The Sister City movement is a worldwide organisation which aims to promote friendship, understanding, goodwill and respect through a variety of people-to-people exchange programs. Bundaberg has two (2) sister cities: Nanning and Settsu
Nanning
Nanning is located in Southern China, about an hour by air, west of Hong Kong. It is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and is known as the "Green City" because of its many parks and trees. Situated on the Yong River, it experiences a subtropical climate with plentiful rainfall and sunshine. Its average annual temperature is 21.8oC.
For further information about Nanning, visit the official website of the Nanning Municipal Government.
Settsu
Settsu forms part of the extensive prefecture of Osaka, Japan's second biggest city. Formerly a rural city, it has developed into a residential and industrial city with a population of 94,000. The city resembles an "L" shape, stretching some six (6) kilometres west to east and five (5) kilometres north to south. The topography is generally flat, with the Yodo River flowing through the southern part of the city. Settsu enjoys a mild climate throughout its four (4) seasons. For more information about Settsu, visit the Settsu City website.
The Agreements
The Agreements with Nanning and Settsu emphasizes the principles of friendship, mutual understanding, goodwill, peace and prosperity and set the direction for exchange programs in the following areas:
- Civic organisations
- Professional and youth groups
- Educational exchanges including "sister school"
- Communication
- Cultural exchanges
- The exchange of city records and exhibitions
- Sporting exchanges
- Industrial and commercial exchanges and
- Exchanges in technology.
The Nanning Agreement
Council minutes of 22 August 1996, indicate the Mayor of Nanning, Mr Song Fumin, invited the Mayor of Bundaberg to visit his city and this took place in April 1997. The delegation that visited Nanning was led by then Mayor, Cr Nita Cunningham and included business representatives and the press (Mr Noel Baldwin, Mr Terry Piggott, Mr Bevan McGarvie and Mr Ned Makim). The Mayor was authorised by Council to negotiate a Sister City relationship between Bundaberg and Nanning. Mr Piggott had made prior visits to China to study the lychee industry and to bring back specific cultivars for the Bundaberg Area. He initiated and strongly promoted the setting up of a sister city relationship.
In December 1997, Ms Gao Fang Fang, then Director of the Foreign Affairs Officer of Nanning Municipality, led a small delegation to Bundaberg and continued talks on the formation of a Sister City relationship with members of the April delegation.
In March 1998, Mr Lin Guoquiang was appointed Mayor of Nanning. Enthusiastic about establishing a Sister City relationship, he led a delegation of 10 members to Bundaberg. On May 12 1998, the Sister City Agreement was formalised in the Bundaberg City Council Chambers and signed by then Mayor of Bundaberg, Cr Nita Cunningham and the Mayor of Nanning, Mr Lin Guoquiang.
View the Agreement: English Version / Chinese Version
The Settsu Agreement
On May 3 1998, a delegation of 34 residents of Settsu, led by the Mayor Mr Kaoru Morikawa, arrived in Bundaberg. The two (2) day visit came about through the good offices of Angela Rehbein (now Kitano) a former resident of Bundaberg, who was teaching English conversation at Councillor Kasuhisa Abe's tutoring school in Settsu. Through him, she met the Mayor, Mr Morikawa, who asked if Bundaberg has a Sister City in Japan. The Mayor of Bundaberg was contacted and discussions regarding a Sister City relationship were held with Councillors. The Director played an important role in promoting the relationship and in setting up the necessary framework in Settsu. The formal agreement between Bundaberg and Settsu was signed later that year on 9 November 1998 in Settsu.
View the Agreement: English Version / Japanese Version
Visits, Exchange Programs and Special Events
All visits to and from the Sister Cities are self-funded - no subsidy is provided by Council.
View the schedule of Visits, Exchange Programs and Special Events
Sister City Links
Australian Sister Cities Association
For more information about Sister Cities, or how to be involved, contact the Secretary of the Sister Cities Committee, Kim Ovens on 1300 883 699.
