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KIWI-HITACHI CLUB |
Do you know foreign sister cities of Hitachi? One is Birmingham in Alabama, United States. The other is, Tauranga in New Zealand. KIWI-HITACHI CLUB （hereinafter calle  d KIWI）is a civic group of 30 members
which plays an active role to develop friendly relations with Tauranga
City and New Zealand.When the students from Tauranga Boys College visited Hitachi in 2004, KIWI helped with warming up a welcome party. Some of KIWI members hosted the students. They held a barbecue party, hoping the students have good memories of Hitachi. Two most important annual activities of KIWI are participation in Hitachi Industry Festival and a hosting KIWI Festival. They sold products from New Zealand to introduce culture of the country to Hitachi citizens in the Industrial Festival on last November. KIWI Festival was held on last December. It consists of two parts, the first part was a lecture, and the second was a picture-story show and a music live show. |
On the lecture, Mr. Fraser Brace and Mrs. Tomoko Brace made a speech on
what it is like raising children in New Zealand, which is different from
Japan. Mr. Keiji Kurihara, a third-year student of Chuo High School, spoke
about his school life in Tauranga Boys College where he studied for a
year, and also made a speech in fluent English. Mayor Kashimura celebrated
the festival and made a statement on sister city exchange. In the second
part, a folk tale of New Zea land was played by KIWI members, and “Dylan
and His Cheerful Fellows”, also KIWI members, played Japanese songs and
Christmas medley.Mrs. Yumiko Morimura, a chairperson of KIWI told that important things about their activities are cherishing link between people and heart-to-heart communication. She also told just enjoying the activities with everyone is important, not thinking too seriously. For example, they usually set up tea time and chorus time at lectures to amuse guests in warm handmade atmosphere. |
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At the first meeting for starting KIWI in 2004, one member told about her
motivation that she thought it would be fun to join a “club”, which may
remind us of club activities in school days, even though she was adult
already now. Other members may also feel in the same way, I guess. If you are interested in their activities, check KIWI festival and their shop at Industry Festival this year. Then you may discover the fascination of New Zealand, or maybe of KIWI HITACHI CLUB. You are welcome to join the club. Call Mrs. Morimura: 0294-37-1483 |