2009 Manly/Odawara Student Exchange Programme
Manly Council can confirm that this year’s student exchange program between Manly and the region of Odawara in Japan has been cancelled due to ongoing concerns regarding the spread of H1N1 influenza (Human Swine Flu).
Authorities in Odawara made the hard decision to cancel the trip following directives from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Kanagawa Prefectural Government.
It is with regret that Manly Council has had to accept this outcome but we understand the decision was made in the light of sound government advice and in the interests of the health and safety of all students and their families.
It has been proposed that an educational and learning experience can still be achieved through a “virtual exchange” whereby students have the opportunity to meet each other through video conferencing and share information about cultures and lifestyles.
This is the first time our two cities have had to cancel a student exchange after 18 years of this annual event but we look forward to the project resuming in 2010.
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Manly Council's Sister Cities Committee is made up of two Councillors and citizen representatives with the function and responsibility to consider all matters relating to the maintenance and establishment of goodwill with Council's established Sister Cities. The Committee reports and recommends to Council.
Functions and responsibilities:
- to create goodwill and better understanding between the peoples of the world through 'people to people' contact
- to foster international understanding
- to consider all matters relating to the maintenance and establishment of goodwill with Council's established Sister Cities
- to contribute towards the growth of understanding and co-operation between the peoples of different nations through promoting close interchanges in the fields of education, culture, the arts, sport and commerce, by:
- promoting community awareness of the existence of Sister City affiliations
- promoting community awareness of the objectives of the Sister City affiliations
- fostering the exchange of information, literature and people between the respective communities
- to act as a nucleus and co-ordinating body to establish an on-going programme of liaison with Sister City affiliates
- to co-ordinate the establishment of contacts in respective communities through dissemination of literature, introduction of people with common interest and to seek financial assistance and sponsorship to promote the objectives of the Sister Cities affiliations.
You can view the magnificent gifts from our Sister Cities on display at Manly Library
Manly Council's Sister Cities Committee
Council’s Sister Cities Committee meet the fourth Wednesday of each month.
Committee members comprise of two Councillors, Japanese language teachers representing local schools, community volunteers and a Council administration staff member.
Council’s Sister Cities Coordinator can be contacted on 9976 1697.
Sister City Relationships
Taito Ku
Manly and Taito Ku formed a Sister City relationship in 1982.
Taito Ku is one of the 23 wards of Japan's capital city Tokyo.
The idea to form a Sister City relationship between Manly and Taito Ku was proposed in 1980 by Japanese artist Masami Yamada on the occasion of his first exhibition held at the Manly Art Gallery & Museum. The suggestion was quickly followed up by Taito Ku City officials who visited Manly in 1981.
Visits of children, students, bands, choirs, orchestras, welfare groups and community groups between the two cities have all been part of the relationship.
Odawara
Manly and Odawara formed a Friendship City Relationship in 1990.
A reciprocal student exchange programme is held each year with the Tokimeki International School in Odawara.
Jing’an
Manly and Jing’an formed a sister city relationship in 2000.
A reciprocal student exchange programme was established with students visiting Manly and Jing’an alternate years.
Bath
Manly has longstanding historical links to Bath. Captain Arthur Phillip, who named ‘Manly’, was a resident of Bath and was the first colonial governor of New South Wales.
Manly Council has hosted regular cricket matches with the Lansdown Cricket Club from Bath since 1988 with the eighth visit to Manly in March 2005, however, no cricket match was played on this occasion.
Haeundae Gu, Pusan
The Sister City Relationship with Haeundae Gu, Pusan in Korea was established in 1994.
(inactive at present)
Yeongdo-gu, Busan
Yeongdo-gu Friendship Relationship was established on 29 May 2009. The agreement is based upon the shared desire to pursue friendly relations and promote cooperation and understanding.
Gunnedah
The Friendship Relationship with Gunnedah was established in 2005. Gunnedah and Manly share a famous citizen, poet Dorothea Mackellar, who was a resident of both communities. Gunnedah is 478 kilometres North West of Sydney and as 'Koala Capital of the World' has one the largest and healthiest Koala colonies in Australia.
Bilateral exchanges between our two communities is envisaged including education, environmental management, sport, literature and the arts.