Lianne - One City Together
  • Home
  • About
    • About Lianne
    • My Priorities
  • Speeches
  • Gallery
  • Contact

Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Songpa-Gu Sister City Relationship

2/12/2014

 
We have been honoured to host Mayor Park Choon-Hee, Mayor of our sister-city Songpa-Gu, on her first visit to Christchurch. This has enabled us to start our celebration of 20th Anniversary next year 1995-2015 on a high note.
 
Tonight is an opportunity to recognise those who have been involved in a voluntary nature in forming the relationship and keep it lively and current with a variety of exchanges.
First I will mention Clyde Sugden, the first Honorary Consul for Korea in Christchurch and our first Sister City Chairman.
 
Then there is Charlie Lee, who liaised with Songpa for the formation of the relationship, which was signed in the Christchurch Town Hall in February 1995, by Vicki Buck who has now returned to serve as a ward councillor and Deputy Mayor of Christchurch.
 
Paul Macdonald, our current Honorary Consul, is a previous sister city chair who oversaw the 10th anniversary celebrations in Christchurch in 2005.
 
Current sister city Chair Phil Tappenden, has a real passion for the relationship. Phil has worked tirelessly supported by Deputy Chair Mary and other committee members to build the relationship, particularly sister school relationships and student exchanges. I should also mention Phil's partner, Insun Kuk, who has assisted the delegation so ably.
 
And Forbes Taylor, Korean Veterans Association – it is that association that forged such a powerful link between New Zealand and Korea.
 
Sister city relationships are a wonderful way of creating connections that have an inter-generational reach, creating an interest in people and places that extends beyond the tourist experience. City to city is so much more personal than country to country.
 
Benjamin Barber has written a book called 'What if Mayors Ruled the World' and in it he talks about the world of borders, boundaries, walls – 'a world where states refuse to act together'. Yet we know that the reality we experience day to day is a world without borders, when it comes to diseases, education, technology, terrorism and war.
 
He says that the road to global democracy doesn't run through states. It runs through cities. City halls in Seoul, Amsterdam, Hamburg & New York are starting to think what that might look like.
 
And so are we here in Christchurch. We have joined the 100 Resilient Cities Network sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation so that we can connect with other cities on disaster risk reduction, sustainable community development and climate change adaptation.
 
 
 
We in Christchurch share this passion for sustainability and finding solutions to the challenges of climate change with Songpa-Gu.
 
On that note, may I propose a toast to the Mayor and the citizens of Songpa-gu – may our 20th anniversary affirmation of our special relationship honour you Mayor Park and all the citizens of Songpa-Gu.
 
 
 
 

    Speeches

    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    Speeches

    Social Media