HGEF was given mention in the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) 2019 Hawaii’s Sister-States Official Report.
Hawaii has made Sister-State and other friendship relationship with 18 states (prefectures) around the world, five of them being in Japan; Fukuoka in 1981, Okinawa in 1985, Hiroshima in 1997, Ehime in 2003, and Hokkaido in 2017.
HGEF worked together with the Hawaii Fukuoka Kenjin Kai (HKFF, the Fukuoka Prefecture Citizens Association of Hawaii), to find a way to celebrate and pass down the outstanding accomplishments of Fukuoka native immigrants. After approaching the Hawaii State Government on this matter, informational plaques for the honorees; former Hawaii Governor George Ariyoshi, former President pro tempore of the United States Senate Daniel K. Inouye, and Astronaut Ellison Shoji Onizuka, were gifted to respective ancestorial hometowns in Fukuoka Prefecture.
In 2018, former Governor Ariyoshi, State Representative Bert Kobayashi, and HFKK President Keith Sakuda, visited Fukuoka together with HGEF’s Nikki Thompson, to attend the “Hawaii Festival in Fukuoka” taking place there and strengthen ties with the people of Fukuoka.
NOTE to Taro: informational (because Gov Ariyoshi is still alive) ; gift is technically not given to Fukuoka Pref government.
HGEF is determined to continue our mission to bridge Hawaii and Japan, so that our youth may have the foundation to develop the skills necessary to thrive in a global environment.