler and Gisborne
District Sister Cities Committee were very pleased tohave the opportunity to make a well-earned presentationof Life Membership of the Gisborne District Sister
Cities to Simon Cave on 16th December 2021.
At a function held at The Works restaurant we heard an
impressive and amusing range of anecdotes from Carolynand Simon who were accompanied by their son Hamish
Cave.
Simon has long been a supporter of Gisborne District
Sister Cities, firstly as a member of Gisborne District
Council from 1989 then after retirement from Council
continuing as a committee member of the Gisborne
District Sister Cities (GDSC) serving for a time as Vice

Front: Caroline & Simon, Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga, Jim Osler
Back: Shingo Suematsu, Hazel Wooding, Ray Gowland, Ann Osler

President. The committee have been well served by hisknowledge, experience and advice.
Simon’s wife Caroline has always supported GDSC and asa couple they have been included in several delegations toJapan and China which included Sister City relationshipsignings with Nonoichi Japan on 30th March 1990, Rizhau
China on 3rd August 1995 and Gamagori on 27th July 1996.
Before retiring to Wainui Beach, Simon and Caroline alongwith family members hosted delegations to Sunworth,their family farm at Ngātapa. Simon, who has dedicatedmany years to several organizations including Federated
Farmers as the provincial President, has
the natural skills to make any visit toSunworth an enjoyable occasion neverto forget. Recently during a Zoom with
Nonoichi City one of the Nonoichi City
Hall dignitaries recognised Simon andexcitedly regaled his visit to the Caves’
farm as part of a delegation some years
before.
Caroline shares
We thank Simon and Caroline for theirconsistent support and look forward
to sharing many more Sister City
experiences with them.

many of theiranecdotes withCh Jim Osler &committee.

Photos: Ann Osler

GCNZ Newsletter / April 2022

NMIT Viticulture joint project with Ningxia, China
By Pam Wood, Curriculum Manager, Primary Industries, NMIT
NMITs Viticulture and Wine School has been working
with the Ningxia University of Agriculture in Yinchuan
City, Ningxia Province on a joint project for the past
three years.
In late 2019, two cohorts of students visited Marlboroughfor short study tours in viticulture and wine, and in
horticulture. Ningxia students and staff felt warmly
welcomed by the NMIT team and the local community andthey were able to visit many local vineyards, wineries andhorticultural operations. They fell in love with Makana
Chocolate and returned to China with overladen bags
due to the chocolate and wine they had purchased whilst
here. As NMIT staff, we thorough enjoyed our visitorsand many long term friendships have been formed.
It was the intention to follow the study tours with amore formalised arrangement to share the delivery ofour degrees, however unfortunately COVID-19 arrived as
the students returned to China and clearly we have hadto push pause on moving forwards over much of 2020
and 2021. However, we are delighted that we have reconvened our working party and are now well down thepathway to finalising a new agreement which is currently
being presented to the regional governor and the Deputy
Director, Department of International Cooperationand Exchanges in the Ministry of Education, China forconsideration. We have support from the Office of theMajor in Marlborough, along with NMIT and the Ningxia
University.
Our proposal is to deliver the NMIT Bachelor of Viticulture
and Wine in partnership with the Ningxia University –one third taught on site in China by their staff, one third
taught in China by our NMIT staff, and the final third
taught on the NMIT Campus in Blenheim. Learners willcomplete the essential winery placement whilst up inChina, but will take on their vineyard industry practicehours in Marlborough, during their first spring in order
to appreciate the very different context of growing in NZ
compared to the growing methods in the Ningxia region
where the vines are buried below the ground for winterand are dug up each spring ready for the growing season.
We are enthusiastic to see this arrangement gain thenecessary approvals and hope to send our first cohortof staff to China in September 2022, which means thefirst students will arrive in Marlborough in spring 2024
– potentially a great partnership that will provide awonderful learning experience for the Ningxia students
along with a valuable learning and teaching experiencefor our staff who go to China for their teaching blocks.
We are thrilled with the timing of the redevelopment of
our Budge Street campus and believe this project willassist in bringing new students to the campus.”

GCNZ Newsletter / April 2022

Kiwi Party at a Japanese - style hotel (Ryokan) in Minoh

New Zealand Wine Bar at the Multi-ethnic festival by the MAFGAMinoh Hutt Friendship Club - Connection andExchanges with JET Programme Participants
By Miyoko Rokkaku, Vice President
Minoh Hutt Friendship Club Outline
Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture and Lower Hutt City signed
an international cooperation city agreement in 1995. The
Minoh Hutt Friendship Club was established in 1996 forcitizen-led exchanges. Now the club is run by President
Ichiro Abe and nine steering committee members. Monthly
meetings are held to discuss current and upcoming events.
Regular events include English Conversation Salon, Online
Exchange with Lower Hutt Citizens and Publication ofNewsletters, twice a year.
Annual events include Cherry Blossom viewings, AGMs,
Welcome Parties for Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs)
and Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs)
dispatched from New Zealand, NZ wine tasting, runninga NZ wine bar at the Multi -cultural Festival organized bythe Minoh Association for Global Awareness, Kiwi party(like a Christmas party). However many events have beencancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a contribution to the events mentioned above, ALTsand CIRs assist as native English speaking teachers at the“English Conversation Salon”. They also write articles forthe newsletter such as “My Japan”, “From NZ”. At the NZ
Wine Bar, they help sell wine, creating a NZ atmospherethat customers love. We also invite them to our AGMs andparties. Members have good conversations with them atthe parties and they enjoy it considerably.
Club aspirations
Minoh citizens and members will be able to enjoy
intercultural communication at events, and our club will
strive for a realistic experience of sister city exchange
between the two cities. The management of the clubshould help both citizens to understand different culturesand customs. The next most important thing is that they
get to know Minoh better. If they participate in our club
events, in doing so, members can help them adjust to theirlife in Minoh.
Club challenge for the future
Come to think of it, we do not understand much about
the young people from NZ. The challenge is to eliminate
this generation gap which also exists in Japanese society.
Minoh Hutt Friendship Club wishes them a prosperous
future.

Excerpt from Minoh-Hutt Friendship Club Newsletter feat. Kiwi JETs

GCNZ Newsletter / April 2022

Excerpt from Minoh-Hutt Friendship Club Newsletter feat. Kiwi JETs cntd