November 2023

Newsletter
From the Board
Message from President Mayor Grant Smith
Kia ora,Our belated apologies around the postponement of our
Global Cities New Zealand conference to March 2024. It
was a difficult decision to make, but in hindsight the rightone, jointly by the hosts Marlborough District Council andour GCNZ Board. With a new Government just elected
and speaker availability, better travel and accommodation
options along with increased delegate interest, we lookforward to a much needed national conference catch-up
face-to-face in Blenheim, mid March next year.
The new date set is Thursday 14th March, starting at 11am
to allow delegates to arrive that morning and finishingwith the Annual Awards dinner on the Friday evening 15th
March, after two days of conference.
In this newsletter the South Island features strongly
with Dunedin, Selwyn District and Christchurch all
profiling international events and Sister City activity.
My own council, Palmerston North City reports on ourinternational connections with Vietnam, China, USA and
Netherlands during the winter months; and new GCNZ
member NZIIA is profiled.
I also want to make mention, of a private trip I made toattend the opening in Northern France of ‘Te Arawhata’
The NZ Liberation Museum in Le Quesnoy in mid October.

A moving occasion with 100+ other
New Zealanders including the Mayors of
Waipa and Tararua Districts. The new museum, situatedin the walled town of Le Quesnoy is the creation of Weta
Workshops and a must see for any Kiwi travelling to thatpart of the world, and something I’m sure we will hearmuch more about in the future. The Waikato town ofCambridge and Le Quesnoy are Sister Cities.
Again I want to push that we really value receiving articles
and snippets from your own international programmes
for this newsletter and our online and social networks, nomatter how small or large they are. Please do send material
to Caroline our editor for future editions and distribution.
Finally I want to welcome our new co-opted Board member
Laurie Foon, Deputy Mayor of Wellington City and a keen
Sister Cities advocate, who along with new Administrator
Sally Ho, completes our GCNZ Board.
I look forward to continuing to connect with as manymembers as possible around the country in the near
future. Enjoy the warmer season coming.
Ngā mihi nui,
Mayor Grant Smith, JP, GCNZ President

Introducing Sally Ho, GCNZ National Administrator
Sally is from Vietnam and came to
New Zealand in 2018 to study at IPU
New Zealand.
In 2022, she graduated from IPU majoringin management and accounting. She
joined GCNZ in May 2023 as the National

Administrator. Her mission is to answer all GCNZ inquires
and carry out general administration for the organisation.
Sally says: “I would describe myself as positive andsupportive of other people, passionate about my work, andsomeone who is willing to change myself to adapt to newthings.”Global Cities NZ conference postponed
The conference bringing sister city associations fromaround New Zealand together has been postponed until
March.

March and “hosting the best conference yet”.

Global Cities New Zealand was to meet in Blenheim at
the Marlborough Events Centre in November, but GCNZ
President Grant Smith says that due to issues outside
the control of the organisers, a joint decision has been
made by the Global Cities New Zealand board and the
Marlborough District Council to push the Marlboroughconference out to mid-March.

GCNZ President Mayor Grant Smith says the conference
will be themed on “re-connecting with the world”, toencourage councils, organisations, and businesses tomake the most of their sister city relationships postCOVID.

Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor says the delay isunfortunate, but Marlborough is looking forward toRegistration details and the draft programme will be
released in the next few weeks.

“We look forward to seeing attendees at the MarlboroughEvents Centre on 14 and 15 March 2024 at the conferencewith exciting speakers and the theme of re-connectingwith the world.”

GCNZ Newsletter / November 2023

Introducing new GCNZ member NZIIAWe are excited to introduce ourselves as the newest
members of Global Cities New Zealand (GCNZ).

global issues that will mutually benefit our cities, ourorganisation, and our beloved New Zealand.

At NZIIA Palmerston North, our mission is to promote
informed discussions and a deep understanding ofinternational affairs. Our commitment to facilitating
dialogue on global issues naturally aligns with GCNZ’svision of fostering interconnected and globally-engaged
communities throughout New Zealand.

Thank you for welcoming us into the GCNZ family, andwe are excited about the journey ahead!

