N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

Season’s Greetings

From the SCNZ board
It’s been an incredibly productive year for SCNZ
and we’re grateful for the ongoing support of ourmembers.

New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) on
the economic benefits of global city partnerships, jointly
funded by the SCNZ Board, MFAT and LGNZ.

During 2019 we held one of our largest SCNZ
conferences, hosted several networking events andregional forums around the country and published 6
newsletters to keep our members informed.

We look forward to delivering continued value to ourmembership in the New Year and we’re always keen tohear your suggestions on how we can do this even better.
Global partnerships are more important than ever, andit’s SCNZ’s privilege to support your collective efforts.
Have a great summer break and remember to registerfor the next SCNZ 2020 conference in Ashburton! You
can also view the draft programme here.

Through international outreach we’ve strengthened
connections with partner organisations like Sister Cities
International, CLAIR Japan, CPAFFC, and Sister Cites
Australia. In March we also launched new report by the

Mayor's Message - Sister Cities Conference 2020
By Ashburton District Mayor Neil Brown
Fostering meaningful relationships andsharing our successes are some of thebuilding blocks of the human experience,and Sister Cities are a shining example ofthese virtues in action on a global scale.
I am delighted that Ashburton will havethe privilege of welcoming our friends anddelegates from across the nation and theworld to our stunning district at the 2020
Sister Cities New Zealand Conference in April.
Located in the rural heart of Canterbury,
an hour south of Christchurch, Ashburton
thrives on its primary producing roots, and its
innovation in agriculture and irrigation expertise.
We also take great pride in being a culturally diverse
region that supports diversity and wellbeing.
Many cities and regions across the country are increasingly
committed to enabling their communities to flourish in a

global marketplace, and this is certainly thecase for Ashburton. It is through this lensthat we will be presenting the 2020 Sister
Cities Conference theme, 'Growing Cultural
Diversity in the Regions'. It will explore theways in which cities, towns and regional
centres can play their part in supportinginternational connectivity, trade businessand innovation.
We are very excited to have theopportunity to welcome you to our
district, share the expertise of national
and international speakers, and to work together
tounlockvaluableinternational
partnerships.
I look forward to seeing you in the Ashburton Districtin April for what is sure to be a rewarding and impactful
Sister Cities Conference.

SISTER CITIES CONFERENCE
Growing Cultural Diversity in Regions
Ashburton, 30 April – 2 May 2020
View the draft programme

Register now

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

There’s this place…
By Toni Grace, International Relations Manager, Palmerston North City Council
Name a University city with rural surroundings, a city
population under 100,000, a strong research and bioscience sector, and a river running through the middle...
Your first guess might have been Palmerston North, but
I’m actually talking about its Sister City of Missoula,Montana!
Missoula and Palmy have beensister cities since 1982, startingwith a partnership between the
University of Montana (UM) and
Massey University.
This year I was invited by Missoulaand UM to take part in an 8-weekexchange programme to learn more
about the city and advance somenew areas of cooperation.
The extended visit allowed me to
get to know our Sister City a lot
better, create strong networks
across government, education &community groups in the city, andto identify areas where it makes
sense for Palmerston North andMissoula to work together.
City management:
Missoula and Palmerston Northhave
similartypographies,
population sizes and pressures,
meaning the cities can easily
learn from comparing policies
and initiatives. The distance isadvantageous, as often one city has
developed a completely original
solution to an issue that the other has never considered,
so both cities are doing things that the other can reallylearn from. For example, Palmerston North can learn a lot
from Missoula’s well-developed Downtown Partnership,
while Missoula is really interested in Palmerston North’s
new approach to strategy, planning and organisationaltransformation. Throughout my time in Missoula, I wasable to connect city council teams across both cities
on issues like affordable housing, transport, downtown
development, urban design, sustainable infrastructure andpractices, and liveable communities – all of which are highon the agenda for both cities and have massive potential
for best-practice exchange.
Education:
The relationship between Missoula and Palmerston North
started with links between Massey University and the
University of Montana (UM). The UM Global Engagement
Office was involved in the hosting of my visit, as they werekeen to explore Sister City opportunities for departments,
staff and students. As well as the recent renewal of thestudent exchange agreement, both universities are also

