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Sister City: Devonport, Australia

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Since 1996, Minamata has had a formal sister city relationship with the city of Devonport in Tasmania, Australia.  Minamata and Devonport share a similar geography, climate, and population size, and both cities have a focus on environmentally-friendly city development. 

 

About Devonport


 Devonport is a beautiful port town located in the center of the northern coast of Tasmania, Australia.  It has a population of about 25,000 people and an area of 116 square kilometers (about two-thirds the size of Minamata). 

 

   Permanent settlements in the Mersey River area began around 1830, and by about 1851, four towns in the area developed with industries focused on ship building and lumbering.  These four towns merged in 1890 to form the town of Devonport.   With ferry service to the mainland of Australia beginning in 1959, Devonport became the gateway to the rest of Tasmania.  To this day, ferries sail back and forth between Melbourne and Devonport, and with the addition of an airport and a variety of other facilities,  Devonport continues to welcome a large number of tourists to Tasmania every year.

 

 Devonport became incorportated as a city in 1981, with its prinicipal industries consisting of textiles, lumber processing, food processing, and mineral refining; fruit and vegetable farming has also prospered. It is also in an important position within Tasmania as one of the island's centers of shipping. 

 

   An aura of natural beauty and tranquility permeates the town of Devonport.  It has a mild, comfortable climate, with the average daytime temperature in summer being 24℃ (75 °F) and that in winter being as high as 13℃ (55 °F).  There are natural forests is the area, and the coastline is dotted with rias (river valleys); part of the area is also registered as both a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

History of Sister City Relationship

 

Mutual exchange between the two cities began with the Minamata City Council's visit to Devonport in 1992, and continued to develop as the mayors of both cities and various groups of citizens made trips to their new partner city.  The relationship became official on February 27, 1996 when a ceremony to commemorate the formation of a sister city relationship was held in Devonport; a similar ceremony was held in Minamata on April 2 of the same year.

 

Among the reasons officials gave for establishing the relationship are: the cities' similar population sizes and geographies, their shared efforts in environmentally-friendly city development, the lack of a time difference, and the mild and comfortable climates both cities enjoy.  In addition, officials believed arranging exchanges with Devonport would be easier because it is located in a safe and peaceful region and it is in an English-speaking country.   

 

姉妹都市締結調印式


April, 1996: Ceremony to Commemorate the Establishment of Sister City Relations(Minamata)

 

 1992 Nov.  Five members of the Minamata City Council visit Devonport
 1993 Jul.The Mayor of Devonport and his wife visit Minamata
 Oct.

Four citizens from Minamata visit Devonport

 1994 Mar.The Minamata - Tasmania Society is founded.  The Minister of the Environment of Tasmania and five others visit Minamata.
 

 Sept.

   ~

 Oct.

First Minamata-Tasmania Friendship Visit

 1995

 Feb.

   ~

 Mar.

Second Minamata-Tasmania Friendship Visit. Mayors from both cities confer on the future of the cities' relationship, confirming that the exchanges are to be the beginnings of a sister city relationship.
  MayThe Minamata International Friendship Association (MIFA) is founded
 

 May

   ~

 Jun.

Members of the Minamata Board of Education make a preliminary visit to Devonport to investigate the possibility of sending junior high school students to Devonport for cultural exchange visits

Devonport hosts a calligraphy and photo exhibition of works made by Minamata Citizens

 

 Jul.

   ~

 Aug.

A group of junior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(15 people, including chaperones)

 1996 Feb.

Third Minamata - Tasmania Friendship Visit (27 members)
※ February 27,  Official Ceremony to Commemorate the Establishment of Sister City Relations is held in Devonport

An event is held in Devonport to introduce Minamata (Various panel displays about Minamata, as well as bamboo craftwork and pressed flower artwork, are exhibited)

  Apr.

A 21 member delegation from Devonport visits Minamata.

On April 2nd, Minamata's Official Ceremony to Commemorate the Establishment of Sister City Relations is held.

  Jul.

The first Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) is employed to Minamata City(from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)

 

 Jul.

   ~

 Aug.

A group of junior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(14 people, including chaperones)
 1997 Feb.A group of 44 citizens is sent from Minamata to Devonport on a Sister City cultural exchange mission
  Jul.

A CIR from Devonport is employed to Minamata City(3 years)

 

 Jul.

   ~

 Aug.

A group of junior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(15 people, including chaperones)

  Nov.

Bill Wilson, President of the Sister City Association in Devonport, visits Minamata

 1998 Feb.A Group of 29 citizens from Minamata visits Devonport on a sports and cultural exchange mission
  Apr.

A Cultural Exchange Delegation of 22 people visits Minamata from Devonport

 

 Jul.

   -

 Aug.

A group of junior and senior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(17 people, including chaperones)

  Nov.

