City of Salisbury Sister City Agreement with Mobara City, Japan celebrates its 20th Anniversary

For two decades, the City of Salisbury and Mobara City, in Chiba Prefecture, Japan have enjoyed a prosperous Sister City Relationship that has enabled the exchange of friendship, culture and information.

The 20^th anniversary of the agreement is 25 May 2022, and will see the City of Salisbury to showcase their appreciation of its Sister City Agreement through a collection of displays and artworks at the Salisbury Community Hub.

The agreement establishes friendship, promotes mutual understanding and encourages exchanges between the citizens of both cities in a wide range of fields, including education, culture, business and sports.

Mobara Park in Mawson Lakes, opened in 2004, features three different garden designs, each containing links to Mobara City. A bronze sculpture titled Nakayoshi, meaning close friend, was generously donated by the Japanese City for the park.

More recently, the City of Salisbury commissioned the ‘Resilient Friendship Mural’ at the Denison Centre, Mawson Lakes, this year to celebrate the 20-year anniversary between the two cities.

The colourful mural, which was painted by artist Guiyong Zhu, combines koi fish and lotus flowers to create an eye-catching design. The mural represents continual growth, strength, and mutual aspirations.

City of Salisbury Mayor Gillian Aldridge OAM said the two cities have enjoyed a strong and fruitful friendship over the past 20 years, and looks forward to strengthening the friendship well into the future.

With overseas travel being difficult during the past couple of years, the Mayors of both the City of Salisbury and Mobara City will celebrate this anniversary via an exchange of goodwill video messages, which will be available for viewing on our website late in May.