Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association
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2007 Annual Report of the Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association
Prepared by Patrick Grant, Vice President
2007 was another extraordinary year for the Association, with many important events and projects. New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark visited Seattle in March and Trade Minister Phil Goff visited in November. The Association received the award for Best Program among the 20 sister cities with Seattle. Here is a summary of activities, roughly in chronological order.
Visit by the Prime Minister: New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark visited Seattle 23 March after brief visits to Washington, DC, and Chicago. She addressed Association members at a reception hosted by New Zealand Ambassador to the United States Roy Ferguson. Her speech concentrated on steps New Zealand is taking to reduce the human contribution to global warming. She emphasized the importance of the relationship between New Zealand and the State of Washington because of our many common concerns.
Reception and Best Program Award: The Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association received the award for Best Program 2006. This was announced at the Sister Cities Reception at City Hall 19 April. Many Association members attended the reception.
Seattle International Film Festival: The Association sponsored a Seattle International Film Festival presentation of Eagle vs. Shark, by New Zealand film producer Taika Waititi. The Association attended a screening of this film 31 May and hosted a reception for Taika Waititi afterwards.
Video Project: The Association assisted film producers Mike and Donna James in preparing a video about Christchurch. Members advised them about places to include and helped set up contacts in New Zealand.
Arboretum: The Association assisted Arboretum Director David Mabberley in developing a closer relationship between the Arboretum and the City of Christchurch, Canterbury University and Lincoln University. Association members Clint Staaf, Baxter and John Bollard worked with the Arboretum to add more native New Zealand plants to the collection.
Seattle Scholars Program: Three secondary school students from Christchurch visited Seattle for 15 days in late September and early October as part of the annual Seattle Scholars Program. They were hosted by families at University Prep in Seattle; the program was coordinated by board member Pat Grant. Council member Richard Conlin and Association Board Member Phyllis Shulman welcomed the group to Seattle on 24 September at City Hall. The Scholars visited several other schools, including Wedgwood Elementary and the Evergreen School, as well as many places of historical and cultural interest.
Annual General Meeting and Minister Goff: Well over 100 people attended the Annual General Meeting 7 November. The principal speaker was Phil Goff, the New Zealand Trade and Defence Minister. A trade delegation of about 20 from New Zealand attended as well. Jess McCormack, a UW Husky basketball player, attended as well. Association President Rachel Jacobsen organized and presided over this very successful event.
Burke Museum and Woodland Park Zoo: We continued our association with the Burke Museum and the Woodland Park Zoo.
2006 Annual Report of the Seattle- Christchurch Sister City Association
Prepared by Patrick Grant, Vice President
2006 was another year with much activity by the Association. Highlights included a major exhibition of Maori weaving at the Burke Museum, two visits to Christchurch, by Mayor Greg Nickels and a delegation led by Patrick Grant and Seattle Councilman Richard Conlin, and two visits to Seattle, by three Scholars from Christchurch schools and by Helen Broughton of the City Council.
Toi Maori
The Seattle-ChristchurchSisterCity Association was a co-sponsor of the Toi Maori Exhibit “The Eternal Thread” at the BurkeMuseum from February to May 2006. This exhibition featured a wide range of Maori carving and weaving using various materials. The Board of the Seattle- Christchurch Sister City Association hosted a lunch on February 6 for Maori carvers and weavers. Board members attended the February opening as well as the closing ceremonies on the exhibition’s last day in May. The opening was extraordinarily well-attended even though it coincided with another major Seattle event, the first Seahawks appearance in the Super Bowl.
A Seattle TV channel featured a program on the Maori weavers from the Toi Maori exhibition. The considerable interest in this exhibit greatly enhanced our understanding of New Zealand and its indigenous people. The exhibit will be returning to Christchurch on February 15, 2007, where it will be on display at the Christchurch Art Gallery.
25 th Anniversary Visit
In Celebration of the 25 th anniversary of the Seattle-ChristchurchSisterCity Association, a delegation from Seattle visited ChristchurchFebruary 22-24, 2006.This delegation was led by Board Vice President Patrick Grant and Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin. Approximately 12 Seattle Board and Association members attended. The Christchurch Board organized a full program for the visitors. The delegation attended a dedication ceremony at the Christchurch Sister City Gardens for the totem pole carved by Washington carver Jay Haavik. Delegation members visited schools, met with city officials, were briefed by officials involved in projects with Antarctica, and visited a flight museum in Christchurch. The many speeches at a formal Canterbury Club dinner poignantly revealed the strength of this sister city relationship. The dinner speakers featured Association founders Malcolm Ott of Christchurch and John Bollard of Seattle who shared many anecdotes. Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore, who hosted several events, praised the strength of Christchurch’s relationship with Seattle.
