Waipā District Council gives the Cambridge Community Board the responsibility of looking after two important delegations. One is the organisation and delivery of meaningful Anzac and Armistice Day commemorations and the second is maintaining and strengthening our sister city relationships, Bihoro in Japan and Le Quesnoy in France.
The Cambridge Community Board is responsible for the relationship between Bihoro and the town. Four members of the previous board were on hand to celebrate the 25th anniversary in Cambridge. l-r Jo Davies-Colley, Sue Milner, Alana Mackay and Mike Montgomerie.
In the words of Global Cities NZ – “Sister city relationships foster the growth of a mutual understanding and long-term friendship between countries and regions, as well as the communities within them. This bond allows for a continuous exchange of ideas and culture, and even facilitates development within the areas of trade and tourism”.
Bihoro has a population of 20,000 people and our relationship is focused strongly on the agricultural similarities we share and educational opportunities for students in both towns.
The relationship with Bihoro had its beginnings in 1993 with professor Masaharu Yamakiwho who was on sabbatical at Waikato University when he fell in love with Cambridge declaring it “the best town in the country” and began discussions with the then Cambridge Community Board. He donated a significant amount of his own money to develop the relationship and foster school exchanges. This was followed by a visit from an official delegation in 1994, a school exchange in ‘95, another delegation from Bihoro in ‘96, and finally the signing of the official Sister City document in October 1997.
25th anniversary celebrations: l-r Alana MacKay, Lauree Fuller, Diana Ransley, Mark Ransley, Alisha Robinson, Robyn Maxwell, Mike Montgomerie, Craig Fuller, Sue Milner, Grahame Webber, Alan Livingston, Elwyn Andre-Wiltens, Janet Livingston, Taylor Marston, Ayako Imahashi, Toos Grootscholten, John Grootscholten, Julie Epps while Dean Epps is partly obscured behind Webber.
Since then, there have been numerous reciprocal school and adult groups travel between Bihoro and Cambridge.
A group from Cambridge will visit Bihoro after mayor Susan O’Regan received a formal invitation from Mayor Koji Hirano early this year. This invitation followed Bihoro’s visit to Cambridge in November last year. During their week in Cambridge, they toured the Hautapu dairy factory, Councillor Mike Montgomerie’s dairy farm, our council offices and library, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Cambridge Stud.
Those travelling from Cambridge are Deputy Mayor Liz Stolwyk, Councillor Philip Coles, Community Board Members Alana MacKay and Andrew Myers, Alisha Robinson (nee Maxwell), Robyn Maxwell and Cambridge High School Principal Greg Thornton.
Bihoro Sister City Celebrations: Wai Taiko drummers Sarah Whittaker, left and Raewyn Wooderson
The self-funded and locally hosted visit to Bihoro was advertised to the community and the public were encouraged to apply if they had an interest in being part of this unique cultural experience to our sister city. The application form stated that the delegation would focus on two areas of interest: education and agriculture and preference would be given to delegates who could contribute in these areas and can bring new energy to the relationship.
Applications were open to residents of the Cambridge and Maungatuatari wards.
There were 17 applicants for seven places and Mayor Susan and myself, as the selection panel, looked through both an agricultural and educational lens when deciding on the delegates. We chose people who would foster the sister city relationship we have with Bihoro and strengthen and nurture it into the future. We anticipate this will be a successful and productive visit to our sister city Bihoro.
Youngsters enjoyed the chance to complete some craft work during the celebrations. L-r Caitlyn Davies, 7, Lucy Carmichael, 6, Sophie Davies, 11, Izzy Yerkovich, 7, Evelyn Johnson, 6 and Lily Davies, 4.
