Timeline of sister city events　姉妹都市のあゆみ

1971

5/12

We welcomed a delegation led by Box Hill Mayor K.C. Ria and together we announced the start of our sister city relationship. Culture exchange begins.

1972

A pen pal program between Kogane Prefectural High School students and Matsudo high school students began.

1973

5/21

Box Hill Mayor Dewar and seven other guests attended the municipal funeral of Matsudo Mayor Matsumoto Kiyoshi.

1974

5/10

Box Hill Mayor Poelman and her husband came to Matsudo to celebrate the 3-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

11/22

Matsudo opened the “Sister City Corner” display within the Culture Hall.

1977

2/26

Matsudo used the “Sister City Corner” to host exhibits showcasing artwork made by students from Koonung High School and Australian art photography.

8/3

A delegation from the Matsudo Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited Box Hill to learn about Australian economic matters.

1978

5/12

Box Hill Mayor Dewar and his wife came to Matsudo to celebrate the 7-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

1980

Matsudo held an “Australian Film Festival” at the Citizens Hall.

1981

4/4

Matsudo City Council President Maruyama and three other guests visited Box Hill to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

6/27

The “Middle and High School English Speech Contest” begins, in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

1983

4/1

Box Hill Mayor Hill and his wife visited Matsudo to attend a memorial ceremony celebrating Matsudo’s 40-year anniversary of being a city.

1984

6/2

A group of Matsudo residents visited Box Hill as part of the 1st Australia Friendship Wing.

1985

2/23

The “Middle and High School Student Short-Term Overseas Program” began. (Nowadays, this program is known as the “Youth Delegation Program.”)

8/1

A group of Box Hill Girl Scouts visited Matsudo. (From then on, Matsudo and Box Hill Girl Scouts made regular visits to each others’ cities.)

1986

3/25

A group of Matsudo Boy and Girl Scouts visited Box Hill. (From then on, Matsudo and Box Hill scouts made regular visits to each others’ cities.)

6/19

Council Chairman Ishii visited Box Hill to commemorate the 15-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

7/14

The Matsudo City Hall hosted the “Box Hill Art Exhibition for Children” event.

12/6

A group of exchange students from the Box Hill East Lions Club visited Matsudo.

1988

1/17

A group of 6 Melbourne Rotaract club members visited Matsudo.

1989

3/19

A group of 15 students from Koonung High School visited Matsudo.

3/23

A group of 26 Box Hill Box Hill Girl Scouts visited Matsudo.

1990

3/15

The Matsudo International Exchange Association (MIEA) was founded.

11/30

Matsudo Municipal High School and Koonung Secondary College (formerly known as Koonung High School) jointly hosted the panel discussion event “Forum ‘91.”

1991

5/8

Assistant Official Kawasaki visited Box Hill to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

1992

1/10

A delegation from the Box Hill Lions Club visited Matsudo.

4/21

The Matsudo East Lions Clubs and Box Hill Lions Club officially declared their sister club relationship.

1993

4/14

Box Hill Mayor Thorpe visited Matsudo to attend a memorial ceremony celebrating Matsudo’s 50-year anniversary of being a city.

1994

6/4

Box Hill Mayor Ryan and four other guests attended the municipal funeral of Matsudo Mayor Miyama.

12/15

The City of Box Hill merged with the adjacent City of Nunawading to form the City of Whitehorse.

1995

5/9

The Flower Arrangement Group of both our cities hosted a flower arrangement exhibition at the Daimaru department store in Melbourne.

1996

2/6

Former Box Hill Mayor Hill visited Matsudo as a special envoy.

5/9

Matsudo Mayor Kawai, Council Chairman, MIEA Vice Chairman, and three other guests visited Whitehorse to commemorate the 25-year anniversary of our sister city relationship. Together with Whitehorse officials Jeffrey Oscar and Charlie Randall, we officially reaffirmed our sister city relationship.

