Sister Cities Conference 2005
Sailing into the future and learning from the past was the theme of the three day Sister Cities Conference held at the Copthorne Resort in Waitangi last week.
Konnichi wa, nihao ma, gidday and kia ora, were among the many languages heard during the conference. ‘Sustainable Economic Development’, ‘Youth’ and ‘International Successes’ were the main topics discussed.
Delegates from all over the world gathered for the powhiri (formal welcome) at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, which was hosted by the Far North District Council and the Waitangi National Trust.
The conference attracted over 130 delegates and their partners from local authorities with Sister City affiliations throughout New Zealand, and from the international Sister City network.
The Honourable Jim Anderton opened the conference and he was followed by 13 high calibre international and national speakers who enlightened and enthused the audience on topics from sustainable economic development in many commercial areas to tourism and caring for our environment.
Delegates and partners were provided with many opportunities to experience Far North highlights including a cruise in the Bay, compliments of Fullers, and a trip to Puketi Forest with a member of DoC providing an insight into our past. The local Kerikeri High School sailing team provided a highlight at the Kerikeri Cruising Club session which was followed by a superb seafood meal and many more unique experiences.
The conference concluded with the Air New Zealand Awards Dinner which is competed for annually by Sister Cities groups and organizations as well as schools who enter projects highlighting what they have done with their Sister Cities counterparts over the previous 12 months. These prizes are in the form of travel up to the value of $2,500.
The Far North has successful Sister City relationships with Yuasa Town ( Japan), Duncan City ( Canada) and Liaoning Province (Republic of China). Delegates from all three attended and presented at this year’s conference.
President of Sister Cities New Zealand Jeremy Dwyer said it was fitting that the conference was held at Waitangi.
“The joining of the many cultures at Waitangi is very symbolic. Waitangi is where two peoples joined together with the intent to work as one; the main principal behind the Sister Cities concept,” he said.
“Sister Cities provides the opportunity to exchange ideas with other local bodies on a global scale. The sharing of information encourages local bodies to explore how different countries manage similar issues,” he said.
The concept of Sister City relationships dates back to post World War II - its purpose being to increase international understanding and foster world peace by increasing communication and exchanges across international borders.
In more recent times, the concept of Sister Cities and local government has evolved to include friendship, education, culture, sport, tourism, technology, economy and trade relationships.
Speaker's Presentation Notes
These notes are provided in PDF format. To download them you will need Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, this is available free by downloading it from the Adobe website.
|
