N E W S L E T T E R
December 2020

Season’s Greetings / Ngā mihi o te wā
The Board of Sister Cities NewZealand wish you and your family
a very Merry Christmas, and a
happy and healthy New Year.

LOCATION: Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington
DATE: 15th-16th April

We are grateful for your support
throughout the year.

THEME: Celebrating 40 years of Global
Connection and Diversity

SAVE THE DATE: Sister Cities New Zealand2021 40th Anniversary Annual Conference

Introducing New Board Members and Advisor
SCNZ Board is pleased to introduce new Board Members. Jan Fitz-Gerald was elected at AGM in August, and Mayor
Grant Smith and John Christie were co-opted at the Board meeting in November, and Elisha Hsiao was appointed asYouth Advisor.

Director: Mayor Grant Smith(Palmerston North)

Director: Jan Fitz-Gerald(Christchurch)

Grant Smith is the 29th Mayor of Palmerston
North City and is proactive in supporting
Sister Cities and global relationships.
Palmerston North has Sister City relationships withGuiyang and Kunshan in China, Mihara in Japan, andMissoula in the USA. Grant has had an extensive businessbackground in advertising and marketing, as well asmanaging multiple international sporting and cultural
events, before becoming Mayor. He has also served on
the boards of Te Manawa Museum Trust, The Manawatu
Rugby Union, The New Zealand Rugby Museum, Central
Squash Association, and New Zealand Squash. He haschampioned the international programme Palmerston
North city runs, which supports key city sectors of Food
Research, International Education, Defence, and Trade.

Jan has an extensive background in theDirector: John Christie (Dunedin)
John is a senior management executive
with previous director, CEO, and project
manager experience at several high-profile
New Zealand organisations. In his role as
Director of Enterprise Dunedin, he is also amember of Dunedin City Council’s executive leadershipteam. His governance experience includes roles with Otago
Polytechnic, Knox and Salmond Colleges, Warbirds OverWanaka, Diversity Works NZ, and New Zealand Chambersof Commerce. John is the former Chief Executive of theOtago Chamber of Commerce, a role that he held for 20years. He has been instrumental in the development ofDunedin’s relationship internationally including its sistercities of Shanghai, Otaru, and Edinburgh.

education industry and particularly withininternational relations and commercialising
education opportunities. She is currently Founderand CEO of the Institute of Global Engagement NewZealand, a short-term international education provider
for study groups and youth leadership programs. Jan isalso founder and past CEO of Queenstown Resort College
after many years at AUT University and on secondment tothe Ministry of Education. Jan and her team alongside theQingdao Education Bureau in PR China were recipients ofthe SCNZ Best Youth Project Award in 2018 for the China
New Zealand Youth Leadership Summit. She is passionate
about the work of SCNZ and is delighted to be given theopportunity to support its growth and development during
the board appointment. Jan has a strong community spirit
having been a member of Rotary for 15 years and serving
on community boards and school trusts.

Youth Advisor: Elisha Hsiao(Porirua)
Elisha is a Product Manager at Volpara
Health during the day, innovating software
to assist with early cancer detection. She
is also a member of the Asia NZ Foundation’sLeadership Network. Originally from Taiwan, Elisha is afirm believer that fostering friendships around the worldfrom a grassroot level is a great way to learn about othercultures. Sister Cities relationships are a way to achievethis. Elisha organised and led the SCNZ’s inaugural YouthTour to 5 cities in China in 2018.

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2020

SCNZ November Strategic Forum
By Toni Grace, SCNZ Board Director

Strategic Forum participants

Major global changes and the upcoming 40th anniversaryof SCNZ provided a timely opportunity for members tocome together for a forum to discuss a new strategic
direction for the organisation.
More than 50 participants joined the Strategic Forum, heldat the Wellington City Council (WCC) on 16 November,including 15 online participants throughout the day.
Representatives from supporting organisations, Ministryof Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) and Office of EthnicCommunities (OEC) also attended, together with recently
arrived Japanese Embassy Representatives Mr Tatsushi
Nishioka, Deputy Head of Mission and Mr Tomotaka Ishizu,
Director of Japan Information & Cultural Centre.
The purpose of the forum was to take stock of Covid-19
impacts on local-global relations (including sister citycooperation) and workshop an updated future vision andobjectives ahead of the 40th anniversary conference in 2021.
The session began with welcome remarks from His Worship
Andy Foster, Mayor of Wellington, and Ms Susan FreemanGreene, the new CEO of LGNZ. Philip Shackleton (LGNZ)
then set the scene on the impact of Covid-19 on local
government international relations, while Simon Draper,
Executive Director of the Asia NZ Foundation, outlined