making new connections between the Massey School of
Māori Knowledge (Te Pūtahi-a-Toi) and the UM Native
American Studies Department, as well as the Student
Enterprise and Innovation hubs of both campuses. On thevocational training front, Missoula College and UCOL arealso in discussions about joined up
study and exchange opportunities
as a result of the visit.
Sustainability:
During my visit I also met with
the Missoula City Climate Change
Officer and was invited to givea presentation to Climate Smart
Missoula. I was struck by how
much the community was taking
inspiration from New Zealand intheir city and community efforts.
There was a lot of interest in
working together under the Sister
City framework on common issues
such as waste reduction, riverrestoration and reducing carbon
emissions. For many, it seemed likea really feasible and practical way toconnect globally on these issues.
Economic development:
Our cities are also facing a lot of thesame opportunities and challenges
around sustainable and equitableeconomic development. I attended
the Innovate Montana Conference
and also spent time with theMissoula Economic Development
Agency, Montana High Tech Business Alliance andMontana World Trade Centre. As part of this, I had thepleasure of helping to welcome a visit from Wellingtonbased company Peoply – which was interested in opening
an office in Missoula as a US market pilot city. This is agreat example of how our city-to-city connections andoutreach can not only help facilitate business and export
opportunities between sister cities, but to other parts of
Aotearoa.
The sights, sounds & culture!
And best of all, my family and I had the opportunity toreally immerse ourselves in the community of Missoula,Montana. It is a beautiful place with a generous community
spirit. We may have endured a few snowfalls along the way(which the kids loved), but we also had the opportunity
to visit Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park,
carve pumpkins, take part in an American Halloween, andsee a Griz Football Game. We made many friends and lost
count of the number of people who invited us around for ameal. Most sister city visits in this job are usually short andfleeting, but I’d really recommend that people consider

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

taking a longer exchange-type visit like I did, in order toreally get to know the communities we have long-standing
relationships with.
In summary, my 8 weeks in Missoula gave me a muchstronger understanding of what our Sister Cities have incommon, what makes each unique and what the mostpromising areas of collaboration could be. All of this will
help inform the development of a cooperation roadmap
for our sister city relationship, that sets out a clearer setof goals, ambitions and steps for making our relationshipmore intentional and beneficial to both communities.

Selwyn Volunteers visit Indonesian Sister City
By Allison Rosanowski, Selwyn Sister City Committee Chair
Three Selwyn residents recently went on a volunteer
trip to our sister city in North Toraja, Indonesia. Nick
Konijn, Joan Gomez-Douglass and Pam Reveley, allretired teachers, were able to respond to a requestfrom North Toraja for help in strengthening theirEnglish teaching programme. Preparation for the trip
was overseen by the Selwyn Sister Cities Committee, inliaison with officials in Toraja.
The relationship between the two cities began whensome Selwyn farmers became involved in a coffee projectin North Toraja. With this support and local input, a cooperative was formed where the growers truly benefit
from the coffee sales, without middlemen or multinational
companies taking a cut. In later years, a European NGO
has also helped with the project and the relationship with
Selwyn has diversified into wider spheres. Some Toraja
officials visited Selwyn in May 2019 and the proposed
English exchange took shape.  
After weeks of preparation, the volunteers set off on
September 4th,
travelling via Singapore, Makassar
and Palopo, before reaching Rantepao, the main centreof North Toraja. They were warmly welcomed with an
introductory dinner by the Bupati (Mayor), support
personnel and the staff at their picturesque hotel
accommodation. Another wonderful welcome followed
when they started their workshops at a local boarding
school, which hosted them for the first week.
The volunteers were, by this time, keen to start and began

their six days of intensive workshops with 30 enthusiastic,
pre-selected Junior Secondary School English teachers.
Some topics had been pre-arranged, but fine-tuning
occurred as the needs and wants of the teachers were
better understood. More communicative and interactive
teaching techniques were the main emphasis and as thesewere modelled, rather than just explained, the workshops
became rather rowdy at times but definitely engaging.
Local facebook gossip meant some unannounced extras
arrived to look in the door – something the volunteers
found unnerving! It was wonderful to see teachers reenthused about their subject, as students there findspoken English very difficult and this affects enjoyment
and proficiency.
In the second and third weeks, the participant teachers
were observed and supported as they incorporated newpractice into their teaching. Feedback at the closing
ceremony was extremely positive from all involved,
with requests that teachers of other subjects got similar
support. The English teachers were keen to share theirexperiences with other colleagues at local professional
development days which means the programme will havea much wider impact.
The volunteers did a little sightseeing as well, made all
the more enjoyable by superb weather.
North Toraja hopes to continue this relationship withmore exchanges, including sending four English teachers
to Selwyn in 2020.