10/19

We hosted an International Culture Festival to commemorate the 25-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

1997

10/30

A group of 36 Matsudo residents visited Whitehorse as part of a sister city visit.

11/11

A group of 26 residents from the assisted living facility “Kiraku-ka” visited Whitehorse as part of a sister city visit.

12/14

Whitehorse City Councillor Robert Chon visited Matsudo.

The “Sister City Corner” in the Culture Hall was repaired as reopened.

1998

10/14

Whitehorse Mayor Buckingham, CEO Peter Seema, Councillor Richard Anderson, and Councillor David Machitric officially visited Matsudo for the first time after the establishment of Whitehorse.

12/1

A group of 13 members of Matsudo’s Fresh Tennis Club visited Whitehorse as part of a sister city visit.

1999

3/25

A group of 24 members of Matsudo’s Fine Arts Association visited Whitehorse as part of a sister city visit.

11/18

A group of 40 Matsudo residents visited Whitehorse to commemorate MIEA’s 10-year anniversary.

2000

11/21

Whitehorse official Ria McGuiness came to Matsudo to learn about our administration.

2001

5/10

Whitehorse Mayor Bowie, CEO Noelene Duff, Councillor Richard Anderson, and 35 other Whitehorse guests visited Matsudo to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of our sister city relationship. Both mayors exchanged commemorative messages.

8/22

A group of 21 Matsudo residents visited Whitehorse as part of a “Sister City Friendship” group.

2002

4/1

Whitehorse citizen Ian Wood and his wife visited Matsudo as part of a friendship visit.

5/12

The first ever “Green Tree Day” event

During the event, both cities held a ceremonial tree planting, and both mayors made an international phone call to one another to celebrate our sister city anniversary. (Since then, “Green Tree Day” has been celebrated every year).

7/18

Whitehorse citizen Janet Ocona visited Matsudo as part of a friendship visit.

2005

4/15

Former Box Hill Mayor Hill, Councillor Shannon Patorish, and four other guests visit Matsudo as part of the “Australia-Japan Society of Victoria” for a friendship visit.

2006

5/11

Matsudo Mayor Kawai, Council Chairman, MIEA Chairman and 34 other guests visited Whitehorse to commemorate the 35-year anniversary of our sister city relationship. Whitehorse Mayor Ellis and CEO Noelene Duff both signed a written declaration reaffirming our 35-year strong sister city relationship.

2007

5/12

The 5th annual “Green Tree Day” event was held. Matsudo held their event at the Forest and Park for the 21st Century, and Whitehorse held theirs at the Park Center.

8/25

The 27th Annual Middle and High School English Speech Contest

11/14

Parliament member Bruce Atkinson and his wife visited Matsudo.

12/27

1/5

A group of 13 Boy Scouts from Matsudo and Kamagaya (a neighboring municipality) visited Whitehorse.

2008

1/7

1/14

A group of 14 students from Koonung Secondary College visited their sister school, Matsudo Municipal High School, for a homestay exchange program.

3/13

3/20

The 27th Annual Youth Delegation Program.

5/12

The 6th annual “Green Tree Day” event was held. Matsudo held their event at Kamagaya Elementary School, and Whitehorse held theirs at the Civic Center.

8/30

The 28th Annual Middle and High School English Speech Contest

2009

3/12

3/21

The 28th Annual Youth Delegation Program.

3/25

4/3

A group of 17 Matsudo Girl Scouts visited Whitehorse.

5/12

The 7th annual “Green Tree Day” event was heldat Kouya Elementary School.

7/28

A group of 8 Whitehorse Boy Scouts came to Matsudo.

8/29

The 29th Annual Middle and High School English Speech Contest

2010

1/7

1/15

A group of 12 students from Koonung Secondary College visited their sister school, Matsudo Municipal High School.

3/15

3/24

The 29th Annual Youth Delegation Program.

