CC SR 20220802 04 - Sister City Status Update
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 08/02/2022
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to receive a status report on the City’s sister city
relationship with the City of Sakura City.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file a status update on the City’s sister city relationship with Sakura
City
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
REVIEWED BY: Same as above
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
A sister city is a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in two
countries. Sister City relationships help to foster community engagement, and often
include local residents, volunteers, and elected officials in ongoing partnership activities.
On August 4, 2020, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and Sakura City, Japan signed an
agreement establishing a sister city partnership live in an innovative virtual celebration.
On August 4, 2021, both cities marked the one-year anniversary of the formation of their
sister city relationship with an innovative in-person/virtual event that brought together both
cities with guest speakers, music and dance performances, cultural exchange videos, the
unveiling of a sister city directional sign at RPV City Hall, and the presentation of a
Japanese commemorative stamp collection.
Over the past two years, Sakura City and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes have come
together for interactive webinars, sharing local traditions, and celebrating their
international friendship on an annual basis.
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This year, Sakura City has taken the lead to commemorate the second anniversary as
sister cities. On August 4, 2022, Sakura City will host a small community event at the
House Takizawa, a venue in Sakura City. Although the City of Rancho Palos Verdes is
unable to participate in-person, the event will be made available through Zoom. The event
will be live-streamed and recoded through the Zoom platform for those interested in
watching live. The event will also be recorded and uploaded to the City website at
rpvca.gov/sistercity and aired on RPVtv channel 33 and Fios 38.
Sakura City’s event will feature music, and a lesson in traditional Japanese dance.
Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Bradley will open the ceremony with a few words, followed
by a brief video, created by RPVtv’ s Maria Serrao, highlighting City events hosted over
the past year and finally, special guest Yugo Maeda will perform. Yugo, a 10-year-old
violin virtuoso who was born in Japan and moved to RPV when he was 6, was honored
by the City Council at its July 19 meeting for his achievements in music performance.
Yugo has earned the grand prize at the Satori Summer Music Festival, first prize at the
Odin International Music Competition, and top prize at the Opus Music State Competition.
Both cities are currently planning a grand celebration in August 2023 commemorating
both the three-year sister city anniversary and Rancho Palos Verdes’ 50th anniversary.
Additional details will be announced in the coming months.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
On July 8, 2022, Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died from injuries after he
was shot while delivering a speech at a political event. In a gesture of kindness and
solidarity, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes reached out with a card signed by City Council
to Sakura City to share our condolences for their loss and will additionally follow-up with
flowers.
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