Sister Cities Australia (SCA) awards Minamata and Devonport the National Sister Cities Award in the category of Cultural Exchange for the Arts & Crafts exhibition in Minamata City, organized by the Devonport Sister City Association and held in April 1998

 1999 Jan.2 High School Students from Devonport come to Minamata Senior High School for short-term study abroad
 

 May

   ~

 Jun.

Sister City Art Exhibit held in Minamata

(Joint exhibition by the Minamata City Art Association and Devonport-born painter Owen Gower Reid)

 

 Jul.

   ~

 Aug.

A group of junior and senior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(17 people, including chaperones)

  Sep.

A children's chorus croup from Devonport comes to Minamata

※ (Chorus members: 47, Parents and Chaperones: 15)

The chorus group has a joint concert with other chorus groups in Minamata; members of the group also have a homestay experience and visit local schools

姉妹都市音楽祭

Minamata-Devonport Sister City Music Festival(Minamata City Culture Hall)

  Nov.

Minamata City welcomes Devonport City faculty to Minamata for a Local Government Authority International Exchange Seminar

 2000

 Jul.

   ~

 Aug.

A group of junior and senior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(17 people, including chaperones)
  Nov.

Sister Cities Australia (SCA) awards Minamata and Devonport the national Sister Cities Award in the category of Cultural Exchange for the children's chorus cultural exchange project in 1999

 2001

 Jul.

   ~

 Aug.

A group of junior and senior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(17 people, including chaperones)

 2002 Jul.

   ~

 Aug.

A group of junior and senior high school students is sent from Minamata to Devonport on an international exchange mission(12 people, including chaperones)

 2004 Feb.Members of each city make and exchange posters to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the establishment of Sister City Relations
 2005 May

Peter Hollister, Mayor of Devonport, and 9 others visit Minamata

訪問団との交流

 

Socializing with residents in the Okawa area of Minamata

 2006 Feb.In Devonport, cherry tries are planted to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the establisment of Sister City Relations
 2007 Feb.In Minamata, a time capsule is burried and an Australian tree planted to commermorate the 10th Anniversary of the establisment of Sister City Relations
  Mar.

Mayor Miyamoto of Minamata and 29 others visit Devonport

 2008 Apr.A thirteen member group from Devonport makes an official visit to Minamata
 2009 Jun.Children in Minamata send Tanabata decorations to Devonport
 2010 Nov.A four member group from Devonport makes an official visit to Minamata
 2011 Nov.The Mayor of Minamata City and others write messages to Devonport for the "Lantern Dreams Festival"
  Dec.

Devonport hosts the "Lantern Dreams Festival"(Dec. 31)

 

ランタン・ドリームス・フェスティバル

In front of the message from the Mayor of Minamata

 2012 Sep.

A total of 353 illustrations were sent from elementary and junior high school students in Minamata to be used as placemats for a dinner party at the Sister Cities Australia Annual Conference

    ・Elementary School Submissions:(Daiichi Elementary: 217、Daini Elementary: 2、Suitou Elementary:10、Kuzuwatari Elementary: 50)

 ・Junior High School Submissions(Daiichi JHS: 6、Daini JHS: 68)

 2013 Mar.Four Junior High School Students and three chaperones from Minamata visit Devonport(Mar. 23~30)
 2014 Sep.

Exchange of horse-themed art

Elementary school students from each city create artwork and calligraphy based on the theme of horses. The two cities exchange their art and each host exhibitions.

    ・Minamata contributes 80 works, from four schools

    ・Devonport contributes 42 works

Each city exhibits the art in their respective city halls

2014091   2014092

 2016 Feb.

A time capsule, buried in February of 2007, is opened

2016021   2016022

  Apr.

Commemorating 20 years of Sister City Relations, a delegation from Devonport visits Minamata (8 members, including Mayor Martin)

2016041   2016042

                    At Eco Park                                  Experiencing a tea ceremony

 2017 Mar.

A delegation from Minamata visits Devonport (22 members including Mayor Nishida and City Council chairman Fukuda)

At the 20th anniversary commemoration ceremony, each Mayor signs a pledge to further promote cultural exchange between the two cities

As proof of 20 years of friendship, a plaque is unveiled in front of a cherry tree, planted in 2016 (pictured on the right)

       2017031                                                    2017032
At the signing of the 20th anniversary commemoration             Unveiling the 20th anniversary commemoration plaque

 2018 Apr.

24 students and 6 teachers from Devonport High School visit Minamata High School

2018041                        2018042
               At Yunoko Island                                   Recreation (hosted by the music and calligraphy clubs)

 2018

   -

 2019

 

Koinobori Project

Children from Minamata and Devonport each construct carp streamers, attach messages, and then exchange them

    ・Minamata contributes 154 and 141 streamers (2018-2019)

    ・Devonport contributes 143 streamers (2018)

The carp streamers are exhibited during the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of Minamata becoming a city

201820191   201820192

  

→ Inquiries

Coordinator of International Relations

Minamata City Hall Planning Division - Policy Promotion Office
Tel. 0966-61-1606

 

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