5/12

The 8th annual “Green Tree Day” event was held. at Tonohiraga Elementary School.

8/20

The 30th Annual Middle and High School English Speech Contest

2011

3/17

3/24

The 40-year anniversary of our sister city relationship. However, due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, anniversary celebrations were postponed to the following year.

5/12

The 8th annual “Green Tree Day” event was held. Matsudo held a “Sister Concert” filled with opera and koto performances at the Tojo-tei House. Whitehorse Mayor Stennett shared a condolence message with our citizens. Whitehorse held their event at the Whitehorse City Council.

5/17

5/26

A group of 9 Matsudo middle, high, and vocational school students visited Whitehorse for a homestay exchange program as part of the 30th Annual Youth Delegation Program (postponed 2 months due to the Great East Japan Earthquake).

10/29

To commemorate the 40-year anniversary of our sister city relationship, Matsudo held the “Matsudo International Culture Festival,” together with a special public performance called the “Minehaha Concert” and a flower arrangement depicting the Whitehorse city emblem. The themes of the event were peace, harmony, and connection.

12/19

The “Sister City Corner” in the Matsudo Culture Hall was renovated.

2012

5/10

Whitehorse Mayor Lane and 39 other Whitehorse guests visited Matsudo to commemorate the 40-year anniversary of our sister city relationship.

5/11

The 40-year sister city anniversary ceremony was held at the Matsudo City Hall assembly hall. Whitehorse Mayor Lane, Councillors Robert Chon and Ben Stennett, and Ms. Beverley Hill were awarded certificates of honorary citizen status as a token of our city’s appreciation.

5/12

For “Green Tree Day,” the 40 Whitehorse guests helped us with the ceremonial tree planting ceremony, held this year at the Forest and Park for the 21st Century.

8/25

The 31st Annual High School English Speech Contest

2013

3/14

3/23

The 31st Annual Youth Delegation Program.

5/12

The 10th annual “Green Tree Day” event was heldat the Forest and Park for the 21st Century.

8/24

The 32nd Annual High School English Speech Contest

2014

3/13

3/22

The 32st Annual Youth Delegation Program.

3/26

A group of 17 Matsudo Girl Scouts visited Whitehorse.

5/12

The 11th annual “Green Tree Day” event was heldat Hachigasaki Daini Elementary School.

8/22

A group of 15 Matsudo Boy Scouts visited Whitehorse.

8/23

The 33rd Annual High School English Speech Contest

2015

3/16

3/25

The 33rd Annual Youth Delegation Program.

5/12

The 12th annual “Green Tree Day” event was heldat Kakinokidai Elementary School.

8/22

The 34th Annual High School English Speech Contest

2016

3/15

3/24

The 34th Annual Youth Delegation Program.

3/25

A group of 20 Matsudo Girl Scouts visited Whitehorse.

4/26

With the cooperation of Whitehorse, Matsudo hosted an art exhibition event called the “School Art Exchange.”

5/12

5/16

Matsudo Mayor Hongoya, Council Chairman, MIEA Chairman and 32 other guests visited Whitehorse to commemorate the 45-year anniversary of our sister city relationship. Whitehorse Mayor Daw and CEO Noelene Duff both signed a written declaration reaffirming our 45-year strong sister city relationship.

8/20

The 35th Annual High School English Speech Contest

2017

3/15

3/24

The 35th Annual Youth Delegation Program.

8/19

The 36th Annual High School English Speech Contest

2018

3/14

3/23

The 36th Annual Youth Delegation Program.

5/12

The 14th annual “Green Tree Day” event was held at Wanagaya Elementary School.

8/18

The 37th Annual High School English Speech Contest

2019

3/13

3/20

The 37th Annual Youth Delegation Program.

5/10

The 15th annual “Green Tree Day” event was held at Tokiwadaira daisan Elementary School.

8/17

The 38th Annual High School English Speech Contest

2020

9/27

The39th Annual High School English Speech Contest