Find out what is happening with Christchurch's international relations programme in 2008 by viewing the Events Calendar 2008 [45KB] Get free PDF reader
Christchurch citizens are invited to join a Citizen's Delegation to Kurashiki, Japan to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of our special sister city relationship the weekend of 18-19 October in Kurashiki.
Mayor Bob Parker will lead a Civic Delegation from Christchurch to the official celebrations and a Christchurch student exchange delegation will also be in Kurashiki for the weekend celebration.
See full details of the Citizen's Delegation Tour, which has a unique homestay option for 3 nights and will include a day trip to Hiroshima Peace Park and a stop off at Universal Studios in Osaka.
Over the next few weeks Mayor Bob Parker will be leading a delegation of Canterbury business and education leaders to China to strengthen existing ties and form new partnerships in the vast and rapidly growing Chinese market.
Keep up with the Mayor's travels in our sister city Gansu, the home of Rewi Alley, and a friendship city relationship with Wuhan.
Read the media releases.
The University of Canterbury will host a training programme for high ranking Government officials from Gansu province, China, in September.
Gansu Government officials announced the new pilot training programme during a visit to Christchurch's sister province, Gansu this week by Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker and a delegation including representatives of the University of Canterbury.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker yesterday (14 April) visited Lanzhou City University, which with a roll of 17,000 students, has evolved from a small school founded in 1942 by Rewi Alley, one of Christchurch's most famous sons and a legend in China.
Mayor Parker and his delegation will now return to Beijing, having been there last week, when NZ became the first developed country to sign a comprehensive FTA with China on Monday, 7 April.
Lincoln University and Canterbury University will give presentations at one of the two Beijing conferences the delegation will attend - one of doing business in China and the second on bringing products from science to market, Later this week the delegation will visit Wuhan, which has a Friendship Relationship with Christchurch. See the full media release and photo.A handful of Christchurch photographers are celebrating life on the other side of the camera, as their entries to the 2007 Kurashiki Sister City Photomural Competition were returned to their home city last week and exhibited at the Christchurch Polytechnic of Information Technology (CPIT).
The local works of art were among the winning 60 out of 700 entries, selected from the 2007 Kurashiki Sister City Photomural Competition in Japan.
Over thirty entries by Christchurch photographers were sent by the Christchurch Kurashiki Sister City Committee, to Japan for the annual competition. Five of these talented photographers submitted winning artwork and are now reaping their rewards, with their work hanging on display in the Rakaia Centre of the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) over the next four months.
A group of 22 Linwood College students and 3 of their teachers are about to leave on the College's fourth exchange visit to Twynham School in Christchurch, Dorset in England, where they will be hosted by the members of Twynham School who visited New Zealand in 2007. There are two major tours planned along with participation in the Christchurch Wine and Food Festival where Canterbury has a stand . There will be over 50,000 visitors to this festival so it will be a good test of the students customer service skills.
Read more of the group's plans.
On Friday February 22, 10 students and two teachers will leave Christchurch bound for Songpa-Gu as the reciprocal sister city homestay exchange. The students will be hosted by families from the Songpa-Gu area in an exchange organised by Songpa-Gu Office, and will spend 10 days soaking in the atmosphere of one of Korea's most exciting cities. This is the first time that this exchange has occurred and follows on from a very successful inaugural visit by children from Songpa-Gu last year.
Read the stories (and see the photos) of 15 Students, along with two leaders, who went on the 2007 Student Exchange to Kurashiki.
Students of Palmerston North's International Pacific College's Japanese drumming group visited Christchurch in December 07 to perform free concerts at various locations throughout the city including a performance at the Kurashiki Garden at Halswell Quarry Park.
Deputy Mayor Norm Withers is to host a function to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the birth of Rewi Alley on Sunday, 2 December.
A Christchurch Boys' High School old boy who spent 60 years working in China, Rewi Alley became famous in the 1930s and 1940s for his humanitarian work for the Chinese people
Recently historic footage restored by the Christchurch Video Camera Club of Alley shot in Beijing two weeks before his death in 1987, will be given its first public showing.
Guests include His Excellency Zhang Yuanyuan, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, a delegation from Gansu Province (a sister city of Christchurch), relatives of Alley and members of the local Chinese community.
There will also be a performance of songs depicting the life of Alley and Professor Emeritus Bill Willmott will speak on Rewi Alley's life.
Marcia Jones and Scott Hay are currently living in Gansu as part of the Gansu Ambassador Programme. They have had an amazing experience so far and are both very grateful for the warm hospitality the people of Lanzhou have shown them.
Marcia and Scott are attending classes at Lanzhou University and have visited many sites of cultural and historical interest around Gansu Province.
Read more of what Marcia and Scott have been doing in Marcia's blog, which includes some pictures of Gansu.
The NZ Under 19 Schoolboys Soccer Team will play 2 games in Songpa-gu against Boin High School on 3 October and Garak High School on 5 October as part of the first U19 Korean Tour. The games have been organised by Songpa-gu Office through the sister cities programme. One of the team's 5 nights in Songpa-gu will be spent with the Boin Team at Boin High School.
The inaugural Springtime in Japan 14 day Guided Tour will visit Christchurch's sister city Kurashiki and take in a range of sister cities in Honshu and Hokkaido. Using the sister city network, the tour aims to give the general public the opportunity to experience a country and culture not always considered easily accessible to Kiwis.
The 2008 Adelaide Arts Festival will be held from 29th February to 16th March. The Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts will boldly affirm Adelaide as the pre-eminent cultural destination in Australia. It is the place which every two years, artists and audiences from across the country and region, flock to experience examples of the greatest art of our time.