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December 2019

Fostering stronger international links for Auckland
startups at Myojo Waraku Summit in Fukuoka
Fiona Haiko, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED)In recent years, Auckland has embarked on a proactive
programme to nurture stronger economic development
outcomes with its key sister cities.
The trilateral ‘Tripartite’ agreement, signed in 2014 by
the sister cities of Los Angeles, Guangzhou and Auckland
has enabled annual meetings of businesses, stakeholders
and city leaders from all three cities over the past five
years. Several companies from Auckland have reported
successful entry into and/or investment from thosemarkets, as well as collaboration on projects.
Collaboration with Brisbane has been strong with businessvisits and there is continued strong collaboration in thescreen sector in Busan, South Korea.
While most of these initiatives have involved establishedbusinesses and investors, more recently Auckland
has assisted its start-up community to establish newinternational connections.
Auckland’s latest initiative is with Fukuoka, Japan’s
seventh largest city. The 33-year long relationshiphas mainly involved occasional bilateral visits related
to education, culture and tourism. Fukuoka’s recent
positioning as Japan’s startup hub and aspiration to be the‘Silicon Valley of Japan’ has turned Auckland’s attention
towards its startup community. In 2017, both cities signed
a memorandum of understanding focussed on startup
collaboration. The agreement was renewed in 2019.
Each year, Fukuoka city invites startup companies fromits sister cities together with a city representative toattend the Myojo Waraku Summit. The summit fosters
collaboration, learning and growth and supports startups

to make key connections - enabling founders and theircompanies to reach the next level.
In October, Fiona Haiko, International Specialist, ATEED,
accompanied Melanie Langlotz from GeoAR Games to
Fukuoka for the 2019 summit. Melanie pitched GeoAR
Games’ Emergency Management Education app to aninternational audience from ten cities. The app uses
augmented reality to teach children how to be preparedand stay safe in a disaster.
ATEED also showcased Auckland’s startup ecosystem,
including the GridAKL innovation campus, and waspart of the judging panel for the Japanese startup pitchcompetition. Auckland awarded the winner of thecompetition, Doreiming, a residency at GridAKL.
Fukuoka’s strong international network and the summit
itself provided a platform to develop new relationships
and explore avenues for collaboration between GeoAR
Games and the international partners attending.
This year, 26 startups from Fukuoka and around theworld, and 12 support organisations, such as ATEED,
attended the summit, which featured panel discussions,pitch competitions, and booth exhibitions to encourage
exchange among the participants. The summit was also
attended by VCs, investors and other start-up supporters.
Attending the summit has opened opportunities inFukuoka for GeoAR Games and has expanded the breadthof opportunity for collaboration between Auckland
and Fukuoka. ATEED values these invitations as it alsoenables time for strengthening ties with city officials andfor discussions around upcoming opportunities.

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December 2019

Te Ha 1769 Sestercentenial / Tuia 250 Encounters
By Jan Calder, Secretary Gisborne District Sister Cities
Turanga Gisborne and Uawa Tolaga Bay: 5th – 9th
October 2019.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz and Gisborne District Council;
Chair, Jim Osler and Gisborne District Sister Cities
Committee and various groups from Uawa Tolaga Bay
were privileged to host SCNZ President Hiromi Morris,a delegation from Sister Cities of Nonoichi Japan and
Mahina Tahiti along with French Polynesian President
Edouard Fritch and his delegation.
Many events and experiences of both a personal andinternational flavour were experienced over a very shortperiod of time by those attending or through the media.
It is thought provoking to now reflect on the events ofTuia 250 through the media and memories as the flotillasails to various points of interest around coastal New
Zealand.

