HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/09/2014 - City Arts Commission - 06 Staff Report Okazaki Gift CeremonyABSTRACT:
A delegation of 32 dignitaries from Newport Beach Sister City Okazaki Japan will visit on October 14 to
present the Shogun Tokugawa statue as a gift to the City of Newport Beach. A ceremony will be held in
the Central Library Bamboo Courtyard to honor the 30-year relationship between the two cities.
RECOMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Arts Commission approve the expenditure of funds for the ceremony.
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
The current adopted budget includes sufficient funding for this purchase. It will be expensed from
the 4002-8080 account in the Cultural and Arts Department.
DISCUSSION:
The Newport Beach Sister City Association is a non-profit, volunteer organization that endeavors to
promote international communication, understanding, education, and friendship between the people of
Newport Beach and the people of foreign cities. These principles are accomplished through cultural
exchanges, business exchanges, student and teacher exchanges, student scholarships, host families, and
fundraising.
2014 marks the 30 Year Anniversary of the Sister City relationship between Newport Beach and Okazaki,
Japan. Okazaki has presented Newport Beach with a statue of Shogun Tokugawa in honor of the
anniversary. On October 14, a delegation of 32 dignitaries from the City of Okazaki will visit the City to
formally present the gift. The City is coordinating a ceremony with the Sister Cities Association. The
event will be open to the public and take place at 11 AM in the Bamboo Courtyard at Central Library.
The ceremony will consist of speeches by Mayor Hill, Mayor Uchida of Okazaki, Sister Cities Okazaki
President Mr. Ota, Sister Cities Newport Beach President Mrs. Paulsen, and a speech by former Mayor
Evelyn Hart. The statue will be formally unveiled, and will be blessed as a symbol of friendship between
Newport Beach and Okazaki by Yasuko and Seth Siegel in both Japanese and English. A traditional
Japanese dance will be performed by Kyoko Kamio. Light refreshments will be provided after the
ceremony.
This event will not only commemorate the relationship between the two cities but will also contribute to
the cultural enrichment of the community.
NOTICING:
This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at
which the City Arts Commission considers the item).
TO: CITY ARTS COMMISSION
FROM: Cultural Arts Division, Library Services Department
Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director
949-717-3810, thetherton@newportbeachca.gov
PREPARED BY: Tim Hetherton
TITLE: Okazaki Gift Ceremony