All details of the festival will be released on Thursday 25 October 2007.
William Morris was one of the greatest pattern designers of all time who became the most influential British interior designer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Morris & Co exhibition, the largest collection of these world famous furnishings ever seen in this country, will run mid March to end June 2008 at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu and is toured by Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. It is planned for some Adelaide artists to travel with the exhibition.
Two local young people, Scott Hay and Marcia Jones, have now been chosen to spend four months this year in Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu, from early September to late December as part of an annual training programme, funded by the Gansu provincial government.
During their time there they will attend university, learning Mandarin and being immersed in the culture and history of China, spend time in the Gansu Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, and visit various sites of cultural and historical interest in the Province.
They will have the opportunity to learn basic Mandarin, be introduced to amazing Chinese history, eat some of the best food in the world and tour sites of interest within Gansu Province. One of last year's participants said "…it really was a once in a lifetime experience, which has given me a much deeper and broader knowledge of China and its people".
Scott intends putting together a blog, which he will update most days. It will have a link to this website, so watch this space!
Students 6-18 years .... enter the Wuhan Painting & Calligraphy Exhibition, August - September '07
In 2006 Wuhan held an international painting competition, and invited entries from all the cities it has sister city and friendship city relationships with. This year, it has expanded this competition to include calligraphy, and is now calling for entries. Read more ...
The three Seattle Scholars have just been chosen for the annual exchange to Seattle. They are Nick Stone of St Bedes, Michaela Jones of Villa Maria and Joanna Thorpe of Burnside. They will go to Seattle in the third week of September. Read more ....
The three Seattle Scholars have just been chosen for the annual exchange to Seattle. They are Nick Stone of St Bedes, Michaela Jones of Villa Maria and Joanna Thorpe of Burnside. They will go to Seattle in the third week of September. Read more ....
Applications are now sought from Christchurch residents for this year's Gansu International Sister City Exchange Programme.
In 2006, in order to further develop and promote exchanges, understanding and co-operation in various fields between Gansu Province and Christchurch City, the Gansu Provincial Government launched this programme, to become an annual project. Gansu Province has 33 sister city relationships. Read more ...
The inaugural Songpa Homestay Exchange will see 10 Songpa students, children of Songpa-gu Office staff, aged 10 to 15, years being home-hosted by students of Chisnallwood and Kirkwood Intermediates from 30 July to 6 August. The group will be led by Songpa-gu International Relations Manager Mr Cho and staff member Mr Kim. Songpa-gu will reciprocate next year, hosting a group of Christchurch children.
Three Songpa-gu sister school groups will visit Christchurch between 23 July and 13 August. Songpa Middle School will formalise a sister school relationship with Casebrook Intermediate and welcome the Principal, Deputy Principal and students; Middleton Grange will host the Principal, 2 teachers and 10 students from sister school Ogum High School and Chisnallwood Intermediate will host the Principal, 2 teachers and students from sister school Gawon Middle School, 25 July to 13 August.
Seeking Christchurch photographers for the 2007 Kurashiki Sister City Photomural Competition, June 2007
Read the article and download the entry form.
The Vice Mayor of Wuhan, China, Mr Hu Xukun, will present a 300kg chime bell to Christchurch at a gift bestowal ceremony on Friday 13 July.
Hosted by the Christchurch City Council, the ceremony is taking place as part of Wuhan's sister city delegation visit to Christchurch from 12 -14 July. Read more and see the chime bell.
The Christchurch-Seattle Sister City committee invites applications from Year 13 students at Christchurch Secondary Schools for an exciting two week homestay, from approximately 22 September to 9 October with American families, in Christchurch's Sister City of Seattle, Washington State. Two students will be selected and a travel subsidy is available.
Read more
The Christchurch – Kurashiki Sister City Committee are looking for volunteers, who work with people with physical disabilities, to home host one or two Japanese people for two nights (10 and 11 November). These visitors are between the ages of 23 and 40 and also work with people with physical disabilities. View the host requirements.
A photography exhibition on the city of Wuhan will opened by Mayor Garry Moore on Tuesday, 19 June at 4pm at Our City O-Tautahi, cnr Worcester Blvd and Oxford Tce. The exhibition is entitled "From the heart of China – images of an ancient city's journey to a modern metropolis" and will include 100 photographs of the old and the new Wuhan.
Mr Chen Jiahua, Deputy Director, Wuhan Popular Art Centre and Mr Zhan Biliu of the Wuhan Photography Association will also be present at the opening.
Read more
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens was officially established at a small signing ceremony on Friday 8 June.
Dr David Mabberley, Director of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens in Seattle, joined Council Transport and Greenspace Unit Manager Michael Aitken to sign the MOU at the Townsend House in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
The idea of a MOU between the two Botanic Gardens was pursued a few years ago during a Mayoral visit to Seattle - one of Christchurch's seven sister cities. It was suggested there would be real value in formalising the relationship between the sister cities' botanic gardens in order to facilitate academic and scientific exchange as well as establish partnership projects.
Read more.
14 students from 10 Christchurch schools have been selected for the 2007 Kurashiki Student Exchange, many of whom will host students from Kurashiki when they visit the city later this month. At the end of September the students will head to Kurashiki for around 2 weeks, where they will homestay, attend local high schools and experience the sites of and life in Kurashiki.
View further details and photos.