Mayor Andy Foster, Philip Shackleton & Simon Draper

how the Foundation worked to identify its unique value
proposition and one-page strategy.
In small group discussions, participants were able toprovide input on a revised SCNZ strategy – including vision,mission, value proposition, key objectives, indicators,
capabilities and stakeholders. Each group summarised
their contribution, which was collated and condensed intoa first draft summary. The document will now be revised by
the SCNZ board before going out to wider membership inearly 2021 for further feedback.
The Forum was made free to members due to the free venue
provided by WCC and catering generously sponsored by
the Embassy of Japan. The event was also an opportunity
to farewell outgoing Japanese Ambassador, His Excellency
Mr Hiroyasu Kobayashi, on his final day of diplomatic
service before retirement. The Ambassador noted that
it was fitting for the SCNZ Forum to be one of his final
diplomatic engagements, given that New Zealand’s 44 cityto-city relationships with Japan provide immense value andcommunity connection within the bilateral relationship.

Hutt Minoh House Friendship Trust Farewells
Japanese Ambassador
By Ray Wallace, Trust Chair
The Hutt Minoh House Friendship Trust recently
hosted a farewell reception for outgoing JapaneseAmbassador Kobayashi and MadamKobayashi.
The Ambassador has been in his
New Zealand post for two plus years
and in that time was very active
in promoting good relationships
between our two countries. He has
been a great supporter of Sister Cities
New Zealand.
Minoh City, in the Osaka region ofJapan has been Lower Hutt's Sister
City for 25 years and Ambassador
Kobayashi has been a strong supporterof the relationship and of Minoh House. He has
attended many events here over his term of office, so
this was a small way of saying
thank you for his support andcommitment, said Minoh TrustChair Ray Wallace.

Members of the Hutt Minoh FriendshipHouse Trust and Hutt Sister Cities farewell
the Ambassador at Minoh House"Both Hiroyasu and Atsuko arelovely people and will be missed.
We will look forward to seeing
them back In New Zealand again
in the future when they returnas friends and tourists. The
Ambassador's daughter now
lives and works in New Zealandas a result of his term as Japanese
Ambassador to New Zealand.”N E W S L E T T E RDecember 2020

Yubetsu and Selwyn Mark 20 Year Anniversary
By Nicole Bourke, former Darfield High School Student and Yubetsu Exchange Student
Last month through Zoom the town of Yubetsu, Japanand Selwyn District came together to mark the 20-year
anniversary of their sister city relationship.
Over the years the relationship between these two ruralcommunities has offered great insight into a different
culture, place and way of life along with the forming ofmany special friendships and unforgettable memories for
all people involved.
For me and my family the connection to Yubetsu started
with my older sister Anna being the first recipient of ascholarship to travel to Yubetsu on student exchange,
with her encouragement I too applied for the scholarship
two years later when I was in Year 10 at Darfield HighSchool. This opportunity allowed me to fully immerse
myself into school and home life in Japan for 3 months.
I attended Koryo Junior High School, a school known for
all students learning the taiko drums, this became one of
the many new experiences I had the opportunity to try
during the exchange. It was great putting my Japanesestudies into practice as a student and I was blown away by
the generosity of the people. At home I quickly discoveredthat if I expressed that a food was oishii (delicious) myincredible host family would stock up the cupboards andalways have more on hand.
Years later this scholarship opened up the doors for me
to work in Yubetsu as an Assistant Language Teacher.
This job involved working across four schools, including
Koryo Junior High School (I should have kept up mydrum practice!). It was a rewarding job which enabled
me to foster the learning of English and act as a culturalambassador in the wider community which was a realprivilege. The best aspect of this job was it allowed me toinspire and encourage young people to take up exchange
opportunities just like I did. For me living in a new placeand experiencing a new culture and language was a truly
wonderful and eye-opening experience which had a great
impact on me.

Above: Singing a waiata. Top left: Cutting the anniversary cakefrom left: Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton, Malvern Community
Board member Judith Pascoe and Malvern Community Board
Chairperson John Morton. Top right: Zoom call from left: Sumi
Hayakawa-Buist (liaison and interpreter), Karen Mear (MalvernCommunity Board), Allison Rosanowski (Selwyn Sister CityChairperson), Mayor Sam Broughton, Chairperson Morton andformer Selwyn Mayor Kelvin Coe.

