Edogawa Koiwa Daini Junior High School (Higashikoiwa 1-chome/Principal: Hiroshi Takahagi/548 students) concluded a sister school affiliation with Eva Makai Middle School, a public junior high school in Honolulu, Hawaii, which is a sister city of Edogawa City, today (June 6). Principal Kim Sanders and representative students from Honolulu visited the school and held the signing ceremony.
On June 9, 2022 (Japan Standard Time), Honolulu City and our ward will conclude a sister city affiliation, the first in Tokyo. By promoting exchange with Honolulu, a city where diverse cultures coexist, we aim to realize a more symbiotic society. The ward promotes the sister city agreement and Hawaiian culture by holding “Aloha Day,” when ward employees wear aloha shirts to work, and the “Edogawa Honolulu Festival. In addition, the “Wings for Youth” program, which sends junior high and high school students from the district overseas for homestays and other exchanges, has deepened exchanges among citizens, including the dispatch of 20 junior high and high school students to Honolulu last year.
The sister school affiliation began when Eva Makai Middle School Principal Kim Sanders visited the middle school in October 2022, accompanying the Hawaii State Department of Education on an inspection tour. The two schools have deepened their friendship through a series of online exchanges in which teachers and students introduce each other’s schools. As sister schools, we have further developed our exchange and will continue to do so in the future to help both sides improve their language skills and deepen their understanding of multiculturalism. This is the first time that a school in our district and a school in Honolulu have formed a sister school relationship.
At 10:00 a.m. today (6th), five students, including Principal Kim Sanders and representatives, visited Koiwa Daini Junior High School. The principals of the two schools signed the sister school affiliation agreement in front of the entire student body. Principal Takahagi, dressed in an aloha shirt, said in English, “Let’s continue to plan programs so that both schools can be a bridge between Honolulu and Edogawa Ward. Principal Kim Saunders said, “Let’s promote exchange so that we can understand and respect each other’s culture.
After the signing ceremony, Koiwa Daini Junior High School held a welcome party, where 3rd grade boys performed “Nichu Soran,” a welcome performance, and presented commemorative gifts of Edo faceted glass and yukata. After the welcome party, two representative students from Honolulu attended the first grade classes. They enjoyed exchanges with each other in math class and at lunch.
*This article is originally from The Edogawa city Website.