From 23 April - 14 May 2008, 25 Students, 3 teachers and 6 or 7 accompanying adults are to visit Christchurch, England. Read more
Linwood College hosts sister school Twynham College students from Christchurch, Dorset, April 07 Read more
Renowned Christshurch Sculptor and Professor Waturu Hamasaka of Japan are collaborating in a joint exhibition in Kurashiki. Read more
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| Competition Winner Anna McLachlan with her winning entry |
St Margaret's College student Anna McLachlan (right) is the winner of this year's Christchurch Sister Cities Young Artists Competition, organised by International Christchurch Youth (ICY).
Her entry, So Far, Yet So Close, was judged the winner because it "addressed the theme of the competition accurately and showed a mature attention to detail in its execution".
Anna says a computer mouse inspired her art work, leading to the idea of the world being accessible through technology. "To integrate countries of the world I used the words ‘so far, yet so close' in different languages, to represent the mouse cord. My background is a map of the world which also integrates the countries."
Anna's artwork is on display as a part of the Christchurch Sister Cities Young Artists Exhibition at the Christchurch Art Gallery 20 March to 15 April.
Anna's artwork will be couriered to Washington to enter the 2007 Sister Cities International Young Artists Showcase.
See the media release for more info …
Applications are sought from Year 10 students for the 2007 Christchurch Kurashiki Student Exchange programme. Read more ...
A Seattle husband and wife team, Mike and Donna James, will arrive in Christchurch in early April, and spend six days in the city.
They have been hired by the Seattle Channel for various projects, one of which is making documentaries of several of Seattle's sister cities.
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| Title: Global Citizenship – More than a Badge Artist: Erin Jackson |
Theme: An Open and Accessible World for All
Entry Deadline: Thursday, 15 March
Exhibition: Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetu
Date: Tuesday, 20 March to Sunday, 15 April 2007
Artists must be between 13 and 18 years of age on 30 April 2007. Fantastic prizes from the Drawing Room & Drive Thru
Winning entry couriered to Washington, DC & entered in the Sister Cities International Young Artists Showcase 2007: 10 finalists will be awarded US$300 each, a certificate & their artwork will tour the USA
Erin Jackson, St Margaret's College was the 2006 Christchurch winner and International Finalist. Her artwork ‘Global Citizenship – More than a Badge' is currently touring the USA with the other 9 finalists.
Entrants will be contacted regarding the opening event at the Christchurch Art Gallery. For more information see attached poster/brochure (PDF 410KB).
So get drawing, painting, sketching or photographing and encourage your brothers, sisters and friends to enter this great competition and have your/their artwork displayed at our city art gallery!
An exhibition of 42 large photomurals will be displayed at the Christchurch Polytechnic's Administration building's atrium from late January until June 2007. The photomurals are from a larger exhibition of over 80 murals which Kurashiki holds each year. Read more ...
Two Kurashiki students Airi Hayashi and Misaki Onishi (both aged 16), along with their mothers, will travel to Christchurch from 6-16 March 2007. They will be hosted by the Christchurch – Kurashiki Sisiter City Committee with assistance from Sport Canterbury and KiwiAble. The visit is kindly sponsored by Independent Fisheries, Christchurch, who have agreed to sponsor visits both to and from Christchurch/Kurashiki each alternate year.
This is the third exchange in this successful programme.
For more information about the past exchanbes see the winning youth category entry in the 2006 Sister Cities Air NZ Awards.
The Christchurch Gansu Friendly Relations Committee is sending Alison Regan to teach for three to six months at the Lanzhou Foreign Languages High School, as part of an on-going programme of educational exchange.
Alison will be the eighth teacher the committee has sent in a programme that our friends in China describe as the best part of our sister relationship. She will leave Thursday, February 22nd for Lanzhou via Hong Kong and Xi'an.
Alison is a well qualified and experienced teacher, having a BA from Canterbury, a Diploma of Teaching, an MA in Classics, and a BD from Otago. She taught English and classics for nearly twenty years before completing a Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) in 2003 and has been an ESOL tutor ever since.
Alison will be staying in a flat on the school campus in Lanzhou, capital of our sister province of Gansu, an industrial city of three million on the Yellow River.
Find out what happened with Christchurch's sister cities in 2006 by viewing the Events Calendar (2006) [58KB] Get free PDF reader
On 31 October 28 11-12 year olds, 3 teachers and 2 parents from Hawthorndene School arrived in Christchurch.
Full Story
Marcus Patman from Lincoln High School has won a prize in the Wuhan's 'Sister City Young People's Art Exhibition' for his painting 'Tranquility'.
Sister cities of Wuhan, China, were invited to send artworks from students aged 6 to 15 and Christchurch was delighted to be able to send 7 artworks from students of Christchurch East School and one artwork from Marcus Patman, who had previously been recognised in the Christchurch Sister Cities Young Artists Competitions in both 2005 and 2006.
11 children and 11 adults, including three teachers arrived in Christchurch on 11 October from Direk School in Adelaide. During their 12 days here they will be home hosted by families at Oaklands School. The schools have undertaken annual alternate exchanges since 1990.
Full Story.
10 Councillors, 4 staff and a reporter from Christchurch's Korean sister city Songpa-gu will visit Christchurch 16-17 October, as part of an overseas tour.
Full Story.
On Friday September 29th, 13 Christchurch year ten students will leave for Japan on a two week exchange to Kurashiki Japan, one of Christchurch's 6 Sister Cities.
The students selected come from 8 high schools in the Christchurch Area, and are taking Japanese as one of their subjects at school.
Full Story.
Letitia Stenburg (Christchuch Girls High School), Ben Spink (Burnside High School) and Gabrielle Petheram (Avonside Girls), all excellent young ambassadors and worthy representativess from our city, have returned from a 2 week visit to Seattle, having left Christchurch for Seattle on 19 September.
