Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark Honoured on Fan Festival Float in Kumagaya Sister City Celebration
Councils
Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark along with deputy Mayor Tom Campbell and councillors Trish Boyle, Alex Crackett, Darren Ludlow and Barry Stewart went on a four-day trip to Kumagaya for a 30 year signing of the sister city relationship. Related: 90 Seconds+ with Invercargill City Mayor Nobby Clark – Japan Trip Recap
In a city parade, Mayor Nobby Clark was the first non-Japanese to ever get to stand on a fan festival float.
It was a great honor and showed the esteem he is held by the Kumagaya delegation. The festival draws 400,000 people. The Invercargill-Kumagaya sister city relationship was formalised in 1993 and has since sparked student exchanges, reciprocal official visits and the formation of the Kumagaya Friendship Association.
Photo: Welcome ceremony 30 year anniversary signing by Mayors of Kumagaya and Invercargill. Photo: whatsoninvers.nz
The delegation spent one night in Tokyo and three nights in Kumagaya, along with an interpreter and one council staff member. The group held a re-signing ceremony to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the agreement, signed in 1993, and resigned 10 years later, following inter-city visits from the Mayor and councillors.
The group participated in the Kumagaya Uchiwa Festival, visited its rugby stadium, and also traveled to the town of Nagatoro, where there was a farewell party hosted by the Kumagaya International Friendship Association.
Feature Photo: Mayor Nobby and Mayoress Karen all dressed up in Kimono’s for a festival in Kumagaya. Photo: whatsoninvers.nz