International friendship always a good thing

 

Some people question the usefulness of our Sister City relationship with Uji, Japan, but who can argue against 20 years of friendship between two cities located on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean? One of the stated purposes of our agreement with Uji is to “contribute to world peace.”

There’s no more worthy objective than that, and no better way of doing it than to foster understanding through friendship. The more people know each other as people rather than media headlines, the less likely there will be misunderstanding and conflict.

After several days of visiting in Kamloops, including attendance at Canada Day, the latest Uji delegation has departed. Mayor Isamu Kubota and two Uji City councillors flew out yesterday, while a citizens’ group moved on for a visit to Banff.

Friday night, the Kamloops Japanese-Canadian Association hosted the delegates at their cultural centre for dinner. It was like a 20-year reunion. Several of those in attendance had been part of the original Uji delegation to Kamloops in 1989, or the return delegation to Uji a few months later. Former City of Kamloops administrator Joe Martignago told a funny story about how then-mayor Phil Gaglardi had worried that I’d criticize the trip in The Daily News as a waste of money, so Joe suggested they invite me to go along.

I did, and worked my butt off filing stories back home about the value of the trip (Gaglardi ended up not going, and the delegation was led instead by then-councillor Ron Watson, who also attended on Friday night). I’ve been a supporter ever since, so maybe Joe’s plan worked.

Many others at the Friday dinner had become part of the relationship in the years that followed the signing of the Sister City agreement in 1990, and the renewal agreement in 2000.

Mayor Kubota and I were the signatories to that 2000 document. Genuine friendships have been formed over the past 20 years, friendships that have endured. The warmth in the room on Friday night was accompanied by a tinge of sadness at having to part company. That’s always the case with those whose friendship you value.

But, as several speakers, including Kubota and Mayor Peter Milobar, said, the relationship is strong and should last for another 20 years, or 100 years or even longer.