Full Story.
On 1 September 2006, the Gansu government will launch the inaugural annual five month International Sister City Trainees programme at Lanzhou University for representatives from its 20 sister cities. One person has been invited from each of their sister cities to be part of this programme, although in the case of Christchurch, because of our 22 year relationship, and the importance they place on it, they are allowing us to send two trainees.
Full Story.
The Principal, 2 teachers and 14 students of Ogum High School, Songpa-gu were hosted by Middleton Grange International College and Middleton Grange School from 16-20 August 06.
Full Story.
Each year the Christchurch-Gansu Friendly Relations committee sends one or two teachers to the Lanzhou Foreign Language Secondary School in Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province. Lara Prince of Christchurch has been chosen as the teacher for 2006, and she will start teaching at the school in mid August.
Full Story.
The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Michael Harbison, will visit Christchurch in late July 2006. this will be the Lord Mayor's first visit to Christchurch.
Full Story.
Kurashiki have invited Christchurch photographers to submit photographs with the theme 'Brilliance' for the Kurashiki Photomural '06 Display. This is the third year the display will be held but the first time Kurashiki has invited their sister cities to submit photographs for the Photomural Display.
Full Story.
Sister City Relationship Gains Momentum...
Christchurch's sister City relationship with Kurashiki, Japan takes another step forward this year with an artistic collaborative venture between sculptors Graham Bennett and Professor Wataru Hamasaka. These two artists, both highly regarded in their respective countries, will exhibit together in an exhibition entitled 'Ishi' at the Arthouse, Christchurch from 22 August to 10 September 2006.
Full Story
Supported by the Christchurch Songpa-gu Sister City Committee and NZTE, Seoul David Bolam-Smith represented Canterbury House Winery at the expo, promoted the Canterbury region on the NZTE stand and gave a presentation on Canterbury wines during the expo.
Full Story
Christchurch is delighted to be submitting 7 entries to the Sister Cities Air New Zealand Awards 2006 in two categories Youth, Education or School project and Culture, Sport or Recreation Project.
The first prize is $2500 of air travel from Air New Zealand and the second prize is $500 of air travel.
The results will be announced at the Sister Cities Air NZ Awards Dinner in Wellington on 10 May.
Category 1 - Youth, Education or School project:
'Kurashiki Disabled Persons' Exchange' WINNER
Trisha Ventom, Justin Muschamp, Tania McKenzie and the Christchurch Kurashiki Sister City Committee
Merrin School Exchange with Se Ryun School, Songpa
Mary Johnson, Christchurch Songpa-Gu Sister City Committee
A Year of Significant Progress
International Christchurch Youth
Wook Jin Lee, International Christchurch Youth (ICY)
Category 2 - Culture, Sport of Recreation Project:
'Christchurch to Christchurch and back again'
Marlene Le Cren, Christchurch England Sister City Committee
Photo Mural exhibition
Keith Nicholson, Christchurch, Kurashiki Sister City Committee
Ikebana Exchange with Kurashiki Ikebana Chapter
Ikebana Association in Christchurch and the Christchurch Kurashiki Sister City Committee
A celebration of 10 years of friendship
Christchurch Songpa-gu Sister City Committee
Sally Buck, Christchurch Songpa-gu Sister City Committee
Here's hoping ...
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Christchurch, New Zealand – Christchurch, England relationship planning is underway to head to the UK to celebrate this exciting achievement. You are invited to join with other citizens, Sister City Committee members and others to be a part of this group.
More information [683KB free PDF reader]
More Information [44KB free PDF reader]
Application Pack [537KB free PDF reader]
Two Christchurch students Stephen Krammer (17 years) and Kerri Bonner (18 years), their 2 caregivers and 2 disability advisers Justin Muschamp from Sport Canterbury and Tricia Ventom, Kiwiable Co-ordinator, will travel to Kurashiki from 14-24 April and will be hosted by the Kurashiki Disabled Persons’ International Exchange Association.
The visit is kindly sponsored by Independent Fisheries, Christchurch, who also sponsored a reciprocol exchange when two young people from Kurashiki and their caregivers visited Christchurch in February 2005.
Herman McKinney, a notable community leader from Christchurch’s Sister City Seattle, is coming to Christchurch to speak to local residents about race relations at Christchurch Cathedral on Race Relations Day, 21 March.
During the mid-1990s Mr McKinney established a forum called It’s Time to Talk which is both the name and theme of the evening later this month.
Full Story
A slice of Japanese photographical talent currently hangs in the Christchurch Polytechnic Administration Building's atrium, and Christchurch residents may yet be able to see the whole 2006 exhibition if a suitable home can be found.
Full Story
Members of the Christchurch Kurashiki sister city committee, their families and friends will join together in the Kurashiki garden to weed and then socialise. Committee members can often be seen tending the plants in the garden - weeding, watering and planting new species. Anyone is welcome to join them this Sunday.
Further info:
Contact committee chairman, Malcolm Harris on malgharris@hotmail.com.
To celebrate Korea Day (1 March 2006), the Christchurch Korean Society will host, for the first time in Christchurch, the World Strongman Ssireum Competition. Ssireum is a traditional Korean sport that dates back a hundred years. It involves two contestants attempting to throw their opponent to the ground.
The major distinction between Ssireum and other combat sports like judo or wrestling, is the objective - if a competitor can force any part of the opponent's body above the knee to touch the ground, the competitor wins the bout.