Our expectation of GCNZ is to serve as a platform
for mutual enrichment. We look forward to actively
participating in the network by sharing our expertise ininternational affairs, contributing to thought-provoking
discussions, and engaging in knowledge exchange.
Through this partnership, we anticipate numerous
opportunities for collaborative research projects, cultural
exchanges, and co-hosted events that will not only enrich
our organisation but also extend benefits to the wider
community.
GCNZ’s platform provides an ideal space for us to engage
in constructive dialogues, learn from the experiencesof other members, and collectively address global
challenges. We are eager to explore how our partnershipcan drive positive change for our cities and our nation.
In essence, our membership in GCNZ is an exciting
step towards shaping a future where New Zealand’s
global interests are nurtured and advanced. We eagerly
anticipate the possibilities, from impactful collaborations
to shared insights and a deeper understanding of

Wellington Deputy Mayor joins GCNZ Board
Recently the Global Cities New Zealand board coopted Wellington City Council Deputy Mayor Laurie
Foon to join them. Laurie Foon has been Deputy Mayorof Wellington City since 2022 having first won a seat
as a Paekawakawa/Southern Ward Councillor in 2019.

Known as a pioneer in sustainable fashion, Lauriefounded fashion label Starfish in the early 1990s. A
host of honours came her way including a Sustainable
Business Award in 2007. Museum of New Zealand Te
Papa Tongarewa recognised the historic and cultural
significance of Starfish by having a collection ofgarments in its archives.
Passionate about sustainability for the good of theplanet and everyone on it, Laurie knows business mustbe part of the solution and works with Wellington’sbusiness community to make meaningful change. She
has five years experience as Manager of the Sustainable
Business Network, as well as her insights as a businessowner, to assist with this work.
Laurie grew up in Wainuiomata and for more than 20
years has lived in the diverse community of Newtown,
Berhampore with her husband and two daughters.
Laurie is of Chinese descent, with her great grandfather
being the first known naturalised Chinese person in
Lower Hutt in the late 1800s.
Laurie loves Wellington’s inclusive and culture andpeople. She is excited about the potential its Sister City
relationships have to form networks, engage in dialogue
with counterparts to encourage collaboration andcooperation on important issues such as sustainability,
the circular economy and cultural exchanges.

GCNZ Newsletter / November 2023

Chinese Minister of Education Visits Springfield
Supplied by Selwyn District Council
Minister Huai, the Chinese Minister of Education,
visited Springfield, the birth place of Rewi Alley on
Saturday 19th September.
He was welcomed by Mayor Sam Broughton, Graeme
Dawson of the Springfield Residents Association andstudents from Springfield School. Members of the Selwyn
Sister City Committee, Malvern Community Board, Alleyfamily, Christchurch City Council international staff,
Christchurch China Friendship Society, Springfield
residents and ten Principals who will be travelling to
China to explore the Rewi Alley legacy were all present
for the ceremony. Chinese Consul General, MadamHe, and her staff ensured this prestigious guest visited
Springfield.
Three students from Springfield School assisted Minister
Huai and Mayor Sam Broughton to plant a kōwhai tree atSpringfield School.
Twenty-six years ago the people of Springfield responded
to Professor Bill Wilmott’s call to celebrate Rewi Alley inhis birth town. Lu Bao, the wife of one of Rewi Alley’s
Chinese foster sons, spent many months living with local

families while she created the sculpture of Rewi Alley in
the Faulkner’s woolshed. Later the building and panels
which depict the life of Rewi Alley were added to the Rewi
Alley Memorial Park. The English information panels
were added to for the 120th anniversary when Mandarin
information panels were produced.
While the visit was short, it strengthens the relationships
between Selwyn and China and underlines the importanceof Rewi Alley to both communities. Rewi’s work in China
in establishing schools and cooperatives in poor rural
areas continues to be celebrated. Selwyn has a Sister
City relationship with Shandan where he established the
Shandan Bailie School. This is now a Vocational Collegewith over 4000 students. This school is a Sister School ofDarfield High School.
The group of educators travelling to China, in September,to explore the legacy of Rewi Alley will further strengthen
the relationships. The group includes two Dunedin HighSchool Principals, two Christchurch Principals and eight
Principals and educators from Malvern. Education for all
was a key component of Rewi Alley’s work.