Nonoichi Delegation and SCNZ President Hiromi Morris welcomed
onboard Tairawhiti Waka Hourua by Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp
Tairawhiti Voyaging Trust CE and TeHa Trust member

As in all events time is at a premium and this was thecase for our guests as they had to attend many functions
between Turanganui Gisborne and Uawa Tolaga Bay overa few days. It was inevitable that some very interesting
options would be missed but these can be followed up
during future visits.
A huge thank you must be extended to all residents(and visitors) of this region as all in some small orlarge way played a part in producing an event full of
enlightenment emotion, memories and exposure thatwas shared internationally. This was achieved throughevents, stories and personal engagement developed by
a combination of the Iwi, Te Ha Trust, Tuia Encounters
250, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and entities
that come under these headings.
Right: Lytton High School Powhiri for Nonoichi Delegation Akane
Yoneyama, Mayoress & Mayor Awa, Werimu Elliot, YoshihikoNakamura, Ed Millner, Tyachi Kato
Bottom left: Ryan Beattie, Export Exec Leaderbrand Produce Ltd
hosts and presents to Nonoichi Delegation
Bottom middle: Tavana Damas Teuire addresses guests at the
Civic Dinner on behalf of the Mahina Tahiti Delegation
Bottom right: Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga, SCNZ President
HIromi Morris, GDSC Chair Jim Osler and Committee members
welcome Mayor & Mayoress Awa and delegation at Gisborne Airport

French Polynesian President Edouard Fritch and wife socialise
and enjoy songs with large student group from Mahina

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

Adelaide Garden artwork ‘Kaurna Wailyu’ unveiled
at Halswell Quarry Park
By Peter Cottrell, Christchurch Adelaide Sister Cities Committee Chair
The unveiling ceremony for ‘Kaurna Wailyu’ was heldon the afternoon of Thursday 21st November 2019at the site of the artwork, which is at the entrance
to the Adelaide Garden at Halswell Quarry Park in
Christchurch. A mihi whakatau and blessing were
given by Ngāi Tahu representative Aroha ReretiCrofts.
The Lord Mayor of Adelaide, The Right Honourable Sandy
Verschoor, was present to represent Adelaide, as were
the artist, the very talented Karen Genoff, and aboriginal
Kaurna Elder, Uncle Lewis O’Brien, both from Adelaide.
There was great representation from Christchurch
City Council with Mayor Lianne Dalziel, Deputy Mayor
Andrew Turner and Councillors Pauline Cotter, Jimmy
Chen and Anne Galloway, as well as the team from Civic
and International Relations. And current, past and future
Christchurch Adelaide Sister City Committee members
were also present along with representatives of other
Christchurch Sister City Committees.
Short speeches were given by Mayor Dalziel and Lord
Mayor Verschoor, with a longer speech by Karen Genoff
describing the process from the previous (stolen)

artwork, ‘Spheres’, to the elements in the new artwork andthe Kaurna words on the grit etched granite. Uncle Lewis
then used a eucalypt leaf from the surrounding trees to
explain some of the traditional uses of these leaves in
Kaurna healing and burial ceremonies.
The Halswell School kapa haka group gave fantastic
performances at the unveiling, supported by their kapa
haka tutor, teachers, and Principal.
Click to read the Christchurch City Council press release.

Left: The Halswell School kapa haka group. Right: Committee Chair Peter Cottrell, artist Karen Genoff, Mayor Lianne Dalziel, Lord
Mayor of Adelaide Sandy Verschoor, Kaurna Elder Uncle Lewis O’Brien. Photos: Kirk Hargreaves.

Nelson NZCFS facilitates student visit in 2020
By Barbara Markland, Nelson NZCFS President
Nelson Branch NZ China Friendship Society is again
facilitating a student visit to the People's Republic ofChina.
Ten Year 12 and 13 students, from the five Nelson colleges,
will be travelling to Nelson's sister-city Yangjiang,
in Guangdong province in April 2020 as an on-going
Arts and Cultural Youth Exchange programme. The
programme was initiated in 2018 to show the value ofsharing arts and culture across language, stories, school
life, art, drama, film and musical performances.

The students will be guests of Guangdong Liangyang
Senior High School, a boarding school of 3600 students.
They will be billeted in the school dormitories during theweek and spend the weekend in a hotel to enable sightseeing. While at the school it is expected the students
will attend classes and cultural clubs, participating in
the life of the school. They will contribute to a theatre
performance with musical items including waiata, drama,
and dance. Each college will contribute an art work to bepresented to Liangyang Senior High School and receive
an art work in return.

