Visitors from Japan

This week a delegation from Ohkuma, Japan visited my hometown of Bathurst. Bathurst has had an ongoing sister city relationship with Ohkuma for over 20 years. Last year, we were devastated to hear of the earthquake and tsunami that meant that residents of Ohkuma had to leave their homes, and establish a new city in a different location. Many residents of Ohkuma worked in the Fukushima Number 1 nuclear power plant that was damaged by the disaster.

In March last year, I was honoured to lead a service to remember the people of Japan, and Ohkuma (see blog posting: http://speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/memorial-service-for-people-of-ohkuma.html)

On Sunday morning (5 August, 2012), the following people from Ohkuma visited Bathurst Uniting Church to meet with the organizers of the memorial service:

Mr Toshihide Takeuchi - Superintendent of Education
Mr Hideatsu Matsunaga - Ohkuma Town Councillor
Mr Jun Yoshida - Chief of the Board of Education Section
Mr Yutaka Hatanaka - English Teacher, Ohkuma Junior High School
Councillor Monica Morse - Bathurst City Council
and other members of the Bathurst Sister City Committee.

Mr Toshihide Takeuchi (Superintendent of Education Ohkuma), Professor Sharynne McLeod, Councillor Monica Morse (Bathurst City Council), Rev. 'Oto Faiva (Bathurst Uniting Church)

The delegation from Ohkuma, Japan visiting the location of last years' memorial service

On Monday evening (6 August, 2012), the Mayor of Bathurst hosted a reception to welcome the Ohkuma delegation.
The Western Advocate wrote about the visit here: "Sister city's delegates bring heartfelt thanks"