GCNZ Newsletter / November 2023

Palmerston North reconnecting with global
partner cities
By Gabrielle Loga, PNCC International Relations Manager
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic,
Palmerston North City Council sent a couple ofdelegations to reconnect with our global partnercities, making up for the lost time in the last few years
to deepen friendships, resume and enhance areas ofcollaboration with our partners.
PNCC’s International Relations Manager Gabrielle Loga
led a small education delegation to visit our sister cityin Mihara, Japan in late March 2023. The delegation was
officially welcomed by Mihara’s Mayor Yoshihiro Okada.
The delegates visited a number of local high schools,
establishing interest and relationships for Palmerston
North’s education providers for future student exchanges
and collaboration. PNCC’s International Relations
team also met with the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of
Education and discussed a tripartite Memorandum ofUnderstanding between Hiroshima Prefectural Boardof Education, Mihara and Palmerston North to provide
an opportunity for a local Palmerston North secondary
school student to study at Hiroshima Global Academy,
with three years of tuition fully funded by Hiroshima
Prefectural Board of Education and additional pastoral
support provided by Mihara city.
In support of the first major international events that
our long standing sister city Guiyang had held since thereopening of Chinese borders, Palmerston North’s Mayor
Grant Smith went to Guiyang in July to attend the 2023
Guiyang Eco Global Forum. He presented to around2,500 attendees on what Palmerston North was doing in

the environment sustainability and climate change space.
Similarly, Gabrielle Loga also attended the China
International Big Data Industry Expo 2023 in Guiyang
earlier in May 2023 to participate in the Smart City
International Cities panel discussion. At the Expo,
Palmerston North had a display booth featuringcity promotion videos, Palmy Proud magazines andmerchandise items as well as information on the city’s
economic performance and technology sector. The city’s
participation and support for Guiyang was reported in
the Guizhou Daily News and the China Daily.
Furthermore, Mayor Smith led another delegationconsisted of representatives from the regional economic
development agency and local iwi Rangitāne as well as
Massey University to visit our other partner cities, Missoulain the USA and Wageningen in the Netherlands. During
the visit to Missoula, the delegates had opportunities tovisit many facilities and new developments in Missoula,meet with key partners to revitalise or establish economic
connections, education connections, indigenous, sport,
cultural, and governance connections.
During the brief visit to The Hague and Wageningen,Wageningen Mayor Floor Vermeulen and Palmerston
North Mayor Grant Smith discussed the possibility ofbuilding a collaborative alliance of university cities withthe purpose to share research and exchange knowledge
in topical areas like student housing, climate action, andsustainable development.

GCNZ Newsletter / November 2023

Sister Cities feature at
AmCham Innovation
AwardsBy Mayor Grant Smith, GCNZ President
The New Zealand American Chamber of Commerce’s
annual Innovation Awards were held in late August at
the Pullman Hotel in Auckland.
In front of a sellout 400-strong awards audience, the2023 AmCham Innovation Awards honour companies andorganisations using entrepreneurship and innovation inachieving success in the fast moving, highly competitive
US market. There were six award sections around
Exports, Investors, Tourism and Bilateral relationships
with one being chosen as the supreme winner.
GCNZ entered as an organisation promoting and profilingthe 20 sister city relationships between our two nations,while Palmerston North City entered its own application
around its own 40+ year relationship with Missoula Cityin the State of Montana, USA. Both entered the Bilateralrelationships section, with PNCC being awarded a Highly
Commended. Congratulations Palmy!

GCNZ board member Taylor
Marston (Auckland), Emeritus
President Hiromi Morris(Wellington) and Mayor Grant
Smith (Palmerston North).

Gabrielle Loga (PNCCInternational Manager) andMayor Grant Smith with theirHighly Commended award.

Dunedin celebrates Japan relationship with football
By Nathan Woodfield, Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Society
We've had an exciting couple of months here in Dunedinwith the Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Society with the
Women's FIFA World Cup related events. It has been agreat chance to celebrate our long relationship withJapan as a city and with visitors from around the world.
To "kick it off" we had a viewing party for the first Japan
game: Japan V Zambia on 22/07/2023. Whilst the gameitself was in Hamilton, we weren't going to "miss" outcelebrating this! This was a combined event with the
Otago University Japanese Student Association (OJSA) we"pitched" together. It was really great to work together
and share our interests that were a perfect "match".
OJSA are a fantastic group of talented and well organised
individuals - future leaders there!
The big game for us here in Dunedin, that we weren't
going to "pass", was Nadeshiko visiting for the Japan V
Costa Rica game on 26/07/2023.
To "warm up", Ryohei Matsuoka organised a Hachimaki
making event before the game with the kind helpof student volunteers. Supporters made the iconic
headbands together and these could be seen widely at
the match! It wasn't "offside" to be a Costa Rica fan andHachimaki were made for everyone. This event was a real"score" and was widely reported in local and international
news.