N E W S L E T T E R
December 20192019 Gansu International Fellowship Programme
By Robert Love, Strategy & Policy Planner, Selwyn District Council
During September I was given the honour of representing
the Selwyn District at the 2019 Gansu International
Fellowship Programme, an experience that will stay withme due to the experiences and people I have met.
The Selwyn District shares a special relationship with
Gansu through the work of Rewi Alley, which wasformally recognised in a sister city partnership in 2009.
This partnership has extended to an annual invitation toa candidate from Selwyn to attend a fellowship based in
Lanzhou.
This relationship between Rewi and China was a driving
factor behind New Zealand becoming the first country in
the world to sign a free trade agreement with China, which
has now resulted in China becoming our largest trading
part worth over $28 billion annually.
Over 30 days the Fellowship covered lectures in language,
history and culture, accompanied by many visits within
the Lanzhou area and surrounds, including an excursion
to one of my highlights the Tibetan Plateau.
The city of Lanzhou and the Gansu province is locatedin North West China, and historically was the entry point
into China along the Silk Road. In modern times, the belt
and road initiative has identified the same route the Silk
Road followed as a vital transport corridor to Western
and Central Asia, and onto Europe, and is now subject tomassive investment.
The histories of our two countries are quite contrasting,
China with over 5,000 years of civilisation and many moreof human habitation. Whereas, New Zealand only had thefirst peoples arriving 700 years ago during the time of the
Ming dynasty. The sheer length and richness of Chinese
history is incredibility humbling, such as the majestic
Mogao Grottos with some dating back more than 1,500
years.
The trip provided me with a fantastic opportunity toexperience this unique part of China, and develop myunderstanding of its society and learn that while we canhave minor cultural differences, the most important
things to us are the same, such as the place water hasin our society. If you have the opportunity to attend this
Fellowship I would urge you to apply.

Clockwise from top left: Jiayuguan Fortress - Great Wall of China; Fellowship Closing Ceremony; Crescent Lake, Dunhuang; Zhagana.

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

Clockwise from top left: Chair HMHFT Ray Wallace and Event Manager Linda Goss-Wallace with two Kimono models, Recruiting for
new member of the Kendo Club, Ambassador Kobayashi at the Hutt Minoh Display with Daisuke Hayashi, Taiko Drumming in Dowse
Square, Touring artist from Japanese at special preview hosted by his excellency Ambassador Kobayashi,

Vibrant Hutt Story – Hutt Japan Day 2019
By Linda Goss-Wallace, Event Manager, Hutt Japan Day
Lower Hutt City and Minoh City are in the 25th yearof their Sister City relationship. It’s been a very strong
relationship and particularly so over the past 8 years.
The relationship was founded to foster global
understanding, promote the language and cultures
between the two cities, build friendships and celebrate
the similarities and differences between the people,
lifestyles and culture.
Since 1995 there have been a number of mayoral
delegations and in the last eight years there have beenvarious exchanges between Minoh and Lower Hutt by way
of Art, Students, Teachers, along with School to School
and Citizen Skype discussions, biennial Educational visits,
and Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programmedelegates plus many other invitations to join festivities in
Minoh via Skype. All of these activities have strengthened
the Sister City relationship and formed many personal
friendships between citizens.
Hutt Japan Day, hosted by the Hutt Minoh House
Friendship Trust has been another way of showcasing theJapanese Culture to local residents and visitors. This was
the second Hutt Japan Day that has taken place in the
Civic Precinct of Lower Hutt and it was a great successwith approximately 5000 people attending throughout
the day.
Trust Chairman Ray Wallace said “Hutt Japan Day supports
and strengthens the wonderful Sister City relationshipwe have with Minoh City, which will celebrate the 25th
Anniversary in July 2020. Hutt Japan Day will take place

every two years in Lower Hutt to alternate with the
Wellington Japan Festival every other year.”
Event Manager Linda Goss-Wallace reflected on the day
saying “Hutt Japan Day was a celebration of the Japaneseculture for our locals to experience the arts, dance,
sports, language, food, fashion and much more. We weredelighted to welcome a group of performers direct fromJapan who were hosted by Ambassador Kobayashi fromthe Embassy of Japan in Wellington. The group performed
demonstrations of calligraphy, tea ceremony, music anddance.
Many other local groups demonstrated a variety ofmartial arts, taiko drumming, tea ceremony, dance,music, fashion and culture. There were food trucks, aphoto booth and market stalls to add more dimension to
the festivities.
We also connected to our friends in Minoh for a shorttime during the event so that they felt they were part ofthe celebration through the virtual link via Skype.
We were honored to showcase the interest and passion
many locals have for the Japanese Culture.”
Hutt Japan Day 2019 was a huge success and theorganisers are proud of the turnout of people on the day.
The Hutt Minoh House Friendship Trust is establishinga Citizens Association to get involved in local events,
exhibitions and activities to continue to strengthen andenhance the relationship with Minoh City. If you areinterested please email: secretary@huttminoh.org.nz

