Sister City Stories

Penrith and Fujieda
- 20years -

2004
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Click on each to view

Perth and Kagoshima
- 30years -

Link shows strong similarities between
Australia and Japanese rural areas

Big cities are not the only ones trying to promote dynamic and positive international relations through sister cities. Even in small cities and villages, grassroots links involving the local community are active, and are seen to be a very useful way to revitalise remote communities.

The famous Japanese garden in Duaringa is very popular with tourists and passers-by.

The link described below between the town of Fujisawa in Iwate Prefecture and Duaringa Shire in central Queensland is one such sister city relationship which hopes to instil pride, and a sense of belonging in the global community amongst the residents.

Fujisawa Town, a hilly region situated on the southern tip of the Kitagami Mountain range in Iwate Prefecture, is a quiet agricultural town, with a population of 11,000. As early as 1983, the town tried to expose the community to other cultures through a program that invited English teachers to Fujisawa, an idea that was unique to the town at the time. It was hoped that this program would help the young people in Fujisawa to have an understanding of other cultures, without having to leave their hometown. The first of these teachers to visit from abroad was Mr Greg Corwell from Queensland, and it is quite possible that he made such an impression on the local people, that the idea of a link with a Queensland town seemed very attractive!

Duaringa is a town approximately 200km inland from Rockhampton, Queensland, with the main industries being open-cut coal mining and stock breeding. Its population is 12,000, very close to that of Fujisawa. Another common feature is that as a result of economic downturn in the local industries, population is declining in both towns, as people search for work elsewhere.

With Greg Corwell as a liaison, student exchanges between Duaringa and Fujisawa began in 1988, and five years later, in 1993, a formal link was established. In that same year, Fujisawa Town suffered from crop damage due to violently cold weather, and Duaringa was hit by a severe drought. Although it was a difficult year for both, a deeper understanding was reached by both towns through their joint hardship.

Visiting the town of Blackwater, in the centre of Duaringa, it is surprising to come across a spectacular Japanese garden, with its traditional stone lanterns and Japanese summer house, surrounded by the dry central Queensland landscape. The garden was built to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the link, and took 9 months in total to complete. During this time, 12 volunteers including gardeners and stonemasons were sent from Fujisawa, to work together with the local staff for only 9 days to complete the details of the garden. In addition to the garden, a Seminar House was built, to accommodate up to 16 visitors from Japan or other overseas guests, and is also a cultural and sporting centre with a lecture hall/meeting room. It was built out of a desire to create a base point for all exchange activities, with construction of the building provided by Fujisawa Town, and land donated by Duaringa. The garden and Seminar House project was the recipient of two Australian Sister Cities Association (ASCA) awards in 1998, for Best Single Project and Best Assistance to a Sister City.

Another joint initiative by the two cities, was a welcoming ceremony held for the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch relay, which saw the Olympic flame pass through Duaringa in June 2000. In answer to the request for traditional folk entertainment, Fujisawa sent 8 Junior high school students from the South Okago Shinto Performing Arts Society, who impressed locals and visitors alike with their traditional dancing and singing. To perform such a significant role so proficiently for the celebrations in Duaringa, most certainly gave these students great self-confidence, and an increased sense of pride in their small hometown.

In Japan and Australia alike, many rural and remote areas are suffering from the same serious issues such as rapid depopulation and regional economic decline. Despite these difficulties, small towns and villages such as Fujisawa and Duaringa are crossing borders and uniting, to encourage and assist one another in overcoming mutual setbacks.

The Fujisawa students who were lucky to take part in the
Olympic torch relay welcoming ceremony.

FACT FILE Fujisawa Town Population: 10,772 General Affairs Division, Fujisawa Town 105 Aza-Machiura, Fujisawa-cho, Iwate-ken 029-3405 Tel. (0191) 63-2111 Fax (0191) 63-5133 http://www.town.fujisawa.iwate.jp/english/english.htm

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