Fans enjoying
the matches"Heading" over to the game itself, we wore our DunedinOtaru Sister City 'Happi Coats' which are worn at festive
events. We cheered loudly and supported the team andwere rewarded with a 2-0 win on the day! Taking thelead from Nadeshiko leaving their locker rooms tidy andJapan supports from around the world cleaning the seatsaround them, we got our rubbish bags out and cleaned
up too! Being a Tidy Kiwi is something we can identify
with too.
The games have been a great chance to celebrate withpeople from around the world. We hope you've had achance to enjoy the games too!

GCNZ Newsletter / November 2023

Principals visit China to explore Rewi Alley legacy
By Allison Rosanowski, Chairperson of Selwyn Sister City Committee
The Selwyn Sister City Committee and the Christchurch
China Committee were asked by the Christchurch
Chinese Consul General, Madam He, to recommend
Principals to journey to China to explore the Legacy
of Rewi Alley. Five Primary Principals from Malvern,
five High School and Area School Principals fromChristchurch and Dunedin and one International
Director joined the delegation lead by retired Principal
and Selwyn Sister City Chairperson, Allison Rosanowski.
Rewi Alley was born in Springfield in the Selwyn district
and spent 60 years establishing schools and cooperatives
for the rural poor in China especially in the northwest
province of Gansu.
The journey of discovery began in Beijing with sessions on
Chinese language, tea culture, historical exhibitions, anexhibition of finely etched ancient ink stones. A practicalsession reproducing a Chinese painting was a testing but
fun activity. A visit to the Petroleum Campus of the Beijing
No 101 Middle School gave opportunities for interaction
with students as they researched in English, the origins
of Mid Autumn Festival. Moon cakes were shared.
A glimpse into the history of China was observed as thedelegation climbed the Great Wall, visited the Summer
Palace, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. At theSummer Palace we learnt how the term Dragon Queen
began and the power behind the yellow curtain as theunseen empress ruled a young son and young nephew
sight unseen. The moa donated by Roger Duff of theCanterbury Museum is on display in the Beijing Natural
History Museum. The NZ embassy in Beijing welcomed
the delegation and all were impressed by the carved
whare.
During a visit to IFLYTECH, an AI company, technologythat marks handwritten tests and directs students tonext learning tasks based on their specific needs wereamong the many technological advances being used.

Presentation by Andy England And Amanda Wright of Darfield
High School to Shandan Bailie Principal Mr Peng.

Shandan Bailie Vocational College has had a Sister School
relationship with Darfield High School for almost 26 years.
Principal Andy England, accompanied by International
Director Amanda Wright, presented Principal Pengwith a traditional Maori weapon called a tewhatewha
which symbolizes the kindness between the worlds’
peoples. The two faces of the tewatewhau represent
both Chinese and New Zealand people. So that though
we may be far apart we are joined together. The College’s
Rewi Alley Museum documents the huge input of Rewi
into improving the lives of local people. The Vocational
College and associated senior high school now have 7300
students most of whom live on site.
In Shandan the delegation visited the recently refurbishedlibrary which has manuscripts that are over a thousand
years old. Seeing the spartan former home of Rewi Alleyand the magnificent new museum that documented
Rewi Alley’s life and work and displayed treasures that hedonated to the people of Shandan was a highlight.

Rewi Alley’s influence is greatest in Gansu province inNorthwest China,on the Silk Route, where he establishedschools in Lanzhou and Shandan. Selwyn has a Sister City
relationship with Shandan, while the Christchurch China
Committee has a relationship with the Gansu Province.

All the delegation visited Qingquan School which isforging a relationship with Darfield Primary School.
The other four Malvern primary schools, Springfield,
Sheffield, Windwhistle and Greendale have also been
paired with Sister Schools. There is huge disparity insize. The smallest Malvern School represented has 28
students; the Shandan primary schools had up to 3000
students each.

Paper cutting class in a Shandan primary school

The delegation at the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang

GCNZ Newsletter / November 2023

Tiananmen Square looking towards the Forbidden City

The moa at The Chinese Natural History Museumin Beijing. It was donated by Roger Duff of theCanterbury Museum.

The sculpture of Rewi Alley and George Hogg outside Shandan Bailie
Vocational College

A visit to Shandan No1 Middle School provides anotheropportunity for a Sister School in Selwyn.
In Lanzhou the delegation visited Lanzhou City University;
previously the Bailie Oil School established by Rewi Alley.
In the craft section of the university students were
engaged in pottery, ceramics , print making and textiles.
While in Lanzhou, Mairehau High School Principal Harry
Romana was able to visit the Lanzhou No 1 Middle School
to establish a Sister School relationship. His school’s giftsof a whakairo to represent the two cultures; a mere as asign of leadership and strength and a Korowai made by aMairehau School teacher.