The competition, along with a variety of other Korean entertaintment by traditionally dressed Koreans, and a host of food stalls will be held in Cathedral Square from 11am to 3pm on Saturday, 4 March.
Korea Day Program and Introduction [57KB free PDF reader]
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Christchurch/Seattle sister city relationship, a delegation of 21 people led by Pat Grant, Vice President of the Seattle Christchurch Sister City Association, is currently visiting Christchurch.
While here the group will attend an anniversary ceremony at the Seattle Garden at Halswell Quarry Park, at which time a carved totem and seat will be officially handed over to Christchurch.
Another appointment on the delegation's calendar is to hold discussions with Canterbury Museum about the possibility of it formalising a relationship with the Burke Museum in Seattle.
The group will also visit several schools, the Antarctic Centre, Deep Freeze and the Air Force Museum.
An official dinner will be held on 23 February at the Canterbury Club.
Further info about the delegation and its itinerary:
CCC International Relations Coordinator Dave Adamson 941 8775
From 21st to 25th February Merrin School will host the Principal Kwak, 3 teachers and 29 students from SeRyun Elementary School, Songpa-gu, Korea. This is Principal Kwak's first visit to Christchurch but the third SeRyun group the school has hosted.
The visit began with a Welcome Assembly where words and gifts were exchanged, songs sung and Merrin pupils performed to their Korean friends.
The group will homestay with Merrin School families and while in Christchurch will experience the city, the coutryside and the sea. They will be officially welcomed to the City at the Civic Offices by Cr Pat Harrow and will visit a farm, ride the tram, tour the city centre, and swim at QEII Park.
SeRyun hosted Merrin Principal, teachers, students and a number of parents in September last year and many of the friendships made then are being renewed.
The strong sister school relationship between Merrin and SeRyun started six years ago and in that time Merrin has visited SeRyun twice. The next exchange will see Merrin pupils visit SeRyun in 2007.
For further information contact Merrin School ph. 358 8369
The Christchurch Gansu Friendly Relations Committee is sending Robyn Woodham to teach for three to six months at the Lanzhou Foreign Languages High School, as part of an on-going programme of educational exchange. Robyn will be the seventh teacher the committee has sent in a programme that our friends in China describe as the best part of our sister relationship. She will leave Saturday, February 25th for Lanzhou via Beijing.
Robyn is a well qualified and experienced teacher of English as a second language, having completed a BA at Canterbury U, then a Certificate of English language teaching to adults (CELTA) at the Christchurch College of English. She taught English for three years in Japan at Ohda Senior High School, Shimane Prefecture, where her colleagues and students gave her high praise for her skills and dedication. Most recently she has been teaching at Christchurch International College for a year and a half.
Robyn will be staying in a flat on the school campus in Lanzhou, capital of our sister province of Gansu, an industrial city of three million on the Yellow River.
For more information about Gansu, the sister city relationship and the exchanges that take place see www.christchurch.org.nz/sistercities/gansuprovince.
The highly popular My Place exhibition of sixty eight photographs by photographer Bruce Connew, and accompanying texts that reveal the lives and ambitions of Christchurch and its people, will be exhibited in the main foyer of the Adelaide Town Hall from 1 February – 17 March 2006. The exhibition was opened by Lord Mayor Michael Harbison on Wednesday, 1 February 2006.
Deborah McCormick, Deputy Chair of The Christchurch Adelaide Sister City Committee says "It is a real coup to be exhibiting New Zealand art in a South Australian venue. Adelaide is known as a premier cultural centre and by exhibiting there we are showcasing New Zealand photography to an Australian and international audience. As a gesture of friendship and reciprocity to one of our closest Sister Cities this exhibition is a reflection of commonality in terms of diversity of our communities in post colonial Australasia – a sort of trans Tasman mate-ship".
This is the first time this exhibition has toured outside of New Zealand. Touring this exhibition to Adelaide is a joint initiative of the Christchurch/Adelaide Sister City Committee and the Adelaide City Council in conjunction with CoCA and The Christchurch Arts Festival.
See further details of the exhibition on the Adelaide City Council website.
Tickets are still available for Christchurch residents to travel as part of an official sister-city tenth anniversary tour 'Taste of Korea' to Songpa-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
The Christchurch-Songpa-Gu Sister City Committee is organising the tour for around 15 people. While a number of tickets have been sold, there are still places left on the tour, which leaves on 29 September and arrives back in Christchurch on 7 October.
Expressions of interest should be made as soon as possible to Mary Yoon on 341 0114. Ms Yoon, a Korean born New Zealander and chair of the Christchurch Songpa-Gu Sister City Committee, will lead the tour.
As well as the chance to experience Songpa-Gu's spectacular Hanseong Baekje Festival, tourists will take in the sights of Seoul; visit a Korean folk village; experience real Korean hospitality by staying with a Korean family for two nights; and have three free days to do a wide variety of activities in and around Seoul.
For further information contact Sue McFarlane, International Relations Co-ordinator, Christchurch City Council (email Sue.McFarlane@ccc.govt.nz or ph. 941 8959).
As well as the 'Taste of Korea tour to Songpa at the time of Songpa-gu's Baekjae Festival, two other Christchurch groups will be visiting Songpa-Gu to help celebrate the tenth anniversary. Hillmorton High School's Kapahaka group will perform in Songpa-Gu's Baekje Festival before travelling to Kurashiki, Japan for the city's International Friendship Day and to Jeonju, Korea's International Festival. A Merrin School group will also travel to Songpa-Gu to visit its sister school, Se Ryun Primary School, on 26 September.
