From November 11 to November 13, we attended the Sister Cities Australia Annual Conference in Devonport, Tasmania. We were able to hear from a number of Australian Councils and learn about their domestic exchange and international exchange programs. In addition, other international guests in attendance from New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Korea, and China shared their experiences in relation to sister cities. The conference gave us the opportunity to think about sister city programs from numerous perspectives, with particular focus on the challenges facing sister city relationships.
Over the course of the conference, we enjoyed listening to many wonderful presentations. Dr Colin Jones, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Tasmania, explored the idea of how sister cities can become more entrepreneurial and fair better in an increasingly competitive world. Mr Stephen Duxfield, Director of Sister Cities New Zealand, talked about New Zealand’s diplomatic relationship with Japan which began in 1952. As Mr Duxfield pointed out, 60% of New Zealand’s sister city relationships are with Japan. Also, we were happy to learn that corporations like Mazda have begun to support the activities of the New Zealand Japan Society (NZJS).
Mr Rob Soward, Alderman, Launceston City Council, emphasized that sister cities can develop personal, cultural, educational, and trade ties. In particular, he highlighted Launceston’s sister city relationship with Ikeda in Japan, which has been very successful. We hope that Australia, New Zealand, and Japan will continue to strengthen their current sister city relationships and develop new ones in the future.