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

US - NZ Breweries make a ‘Sister City IPA’
By Jules Grace, Co-owner Brew Union Brewery, Palmerston North
In October this year the first US-NZ Sister City beer
was brewed in a collaboration between Draught Works
Brewery in Missoula, and Palmerston North-based Brew
Union Brewing Company.
The aptly named ‘Sister City IPA’ was brewed onsite atDraught Works combining ingredients from both countries.
This is the second Sister City beer for New Zealand, thefirst having been made between BentSpoke in Canberra
and Fork Brewcorp in Wellington.
What was unique about this brew was really drilling down
into local ingredients. Malt for the beer was sourced
entirely from one farm 3 hours drive southeast of Missoulain Bozeman - Gallatin Valley Malt Co. – who have recently
constructed their own malting facilities and all the Hopsfor the beer were sourced via NZ Hops which grows in the
Nelson region.
The recipe was developed over a couple of weeks with headbrewer Kyle after much emailing back and forward between
the both of us and the beer was brewed in October withmyself on site assisting (or getting in the way, dependingon who you talked to). It was a great opportunity to talkabout different ways that not only our two breweries tackle
the task of brewing beer, but what industry norms are indifferent environments - the NZ and USA brewing scene
are both very different but very similar.
The new Sister City IPA was unveiled with a launch party
at Draught Works in November, bringing together many

people in the community with links to New Zealand andPalmerston North. We also had the pleasure of hostingMontana Lt Governor Mike Cooney just before theparty started giving him a taste of the beer, as well as an
introduction into what the sister city partnership meant
to the people attending, including the owner/operator of
Gallatin Valley farmer who grew all the malt.
While flying over to Missoula, Montana, to make a batchof beer is not economically viable for us, I enjoyed being
introduced to a range of different individuals and business,both New Zealanders working in Montana, or Americans
who had lived and worked in Palmerston North. It’s always
thrilling to be tapped on your shoulder in a busy bar by
an American in a Manawatu Turbos Jersey and told of
the good times that he had in Palmerston North working
at the hospital, or university lecturers at the Universityof Montana who are well connected with research that ishappening at Massey University in their areas of expertise.
Making a beer and releasing it to the local community werea small part of the trip through Montana for me and myfamily, but it was one of the most memorable events for
us of our time over there. It reinforced what sister city
relationships are all about, and we have made lifelong
connections with a number of people, many of those met
brewing, or planning the beer, or at the release party. Ourfamily looks forward to hopefully hosting some of thosepeople that we met in Montana back here in New Zealand.

Left: Mike Cooney, Lieutenant Governor of Montana (centre), joins the brewers and malt company owner for a taste of the Sister
City IPA. Right: The Sister City IPA Tap Badge

Long white cloud to the rising sun: two worlds never apart
By Luke Qin, SCNZ Board
Having spent my formative years watching Dragon Ball,Yu Yu Hakusho, Saint Seiya and Slam Dunk, and owning
Japanese electronics like most boys from middle classfamilies in China, while being exposed to perhaps morethan my fair share of various history books and war
movies, I always knew one day I would visit Japan to see
it with my own eyes, and experience the culture deemedso close to my own, yet so far apart. As we say in Chinese,
seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.
That interest grew stronger after my arrival in New Zealandas a teenager, having first studied with a couple of Japaneseinternational students, and then worked with some Japanesesubsidiaries in my day job and many NZ-based Japan experts
and expats through my various commitments. I have a friend
who is of Japanese heritage and currently heads up SCNZ.
Even people who know her may not know she adopted twoorphans from China (a boy and a girl who are now university
students) and is actively encouraging them to learn Chinese.
Shortly after I tried to talk her into leading a delegation to
Japan, I found out the Asia New Zealand Foundation wasoffering its Leadership Network members the opportunity
to participate in a Japan Leadership Hui.