In November, a number of Korean visitors will make the return trip to Christchurch for the opening of ‘Alchemy of Daily Life'(18 November- 26 February 06), the first contemporary art exhibition from Korea to visit New Zealand.
A tenth anniversary dinner will be held at the Christchurch Art Gallery on 18 November involving an official delegation from Songpa-Gu. The following day, a Korean Festival is planned for Cathedral Square, which will include a performance by a cultural group from Korea.
Other activities planned to mark the tenth anniversary in Christchurch include a trade delegation to Seoul from 17-22 October; a new sister-school link between Chisnallwood Intermediate, Christchurch and Gawon Middle School, Songpa-Gu; and repainting of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge in the Sister Cities Gardens at Halswell Quarry Park. Favourite New Zealand children's books were also sent to the Seoul English Language Village earlier this year.
For further information about the Christchurch- Songpa-Gu sister city relationship visit www.christchurch.org.nz/sistercities or contact Sue McFarlane, International Relations Co-ordinator, Christchurch City Council (email Sue.McFarlane@ccc.govt.nz or ph. 941 8959).
A group from Aranui High School have just experienced a 'once in a lifetime opportunity' with a trip to their sister school Ogum High School in Songpa-gu. Bruce Darnill (Business Manager, Aranui), Siobhan Murphy (head of Social Sciences), Gary Porteous (Head of Academics), Alyssa Lloyde (year 10 student), Samm McPherson (Year 10), Eddie Templeton (Year 10), Liam Hayward (Year 6 at Richmond Primary) departed Christchurch spent a week in Songpa-gu in July, hosted by their sister school Ogeum. Read the article they submitted to Aranui High School's newsletter.
See the report on the Aranui High School group's visit.
International Christchurch Youth (ICY) launched their latest project 'Joining Hands Around the World' at Culture Galore, Ray Blank Park on 19 March. Young people were asked to give a painted handprint on a piece of calico material and also took a handprint home.
Christchurch schools with sister schools are being asked to contribute painted handprints of their students and of students from their sister schools. More handprints will be sought from local children during ‘KidsMarket’ Day in Cathedral Square on Tuesday, 19 July.
On Friday, 22 July the hands will be joined together in friendship around Cathedral Square at ’Kids Arent’ Square’ from 1-2pm, and young people can come and find their painted hand amongst all those on display.
International Christchurch Youth (ICY) are a group of young people, who aim to promote an awareness and understanding of the world’s cultures and create youth involvement in international relations. They are supported by CCC International Relations team. Paint kindly supplied by Resene Paints.
A delegation of 14 students from schools throughout Kurashiki and 2 leaders who are staff members of Kurashiki City are to visit Christchurch from 22 July – 7 August on the annual student exchange. They are to attend schools in Christchurch for 3 of the days and the rest will be spent sightseeing in and around the Christchurch area. They are to stay overnight at Flock Hill Station, spend a day skiing at Porter Heights and take a Jet Boat ride in the Waimakariri River. The whole delegation is to be home hosted for most of their stay.
An exhibition of art and photography from Christchurch New Zealand and Christchurch, Dorset, UK will open at Our City on Friday 21st October at 5.30 pm. The exhibition will run until 23rd November.
The works from Christchurch, New Zealand have formed part of a very successful exhibition at the Priory in Christchurch, Dorset. This international exchange of artworks is part of the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the Christchurch NZ/UK sister city relationship. There will be a power point presentation of the UK art as part of the exhibition.
To mark this occasion a calendar is being produced highlighting the art from both countries, and this will be available at the exhibition.
For further information please contact Marlene LeCren, Arts Adviser, Christchurch City Council, ph 941 8886.
The Christchurch-Gansu Friendly Relations committee is taking an exciting tour to China during July.
The tour for the fourteen members of the group will start in Beijing, where of course they will take in the obligatory visits to the Great Wall and Tiananmen Square. They will also visit the home of the famous New Zealander, Rewi Alley, which has now been turned into a museum dedicated to his life.
From there they fly to Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province. Some members of the group will attend the13th Lanzhou Investment and Trade Fair, while the others will make side tours to places of interest, and in particular an overnight visit to the Labrang Monastery at Xiahe. During their time in Lanzhou they will visit the Lanzhou Foreign Language Secondary School. The Christchurch-Gansu Friendly Relations committee sends two teachers there each year for a period of three months. The group will meet with the two teachers and have a tour of the school, during which time they will spend time with both students and staff.
After three nights in Lanzhou they head north to visit the Shandan Bailie School in Shandan. This school was founded by Rewi Alley, and has a sister relationship with Darfield High School, with which it has an annual student and teacher exchange. The following day they visit the world famous Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang. From there they fly to Xi’an, where they will visit the site of the world famous buried warriors. That afternoon they fly to Chongqing to begin the highlight of the tour – a three day cruise down the Yangtze River through the three gorges, including a visit to the site of the controversial dam project.
From there they travel by coach to Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province. The following day they have a busy city tour, which will take in the beautiful East Lake, the wonderful provincial museum and the famous Yellow Crane Pagoda, which is sited on a hill overlooking the Yangtze River; very impressive. From there they take a flight to Hong Kong, where they have two interesting and colourful days before returning home.
Four students from Darfield High School will travel to China in September for what will be an exciting opportunity to gain an understanding of the culture and customs of this both ancient and modern country.
The group of students - Glendon Screen, Livia Hardy, Nick Robertson and Tim Blackburn - will be accompanied by a teacher, Lesley Instone and her husband, Geoff. They will be the second group from Darfield High School to visit Shandan Bailie School, our sister school in Lanzhou in the province of Gansu, and will have an opportunity to compare the Chinese education system with ours.
