“Japan-Alaska Sister Cities Forum” online meeting
2023/5/5
On April 27 (Alaska time), the “Japan-Alaska Sister Cities Forum” online meeting was held, and participants from nine Japan-Alaska sister cities (Chitose City, Teshio Town, Mombetsu City, Obihiro City, Akita City, Anchorage, Homer, Sitka , Ketchikan), and from the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage, Mr. Aniya, Consul Komatsu, and Mr. Holayter attended. Participants reported and discussed past activities and future plans of sister city exchanges.
Mr. Aniya reported on the activities of the Consular Office in Anchorage, saying that the “Online Youth Forum” meetings were held six times from September last year to February this year, and the “Online Youth Forum” was held in March. Regarding the “Online Youth Forum”, he mentioned that attractive lectures by celebrities who were active in a wide range of fields were given. Regarding "The Presentations", which was attended by 44 people, 9 presentations were made at a good tempo for their hometown pride. Both events had achieved good results.
Past sister city activities introduced include:
・Citizen and student exchanges held three times between Anchorage City and Chitose City,
・Cooking exchange event held in March by Obihiro City and Seward City,
・Many online class sessions and Pen Pal programs implemented between Homer City and Teshio Town, and others.
Future plans introduced at the meeting include:
・Twenty-eight teachers from Mears Junior High School in Anchorage are scheduled to visit Chitose City,
- Various student exchanges, including student exchanges between Chitose High School and Dimond High School, and,
- A delegation from Chitose City will visit Anchorage on the occasion of the 55th anniversary in 2024;
・In addition to various student exchanges between Obihiro City and Seward City, they are planning to hold a cooking exchange event this year as well.
Mr. Aniya reported on the activities of the Consular Office in Anchorage, saying that the “Online Youth Forum” meetings were held six times from September last year to February this year, and the “Online Youth Forum” was held in March. Regarding the “Online Youth Forum”, he mentioned that attractive lectures by celebrities who were active in a wide range of fields were given. Regarding "The Presentations", which was attended by 44 people, 9 presentations were made at a good tempo for their hometown pride. Both events had achieved good results.
Past sister city activities introduced include:
・Citizen and student exchanges held three times between Anchorage City and Chitose City,
・Cooking exchange event held in March by Obihiro City and Seward City,
・Many online class sessions and Pen Pal programs implemented between Homer City and Teshio Town, and others.
Future plans introduced at the meeting include:
・Twenty-eight teachers from Mears Junior High School in Anchorage are scheduled to visit Chitose City,
- Various student exchanges, including student exchanges between Chitose High School and Dimond High School, and,
- A delegation from Chitose City will visit Anchorage on the occasion of the 55th anniversary in 2024;
・In addition to various student exchanges between Obihiro City and Seward City, they are planning to hold a cooking exchange event this year as well.