Denver-Takayama Sister City Relations 60th Anniversary Event (July 29, 2020)
2020/7/30
On Wednesday, July 29th at 6:00pm MDT (Thursday, July 30th 9:00AM Japan Time), the Denver Takayama Sister City Relations 60th Anniversary Event was held via online relay broadcast from Geotech and Takayama City Office.
For the ceremony, Takayama Mayor Michihiro Kunishima, Denver Deputy Mayor Don Mares and representatives from both City Councils gave remarks, in addition to the adoption and reading of a joint declaration followed by Consul-General Midori Takeuchi introducing a congratulatory video message from Ambassador to the U.S. Shinsuke Sugiyama and U.S. Congresswoman Diana DeGette.
Ambassador Sugiyama also announced that in commemoration of the 60th anniversary, Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi has awarded the Foreign Minster’s Commendation to the Denver Takayama Sister City Committee and Takayama Denver Friendship Association as a result of their contributions toward strengthening relations between the Japan and the U.S.
Representatives from both sister city committees shared their gratitude for the Foreign Minister Award, determination to overcome the pandemic, and to further develop their relations, and offered the toast, followed by a greeting from Takayama Technical High School students, performances by local music groups from both cities, and a showing of the completed restoration of a 1/3-sized replica of a yatai used in both Takayama’s spring and fall festivals. The replica was sent to Denver from Takayama City in 1964 and is currently being stored at Geotech.
Through this ceremony, affiliated parties were able to confirm the willingness to further develop future sister city exchanges between both cities. As a Consulate-General of Japan, we offer our best wishes to both cities toward the continued growth and betterment of this sister city relationship.
For the ceremony, Takayama Mayor Michihiro Kunishima, Denver Deputy Mayor Don Mares and representatives from both City Councils gave remarks, in addition to the adoption and reading of a joint declaration followed by Consul-General Midori Takeuchi introducing a congratulatory video message from Ambassador to the U.S. Shinsuke Sugiyama and U.S. Congresswoman Diana DeGette.
Ambassador Sugiyama also announced that in commemoration of the 60th anniversary, Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi has awarded the Foreign Minster’s Commendation to the Denver Takayama Sister City Committee and Takayama Denver Friendship Association as a result of their contributions toward strengthening relations between the Japan and the U.S.
Representatives from both sister city committees shared their gratitude for the Foreign Minister Award, determination to overcome the pandemic, and to further develop their relations, and offered the toast, followed by a greeting from Takayama Technical High School students, performances by local music groups from both cities, and a showing of the completed restoration of a 1/3-sized replica of a yatai used in both Takayama’s spring and fall festivals. The replica was sent to Denver from Takayama City in 1964 and is currently being stored at Geotech.
Through this ceremony, affiliated parties were able to confirm the willingness to further develop future sister city exchanges between both cities. As a Consulate-General of Japan, we offer our best wishes to both cities toward the continued growth and betterment of this sister city relationship.