The trip will include a visit to the western end of the Great Wall of China and the huge Buddhas carved in sandstone in Dunhuang, in western Gansu. Students will follow in the steps of Marco Polo through the Gobi Desert. They are very excited about the trip and are preparing themselves by learning Mandarin and finding out as much as they can about China.
Darfield High School and the students are very grateful for the support they have been given to enable them to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Christchurch scooped three of this year’s five sister-cities awards at the recent Sister Cities New Zealand Conference in the Bay of Islands.
International Christchurch Youth (ICY), a group supported by Christchurch City Council International Relations, was rewarded for its work on a number of youth related projects including its organisation of local school international days and the first Christchurch Sister Cities Young Artists Competition. The group was placed first in the Awards’ Best Youth, Education or School Project category and second in the Best Cultural, Sport or Recreation Project category, winning a total of $3,000 in air travel, sponsored by Air New Zealand.
Merrin School was placed second in the Best Youth, Education or School Project category for its sister-school exchange with Se Ryun School in Songpa Gu, Seoul, Korea. It received $500 worth of air travel, also from Air New Zealand.
ICY was formed after the National Sister Cities Conference Youth Workshop in Christchurch in 2004. The Young Artists competition was the group’s second major project, inviting all 13-18 year olds in the city to submit a piece of artwork to a local competition and exhibition. The winning entry is to be sent to the International Sister Cities Young Artists Competition in Washington DC, USA, which will be on display during the Sister Cities International Annual Conference, 27-30 July, 2005.
ICY member Suzy Garnett said, “it is a really good feeling to know that what our committee has been doing has been recognised. We are planning to use the money for funding trips to future conferences.”
She said the group could not have been so active in the past year without the support of Sue McFarlane, CCC International Relations co-ordinator or Marcella Herrera, Sister Cities New Zealand youth advisor.
Merrin School’s award has marked a five year relationship with Se Ryun School, which developed from an initial exchange of artworks to the present day, where students from Se Ryun are living in the Merrin community and attending Merrin School to further their English skills. Past activities have included two visits from Se Ryun School to Merrin School; a visit by Merrin students, staff and parents to Se Ryun; and assistance from Merrin School to Aranui High School in setting up a similar exchange programme with Ogum High School in Songpa Gu.
Mary Jonker, teacher in charge of the exchange programme said, “the sister-city exchange between Merrin and Se Ryun Elementary schools has been a very exciting and rewarding project to be involved in. We are delighted that we have been awarded second place in this national competition and will put the money towards funding our next exchange visit in September, this year.”
1st place in the inaugural Christchurch Sister Cities Young Artists Competition was awarded to 'Dreaming the thoughts of others' by Melissa Gray (17), St Margaret's College.
"The dream of different people, from different cultures coming together to create a strong peace between each other … shown by people of different cultures, blending together in amongst floating/airy dove feathers, which symbolize peace … realism and abstract forms of people emphasise the difference of others … the land represents what we live on and what we all share. Randomly placed images … like thoughts … like a dream."
2nd was 'World Flag' by 13 year old Marcus Patman (13), Lincoln High School, from Diamond Harbour
"I decided to design a ‘World Flag’, a flag which would represent all cultures and a connection between them. It is flown above the world for all to see. The different colours and country flags represent all countries/cultures, and the bridge represents the connection/union between them."
3rd was 'Universal Unity' by Siobhan O'Brien (14), Avonside Girls High of Southshore.
"I was inspired to create this artwork because I don’t see the need for all the wars in this world and if everyone could just understand each other and their religions and create world peace. I have used a swirly rainbow effect to symbolise peace and people coming together. The silhouettes connected around the globe conveys a sense of unity between all global villages. I have painted the ribbon connecting the figures, a red/pink colour to show sharing of love."
Read more... [24KB, free PDF Reader]
30 March 2005
An art exhibition to be shown in Christchurch, NZ and our sister-city Christchurch, UK will open on 2 April in the English city’s iconic venue, The Priory.
Organised by New Zealand curator Adam Hayward, the exhibition will celebrate a 30 year relationship between the two cities and represent a broad range of styles, cultures and media from artists in both cities. Landscape photography, Maori design, print making and rug weaving will feature in the contributions from our local artists.
Students from four Christchurch secondary schools will travel to Seattle on 20 April on an exchange organised by the Christchurch- Seattle Sister City committee.
Philippa Scott of Hillmorton High School; Michael Jefferson of Riccarton High School; Charlotte Robertson of Rangi Ruru Girls’ School; and Nga Whatuhuia Arahanga- Doyle of Christchurch Girls’ High School will live with host families and attend University Prep, a Seattle high school, which prepares students for university. They will return home on 8 May.
The successful students were chosen after a selection process, which included each of them being interviewed. About one third of their costs will be funded by the sister city committee, with the balance being raised by the students.
Seeking young artists 13-18 years old to submit an artwork with the theme 'Connecting Global Villages' to the inaugural Christchurch Sister Cities Young Artists Competition and exhibition at 'Creation', 105 Worcester Street from 29 March-15 April 2005. The winning artwork will be sponsored to the Sister Cities International Young Artists Competition 2005, Washington, USA, with a chance to win $US300.00
The 10 winning artworks from the last five year's international competitions can be viewed here. Last year's winning entry with the theme 'Coming Together to Build a Better World' 'Piece/Peace' by Alana Purcell of Los Angeles, California.
