Dunedin Otaru Sister City Home page

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Introduction

In late July 1980 the then Mayor of Dunedin, Clifford Skeggs, travelled to Otaru, in Hokkaido, Japan to seal a friendship between our two cities that has thrived ever since. At the heart of the document that was signed at that time, was the ideal that the Sister City Relationship would 'strengthen goodwill and foster international understanding and peace.

Today the concept has changed little and especially in this time of globalisation, it becomes even more important to foster understanding between different cultures. There are frequent exchanges between Dunedin and Otaru in everything from business people, school students and Council staff to art work and cultural exhibitions. Keeping the sister city relationship alive and strong is in the best interest of both cities and so it is hoped that this relationship will last a very long time.

Sister City Agreement

History of Sister City Exchanges

Civic Delegations

Year	Month	Exchange Information
1980	July	Dunedin delegation led by Mayor Skeggs visited Otaru and signed the contract of affiliation
1981	January	Otaru delegation (Mayor Shimura) visited Dunedin
1984	July	Dunedin delegation led by Mayor Skeggs and Dunedin Brass Band visited Otaru and participated '84 Otaru Expo
1985	February	Otaru delegation (Mayor Shimura) visited Dunedin
1988	May	Otaru delegation (Mayor Araya) visited Dunedin
1989	July	Dunedin delegation (Mayor Skeggs) visited Otaru
1990	February	Otaru delegation (Chairman Yamabuki) visited Dunedin
	July	Dunedin delegation led by Mayor Walls visited Otaru and cerebrated 10th anniversary of affiliation
1992	July	Dunedin delegation led by Mayor Walls visited Otaru and cerebrated 70th anniversary of the Otaru City
	November	Dunedin business mission visited Otaru
1993	February	Otaru delegation (Mayor Araya) visited Dunedin
1995	June	Dunedin delegation led by Mayor Walls visited Otaru and cerebrated 15th anniversary of affiliation
1996	February	Otaru delegation (Mayor Araya) visited Dunedin
	July	Dunedin delegation (Mayor Turner) visited Otaru
1998	August	Otaru delegation (Mayor Araya) visit Dunedin to cerebrate Otaru Japan Week and Mayor Araya officially opens Otaru Teien (Japanese Garden)

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Youth Exchanges

Year	Month	Exchange Information
1987	July	The first Dunedin Youth Group visited Otaru
1988	August	The first Otaru Youth Group visited Dunedin. (In August 1998 the 6th Otaru Youth Group visit Dunedin)
1989	July	The second Dunedin Youth Group visited Otaru
1991	July	International Junior Art Camp group visited Otaru
1992	August	International Junior Art Camp group visited Otaru
1993	July	Dunedin Youth Group visited Otaru
	August	International Junior Art Camp group visited Otaru
1994	July	International Junior Art Camp group visited Otaru
1995	July	International Junior Art Camp group visited Otaru
1996	July	Dunedin Youth Group visited Otaru
1997	August	International Junior Art Camp group visited Otaru
1998	February	Dunedin Youth Group visited Otaru (The first in winter)

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Educational Exchanges

Year	Month	Exchange Information
1989	April	The first AET (Assistant English Teacher) Mr Ross Coleman was invited to teach in Otaru junior high schools. (till December 1990)
1990	July
1991	April	The second AET Mr Wayne Dixon (till December 1991)
	July	Three Otaru teachers visited Dunedin
1992	April	The third AET Mr Robb McKinney (till March 1994)
	August	Three Otaru teachers visited Dunedin
1993	July	Three Otaru teachers visited Dunedin
1994	April	The fourth AET Mr William Lucas (till March 1996)
	August	Three Otaru teachers visited Dunedin
1995	July	Three Otaru teachers visited Dunedin
1996	April	The fifth AET Mrs Donnella Atkin-Ferguson (till March 1997)
	July	Two Otaru teachers visited Dunedin
1997	April	The sixth AET Mr Noel Campbell (till March 1998)
	July	Two Otaru teachers visited Dunedin
1998	April	The seventh AET Ms Marie Lewis (till March 1999)

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Council Staff Exchanges

Year	Month	Exchange Information
1992	January	An Otaru City Council officer visited Dunedin City Council on staff exchange program. Until 1996, in total six staff members were seconded to DCC.
1993	June	DCC Special Projects Officer Mr Greg Sligo visited Otaru City Council.
1994	September	DCC business development officer Miss Celia Reid visited OCC.
1995	September	DCC Visitor Centre Miss Nikki McKay visited OCC.

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Cultural Exchanges

Year	Month	Exchange Information
1991	October	20 artworks by Dunedin artists were staged in Otaru Art Exchange Exhibition
1992	September	The Sister Cities Art Exhibition (Dunedin 20, Nakhodka 20, Otaru 62 artworks)
	November	52 photos by Otaru photographers were staged at Multicultural Festival in Dunedin
1993	July	The Otaru Youth Choir performed in Dunedin
	October	Otago University Assistant Vice Chancellor Professor Ann Trotter gave an address on the role of women in New Zealand
1994	February	20 wood crafts were staged at Otago Art Society Exhibition
1994	March	The Sister Cities Art Exhibition (Dunedin 22, Nakhodka 14, Otaru 63 artworks)
	November	The Fourth Sister Cities Art Exhibition (Dunedin 22, Nakhodka 16, Otaru 51 artworks)
1995	September	Dunedin Photographic Exhibition in Otaru, 24 photos
	November	The Fifth Sister Cities Art Exhibition (Dunedin 22, Nakhodka 15, Otaru 48 artworks)
1997	February	The Sixth Sister Cities Art Exhibition (Dunedin 17, Nakhodka 15, Otaru 58 artworks)
	November	The Seventh Sister Cities Art Exhibition (Dunedin 19, Nakhodka 15, Otaru 50 artworks)

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Educational Exchanges - Sister schools

Year	Month	Exchange Information
1988	August	College Street School and Nagahashi Primary School
		North Intermediate School and Sumiyoshi Junior High School
1989	August	Agreement on student and exchange between the University of Otago and Otaru University of Commerce
1992	July	Otago Polytechnic and Otaru Women's Junior College (now Otaru Junior College)

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Educational Exchanges - Others

Year	Month	Exchange Information
1990	July	Nakhodka - Dunedin - Otaru Sister Cities Garden opened in Temiya Park

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Sister Associations

Dunedin Sister City Committee and Otaru Sister Cities Committee

Otago Museum and Sister City Historic Publication Foundation

Dunedin Zonta Club and Otaru Zonta Club

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