Commemorative events are being held both online and offline to celebrate the 40th anniversary of sister city relations between Kunming and Fujisawa, Japan from Nov 5 to 19 in Kunming. The events have a theme of inheriting traditional culture and maintaining friendship among the people.
On the morning of Nov 5, a video conference on the 40th anniversary of sister city relations between Kunming and Fujisawa was held. The city leaders of both sides had a courtesy meeting and a video exchange between relevant departments and people from both sides was held.
“Kunming is willing to work with Fujisawa to deepen cooperation in areas such as education, culture, sports, tourism, and medical care,” said Yang Zhengxiao, director of the Standing Committee of Kunming Municipal People's Congress. “We should actively promote exchanges between youth and non-governmental organizations.”
Tsuneo Suzuki, mayor of Fujisawa, said the beginning of the friendship between the two cities was thanks to Nie Er and the government, adding that delegations sent on every five-year anniversary have deepened cooperation in culture, sports, and economics.
He also expressed his gratitude to Kunming for donating medical supplies to Fujisawa during the epidemic. He gave good wishes for the future of the two cities and hoped that their friendly relationship will continue to grow.
In the afternoon, an exhibition commemorating the anniversary debuted in the Kunming Fujisawa Friendship Hall, which was jointly donated by the two cities. It is scheduled to remain open to the public for two weeks.
“The epidemic has severely affected the development and exchanges of countries around the world, but the general trend of opening up and cooperation among countries has not changed,” said Jin Jing, Secretary-General of the Yunnan People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. “International sister cities should strengthen their unity, create opportunities in opening up, and deepen cooperation.”
An exchange session for showcasing the culture of both sides was also held. A Japanese flower arrangement performance, a video of Fujisawa's commemorative activities, a Chinese handicraft demonstration, and a Japanese tea ceremony were highlighted.
On Nov 5, 1981, Fujisawa and Kunming became sister cities, making Kunming the first city in Yunnan to establish such relations. Yunnan now has 103 sister cities that are paired with cities in 36 countries.