In Piece/Peace, Purcell brings together iconic images from around the world to form a puzzle. The imagery was inspired by the borders of nations evoking a cut-out children's puzzle. Through the piecing together process, the artist shows how the unified whole breaks down arbitrary borders."
The 10 best artworks in this year's Washington exhibition will each receive US$300 in prize money. All participants will receive a certificate. The overall winning artwork will then go on tour until April 2006.
Christchurch's entry in the international competition will be sponsored by our Amercian sister city Seattle.
The Christchurch competition is being organised by International Christchurch Youth (ICY), a group of young people who are supported by Christchurch City Council's International Relations programme, in their efforts to promote an awareness and understanding of the world's cultures, create youth involvement in international relations and promote international friendships.
Registration of interest is required by 15 February. The entry deadline is 18 March 2005.
Details of the Christchurch art competition [1.8MB free PDF reader] are attached in a four page leaflet in PDF format.
If you would like any further information, please contact Hadleigh Milligan, ICY Project Co-ordinator ph. 0274 680 215, email: hadleigh_kiwi@hotmail.com or Sue McFarlane, International Relations Co-ordinator, Christchurch City Council ph. 941 8959, email: sue.mcfarlane@ccc.govt.nz
This is a wonderful opportunity for young artists to exhibit their work in a local youth gallery, with a chance to exhibit internationally. We have sent details to all high school art departments and hope they will promote the competition to their students and encourage them to submit an artwork. We hope you will support this exciting project.
23 students and accompanying staff from Linwood College are departing CHCH 3 April for 3 1/2 weeks. They will be home-hosted for some of their stay by Twynham Comprehensive, their sister school. From there they travel to Europe. This will the third family member of the Hurst family to experience this exchange visit.
The 'Kia Ora' sculpture, an artwork being gifted to Songpa Gu, Seoul, Korea by the people of Christchurch, has arrived in Songpa-gu and will be unveiled in April.
Created by Christchurch artist, Leah Mary Fraser Henderson, the sculpture features a face made of stainless steel with a mirror finish, mounted on a large slab of Halswell Quarry stone.
The artwork was commissioned to celebrate Christchurch’s ongoing friendship and sister city relationship, which was formalised in 1995. It will be installed on the western shore of West Seokchon Lake, opposite Lotte World, a famous complex with hotel, department store and theme park.
“People (in South Korea) will be able to see themselves in its reflection while we borrow the view of their park in place of our botanic gardens… the average South Korean will be looking eye to eye with it, in a sense looking through our eyes how we see the world,” Mrs Fraser-Henderson said.
The name Kia Ora was chosen as it is a phrase full of friendship and heartfelt thanks, she said.
Artist Leah Fraser Henderson and the Kia Ora Sculpture, photo taken at Halswell Quarry Park, before the sculpture was shipped to sculpture and it's plaque.
Artist Leah Fraser Henderson and the Kia Ora Sculpture with members of the Christchurch Songpa-gu Sister City Committee and Christchurch City Council's International Relations Team at the unveiling of the sculpture in Christchurch, July 04.
27 members and friends of the Christchurch (Dorset, England) Twinning Association are visiting Christchurch(NZ) to mark the 30th anniversary of their Sister City relationship. Arriving on Sunday, 6 February, altogether they will spend three weeks in NZ. Their programme has been arranged by the Christchurch Sister City Committee, and their travel itinerary by Ian Morrison of the same Committee.
See their travel itinerary ...
Two Kurashiki young people with disabilities and their caregivers are to visit Chch as fully sponsored guests of Independent Fisheries here in Chch. Independent Fisheries are planning to make this an annual exchange for people with disabilities. Air New Zeland have given free air fares and the programme has been developed by a team of people from Christchurch Kurashiki Sister City Committee, KiwiAble, Sport Canterbury and the Halberg Trust. The visitors are here for two weeks. One of the visitors will be taking part in the NZ Wheelchair Tennis Tournament being held in Chch at the time.
Mr Hiroaki Oshima (21), who is a keen sportsman, has an intellectual disability, and Mr Mitsunobu Hirata (23)will take part in the NZ Wheelchair Tennis Tournament while he is here.
Their programme includes a Welcome Reception at the Civic offices, visits to local organisaitons, local sightseeing, a night's homestay, and taking part in a ropes course, an outdoor adventure experience.
Somerfield Primary School students are to conduct a live video conference with Nakashima Elementary school students on 10 February 2005 at 1.30pm and again on Tuesday, 15 February at 5.45pm. The children will share information about themselves, their schools and their culture.
The video conference on 15 February is to be broadcast live to all schools throughout Kurashiki city and also to some surrounding schools. It will also be attended by a number of teachers and education professionals so they can gauge the success of this pilot programme.
In February Jane Ayres and Paul Burgin, two well-qualified and highly experienced teachers from Christchurch will be going to China to teach at the Foreign Language Secondary School in Lanzhou City. They are part of an on-going programme of educational exchange between Christchurch and Gansu, our sister province in northwestern China. Two sister-school relationships have been established with schools founded by Rewi Alley: one between the CPIT and the Lanzhou Bailie School, the other between Darfield High School and the Shandan Bailie School.
Ayers and Burgin are the third group to be sent to Lanzhou by the Christchurch-Gansu Friendly Relations Committee, which also fosters cultural and economic exchanges between our city and Gansu.
Toni Byrne was one of the 2004 exchange teachers to Lanzhou.
Toni Byrne with her students at Lanzhou Foreign Language Secondary School, where she spent six months teaching English in 2004 as part of the Christchurch-Gansu Friendly Relations Committee programme of educational exchanges.
Read the Christchurch City Council Media Release
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