Language and Culture University, The Christchurch
Chinese Consulate, the Selwyn Sister City Committee,
the Christchurch China Sister City Committee and theparticipants’ schools. The expected future growth inrelationships of teachers and students is testament to theongoing legacy of Rewi Alley. The cultural exchange andmutual understanding built within the group and with
our many Chinese hosts made for a meaningful trip
Many more young people in both our schools and in the
Chinese schools we visited now have the opportunity
for building on the relationships established. This is astrength of the Sister City and Sister School programme.

Dr Peggy Burrows visited the North West University
Middle School in Lanzhou, to also establish a relationship.
While in Gansu the delegation visited the Zhangye
Rainbow landform and the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang
which house Buddhist sculptures and paintings of over
two thousand years. A visit to the Dunhuang Dunes , partof the Gobi desert, gave participants the chance to climb
to the top of the enormous dunes or ride a camel.
The final stop in China was in Shanghai where a walk on
The Bund in the evening was a highlight after visiting
Rewi Alley’s former home site, from when he first arrived
in China in 1927.
The final school visited was an international school, Yew
Chung, where the teaching was in Chinese and English
and all classes had a teacher in both languages.
Dr Peggy Burrows of Haeata College accompanied byHarry Romana of Mairehau High School, were able to fly
to Wuhan another Christchurch Sister City and sign Sister
School agreements with two schools. This relationshipsigning had been delayed by COVID-19.
The delegation’s visit was sponsored by the Beijing

In Wuhan Dr Peggy Burrows of Haeata College supported byHarry Romana of Mairehau High School

GCNZ Newsletter / November 2023

Dunedin renews ties with Sister City Shanghai
By James Hall, Enterprise Dunedin
Dunedin recently renewed ties with its Sister City
Shanghai during a visit by a civic delegation from the
Chinese city last month.
Mayor of Dunedin Jules Radich welcomed Shanghai Vice
Mayor Mr Hua Yuan, who led an 11-strong delegation, andChina Consul General Ms He Ying at Dunedin’s Municipal
Chambers.
Mr Radich said it was a pleasure to greet Ōtepoti’s sistercity friends back to our city.
The Vice Mayor is the highest-ranking official from
Shanghai to visit Ōtepoti Dunedin since 2017, and thedelegation’s visit is the first face-to-face meeting between
representatives of the two sister cities since pre-COVID
times.
The delegation was welcomed by mana whenua at the
Shanghai Room in Dunedin’s Municipal Chambers witha mihi whakatau, followed by morning tea, speeches, anexchange of gifts and a group photo.

The delegation from Shanghai is welcomed at Dunedin
Municipal Chambers.

After a presentation on Dunedin’s Zero Carbon policy, thedelegation visited Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Garden,
Silver Fern Farms and the University of Otago.
“It’s always a privilege to host our sister city friends
and return the warm hospitality shown whenever our
representatives visit Shanghai,” Mr Radich said.
“Our shared cultural ties go back more than a century,
to the arrival of the first Chinese settlers during the gold
rush era, and they continue to shape our city today.
“There’s no doubt our sister city bond is Dunedin’s mostimportant international relationship, encompassing
arts and culture, science and technology, business andtrade, and, of course, education – from ‘sister school’relationships to student exchanges and joint study
programmes, as well as research collaboration.
“COVID border restrictions may have prevented us
meeting in person for a few years, but it’s great to be able
to welcome our friends back to Ōtepoti in person.”
Mr Radich was invited to lead a reciprocal visit to
Shanghai, which he expects to take up later this year.

Shanghai Vice Mayor Mr Hua Yuan is presented a gift byDunedin Mayor Jules Radich.

2023 – 2024 GCNZ Board and Advisors
President: Mayor Grant Smith (Palmerston North)Emeritus President: Hiromi Morris (Wellington)

Director: John Christie (Dunedin)

National Administrator: Sally Ho (Palmerston North)

Director: Beth Knowles (Christchurch)

Advisor: Luke Qin JP (Wellington/Lower Hutt)

Director: Taylor Marston (Auckland)

Youth Advisor: Elisha Hsiao (Porirua)

Director: Laurie Foon (Wellington)

Newsletter Editor: Caroline Pope (Tākaka)

PO Box 965, Palmerston North 4440, New Zealand
Sally Ho - National Administrator 022 528 2364
admin@globalcities.org.nz | globalcities.org.nz