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

At the very beginning of the trip, I found myself surroundedat the back of the plane by a large group of Japanese highschool students on their way back to Tokyo, having studiedin Auckland for 3 months. As I looked “the same”, theJapanese kids sitting next to me greeted me in Japanese.
Soon enough we were communicating comfortably via
broken English/Japanese, writing Hanzi/Kanji charactersand hand gestures… It was a no-brainer to decline the offer
for an upgrade of my seat out of that area.

Sichuan hotpot will always be the best for me but the Sumo
hotpot “Chankonabe” is a close second. It’s considered areasonably healthy dish in its own right, yet so rich in protein
one can appreciate why it’s consumed in vast quantity bysumo wrestlers as part of a weight-gain diet in order toperform at their peak. It was fantastic to meet the Japan
based Leadership Network members (over Sumo food) tohear their stories living in Japan, and their participation in
the enrichment of the New Zealand Japan relationship.

Having landed in Japan for the first time, it did not initially feellike a foreign country to me as the vibe and cultural symbols
are all too familiar. However, it was a surreal feeling on thebustling streets of Shinjuku because I could pretty muchunderstand all the signs, as I can read and write Chinese,but I felt a bit “crippled” as I couldn’t speak much. There
were also tourist-friendly signs and translations in English,
Korean, as well as Chinese for trains, restaurants, shopping
centres and major attractions which perhaps explains why
Japan is always a popular travel destination with returning
tourists.

On Mount Takao, I stood long before a torii (shrine gateway)with the couplets “共同祈願國土安穩，祈願被災地複興”,
meaning “Together praying for the stability of the landand country, and the revival from disasters”. Having lived
in my native Sichuan, Christchurch and Wellington where
natural disasters struck, I can really relate to the prayers of
the Japanese people as they recover from various natural
disasters, including the latest setback caused by Typhoon
Hagibis.

I had heard of Peace Boat before our visit to their
headquarters in Shinjuku for they are a global NGO
established for the purpose of raising awareness andbuilding connections internationally among groups thatwork for peace, human rights, environmental protection
and sustainable development. To my surprise, it was far
from a grandeur building with glittering chandeliers justbecause they run cruise ships. In fact, it relied on a teamof volunteers to put together trips and projects in the once
war-torn places in Asia. We had lively discussions about thevarious projects Peace Boat ran and was shown a photo of afuturistic-looking Ecoship which was being built to become
the planet's most environmentally sustainable cruise ship.
There was also a striking photo on the wall depicting theaftermath of the nuclear bomb in Hiroshima... Being ahistory buff, I am well aware of what happened during theGreat Wars. We should never forget the tragedies against
humanity and the sufferings inflicted upon the common
people, but we should also never be slaves of the past. The
best tribute to the forebears who lived, fought and diedduring the wars of the past, is to move forward together toensure they never happen again.
At the Kodokan, the birthplace of Judo, I saw a photo of the“Father of Modern China” Dr Sun Yat-sen, and the enrolment
form to join a Judo class of one of China’s most celebrated
fiction authors Zhou Shuren (better known by his pen name
Lu Xun), as both spent time in Japan before continuing on tofollow the calling of their lives that reshaped contemporary
China. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d have apretty physical Judo session with the "mother" of the Asia
New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network, a Berlin based
expert in Japanese politics, a Hokkaido based academic/
adventurer, the now deputy mayor of Gisborne, and anaffable Japanese gentleman who turned out to be one of themost senior police officers in Japan that nobody should pickto spar with... Of course, someone told me that only after
our sparring session. In hindsight, I perhaps should not havepicked him, as the three "red and white belts", including him,
were throwing the young "black belt" like a rag doll when
doing the demonstration earlier. I did my best to subdue him
once but I knew he just let me win, and we were not of thesame weight class.
After the energy-sapping but exhilarating Judo class, theobvious thing to do was to try some Sumo food to beef up.