Thank you very much for all people who have contributed
Yubetsu relationship for years from Selwyn district
and understanding of the importance of our friendly
relationship. Mayor Sam Broughton, Mr John Morten,(Malvern Community board chairperson ), Mrs Allison
Rosanowski, Sister City committee chairperson and Avisand Doug Hewson who hosted guests from Yubetsu for 20
years Consular office of Japan in Christchurch Consul Mr
David Tsunakake and Consul of Japan from Christchurch
and all other people who have joined the celebration forthis occasion, Mr Morris to support for this relationship.
thank you very much for joining us.
Mrs S Hayakawa-Buist

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2020

Eight Weeks in the Life of Gisborne District Sister Cities
By Jan Calder, Secretary GDSC
19th October – regular 6 weekly GDSC committee meeting
27 October – worldwide videos of GFA 2019 – Gisborne
interviews recorded within Botanical Gardens (below).
th31st October – Mayor Rehette Stoltz and Chair Jim Osler
presented prizes to the Gisborne winners of the annual
Gisborne Gamagori Photo Competition. The Theme for2020 was ‘Simply Green’ and 47 Gisborne entries werereceived in the 20th year of the competition. Even with thehandicap of COVID-19, Gamagori managed to judge theGisborne entries and Gisborne voted on the Gamagori
entries which were received and displayed at the HB
Williams Memorial Library. Interestingly,
the photos took no more than 10 days totravel by sea.
1st November – GDSC committee
gathered to farewell three long serving
members of the Committee. Chair
Jim Osler presented Hazel and Peter
Wooding and Ray Gowland with a gift
and time was spent reminiscing. All three
had visited one or more of the Sister
Cities of Palm Desert, Nonoichi andFriendly City of Whitby during their timeon the committee and had been involvedin hosting delegations to Gisborne.
November – during 1st week – a Hui was held for theManuel Jose whanau where James Barnes (managementcommittee) was appointed to the position of Chairman –this position had been held by the late ‘Big John’ Manuel.
The Manuel Jose whanau, Gisborne District Council(GDSC) and Valverde del Marjano Spain are part of a jointFriendly City agreement signed in Gisborne in 2010.
9th November – Palm Desert Sister City Foundation –Mark Talboys (PD Programme Co-ordinator) requested
an update of Gisborne photos for the PD web site. Aftersome background work, Adam Hughes, Manager Tourism
Tairawhiti Trust was approached and Adam released
to Mark with permission to reproduce a package ofTairawhiti Gisborne photos.
20th November – 2021 Gisborne/Gamagori photocompetition – theme ‘My favourite photo of Tairawhiti
Gisborne’ - posters and entry forms distributed.
20th November – Mayor Rehette Stoltz, Chair Jim Oslerand some members of the GDSC Committee took

part in a Zoom meeting with Mayor Takaaki Awa andrepresentatives of Nonoichi City Japan. When Mayor Awa
and his delegation visited Tairawhiti Gisborne for the Tuia
250 commemorations it had been arranged that Mayor
Awa and delegation would visit Gisborne in August 2020
and Mayor Stoltz and delegation would visit Nonoichi in
October to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the relationshipsigned in 1990. While COVID-19 dealt to these plans, Ed
Milner (Nonoichi International Relations) and Donna Shaw(personal assistant to GDC Mayor Stoltz) set up a Zoom
meeting so both Mayors, staff and SC committees could
recognise the 30 years and discuss ways to continue therelationship within these difficult conditions. The Zoom
was very informal as all participants except one had
visited either Gisborne or Nonoichi and met each other.
Simon Cave (GDSC committee) and wife Caroline had
been present at the original signing both in Gisborne andNonoichi. The Zoom concluded with Mayor Awa inviting
Mayor Stoltz and delegation to Nonoichi in November 2021
to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Nonoichi becoming aCity. The next Zoom meeting is booked for late February
2021 where ideas for continuing the relationship withinthese current conditions will be discussed.

30th November – the regular 6 weekly GDSC committee
meeting held.
November/December 2020 – SC Rizhau China – after
having no communication with Rizhau since January
2020, emails and greetings have been received and sent
between Mayor Stoltz and Mayor Li Zaewu – a requestfor a Zoom is now being slotted into Feb/March 2021 anda format for the Zoom has been received from Rizhau.
During August 2021 the 30th anniversary of the SC signing
between Rizhau and Gisborne (signed in 1996) will becelebrated.
21st December – a morning tea will be held at the Botanical
Gardens to celebrate and acknowledge the work of GDC
staff and the ‘Green Flag Award’ for 2019 and 2020. Within
the Botanical Gardens are 3 Sister Cities’ gardens – Japan(Nonoichi), Australia (Gisborne) and USA (Palm Desert).
21st December – meeting at GDC to discuss plans andideas for Parks Week 2021 (6th – 14th March 2021).

Best wishes to all for the festive season and the yearof 2021.