There were too many indelible moments in an actionpacked six days: getting up at 4am to go to the fish market
and watching buyers bid on Tuna, some from as far as
New Zealand; staying at a traditional Japanese barn housein Uenohara and queuing up to have photos taken on thetatami; sharing a Kaiseki style meal while learning thetable etiquettes and the meaning of Omotenashi (the spiritof Japanese hospitality) with local chef Ozawa-san and
New Zealand based master chef Nomura-san; meeting a
special team of New Zealand representatives at the New
Zealand Embassy in Tokyo and discussing the challenges
and achievements of the Japanese society, and the manyplanned opportunities to market New Zealand during the
Rugby World Cup and Tokyo Olympics, and the various
joint projects between New Zealand and Japan; trying somedelicious cookies at the popular retail shop of flagship New
Zealand brand Cookie Time which is only a stone’s throw
away from Meiji Shrine; encountering leeches for the firsttime in our lives wading through undergrowth on our way
to an organic farm to learn about Japanese farming andagriculture policies; talking politics and cracking jokes witha bunch of naked men while sitting in an onsen/hot springspa; spending all my Japanese Yen at the airport on thosecute confectionaries...
It was a great privilege to attend the Leadership Network
Japan Hui with a bunch of interesting and committeddelegates. Although we were only together for a relatively
short period of time, I really appreciated the opportunity to
get to know and learn from my fellow delegates, and feel that
we will be staying in touch forever. I am grateful to the Asia
New Zealand Foundation for continuing to challenge myassumptions, expanding my horizon and helping prepareme for the future chapters of my leadership journey. This
experience has also further strengthened my resolve
to contribute my two cents to help advance the mutual
understanding, friendship and goodwill between the New
Zealand and Japanese peoples, and between our multiculturalcommunities in a vibrant and inclusive Aotearoa.
At our last team session in Japan before we continued on our
separate journeys, we were asked to come up with a haiku
that epitomises our time in Japan. I struggled a bit as there
were so many memories, and perhaps didn't quite get thesyllables right:
Two worlds never apart;
From the long white cloud to the rising sun;We’re here to learn and love...

N E W S L E T T E R
December 2019

Wainuiomata High School Rugby Club visits
Hachinohe, Japan
By Daiji Kataoka, Wainuiomata High School
We had a fantastic trip - a trip of a lifetime.
The cultural exchanges were everything we could have
hoped for and more. Our first destination in Hachinohe
we were welcomed on the footsteps of the school by
the entire school and responded with our school’shaka. This was overwhelming as we did not except
such a magnificent reception. The school treated us
with awesome hospitality and to spend time with somefamilies in the north of Japan was a privilege and exciting
for all our touring group.
The game we played there was on a field of top quality
and the supporters were fantastic to play in front of. But
due to the fantastic hospitality the rugby match becamemuch more of a background component as the locals
treated us so very well, something which we would findwould continue throughout the rest of the journey.

Children’s University Canterbury Partnership Update
By Peter Cottrell, Christchurch Adelaide Sister Cities Committee Chair
This project was first profiled in this Newsletter in the
April edition. Here’s an update:
The first graduation ceremony for the Children’s
University Canterbury Partnership (CUCP) was held on
the evening of Wednesday 20th November in the JamesHay Auditorium at the Christchurch Town Hall. Of the 192
students who started the programme in Term 2 of 2019,155 were eligible to graduate at this ceremony and almost
150 did so, watched by proud family and whānau.
The Sister City link is with one of Christchurch’s Sister
Cities, Adelaide in South Australia, with the Australasian
hub of the Children’s University based at the Universityof Adelaide. Adelaide is Christchurch’s oldest Sister City,
having been established in 1972, so the 50th anniversary
is not far away.
It was a fun evening which the students seemed to enjoy.
There was a balance between speeches (both Universityof Canterbury [UC] and Lincoln University [LU] ViceChancellors spoke, as did the Children’s University
Australasia Chancellor, Professor James McWha) andthe presenting of certificates, with the names read by arepresentative from the respective schools. There were acouple of hakas, one from some of the graduating students
in the audience, and another one by Te Pā o Rākaihautū
students from the stage. The CUCP Programme Manager,
Amy Underdown, is to be congratulated on an amazing
event and the culmination of all the hard work that
she and Jack Swannell (who is based at LU) have done,
supported by the schools, the families of the children, thelearning destinations, including many Christchurch City
Council facilities.
And here are two links about the event. I’m sure this will
generate much more attention over the coming year(s):TVNZ | Canterbury University.
And if you don’t have the April Newsletter at yourfingertips, here’s the link to the Children’s University
Australasia website for more information. And although
this one is based in the Canterbury region, there areplans for North Island and other regional Children’s
Universities in New Zealand.