Sister Cities Reception
The Annual Sister Cities Receptionwasheld at City Hall on April 26 th.
Christchurch was one of the four sister cities featured this year. Members of the Seattle- Christchurch Sister City Association board organized a performance by a group of local Maori to provide entertainment in the form of music & dance. The New Zealand entertainers were a huge success-led by Lumen & Minerva Hohaia, Steve Bush and Tanz Chalmbers- a group of approximately 20 performers entertained the crowd with Maori songs and dances.
Mayor Visit
Mayor Greg Nickels and his wife Sharon visited Christchurch in May 2006 following the Trade and Development Conference in Melbourne, Australia. The Christchurch committee organized a full program for this weekend visit. Whilst in Christchurch the Mayor visited the HITT Lab & the Sister Cities Gardens and met with numerous city officials.
Seattle Scholars Visit
Three Christchurch High School students visited Seattle for two weeks in late September to early October 2006. The three students were selected by the Christchurch committee to participate in the annual Seattle Scholars program that began in 1998. The students were hosted by Seattle families and participated in a program organized by Board member Patrick Grant. Many Board members assisted by taking the group on tours around Seattle. Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin officially welcomed the Scholars at City Hall.
Helen Broughton Visit
Christchurch Councillor Helen Broughton visited Seattle in September 2006. The Board hosted a dinner to welcome her and many board members took her on tours in Seattle including a visit to our projects at the zoo, the Arboretum and the Burke Museum. She managed to see an amazing range of Seattle-area attractions, even a Council Meeting at City Hall. While in Seattle, Helen shared much news of developments in Christchurch.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Seattle Yacht Club on 27 th October 2006 . Over 100 people attended this event. Association President Rachel Jacobsen organized and hosted this event. The New Zealand Ambassador to the United States Roy Ferguson was one of the speakers. He spoke about the importance of such international connections as those advanced by sister city relationships. George Scott, the first president of the Seattle- Christchurch Sister City Association, shared some important history about our connection. John Bollard, former Honorary Consul from New Zealand, and 25 year Board member, also shared interesting tales. The meeting included updates about the many activities of this Association.
Video Project
The Seattle- Christchurch Sister City Association is assisting Mike & Donna James from the Seattle TV Channel since they are working on sister cities videos. The Board is working with the Christchurch committee about local arrangements for the Jameses in Christchurch.
David Hinman
David Hinman, who works with the Christchurch City Council and whose interest is Regional shopping centers & transportation made a private visit to Seattle and was hosted by a member of the Board.
Grant Application
The Seattle- Christchurch Sister City Association received a grant of $1000 to fund a bench, sculpture or appropriate landscaping object that would become a permanent part of the planned New Zealand garden at the Arboretum. The Board is working with the Arboretum on the design process.
Young Artists’ Competition
The Association sponsored someone from Christchurch for the Young Artists' Competition that was held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Sister Cities International in July in Washington DC. Erin Jackson, from Christchurch, was one of the winners.
Ongoing Projects
We continue our relationships with the Woodland Park Zoo, the Arboretum at the Botanic Gardens, and the Burke Museum at the University of Washington.
Annual Report of the Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association 2005
Prepared by Patrick Grant, Vice President
2005 was an extraordinary year for the Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association, which played an important role in hosting distinguished visitors, including Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton, Christchurch City organist Martin Setchell, and, at the Annual General Meeting, Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Chris Lidell. The totem pole designed by Jay Haavik, a project over the past three years, was finally installed in the Christchurch Sister City Garden. Here is a summary of activities in chronological order:
MARTIN SETCHELL, organist for the City of Christchurch, gave two recitals in April in Seattle & Bellevue. He was hosted by Board members Guy Falskow, Sainsbury Strack, Martin Moore, and Clint and Diana Staaf.
CHRISTCHURCH SCHOLARS: Four students from Christchurch visited Seattle for two weeks in April/May. They were hosted by four Seattle students who traveled to Christchurch in July for a two week reciprocal visit. During their visit they combined sightseeing with community service at the Woodland Park Zoo and the Wedgwood Elementary School. They met with Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin and addressed the City Council in both English and Maori. Board member Patrick Grant organized the visit of the four scholars.
The Christchurch Scholars brought with them and worked with Wedgwood Elementary School on a hand print project-“Joining hands Around the World” which is a project of the International Christchurch Youth (ICY) a group of 13-19 year olds who are involved in sister city exchanges & international relations. The handprints were joined together in friendship around Cathedral Square in Christchurch in July of this year.
MAYOR MOORE’S VISIT-Garry Moore, the Mayor of Christchurch, and his wife Pam Sharpe visited in early May. Whilst here they visited with representatives from City Hall, UW, HITT Lab ,the Burke Museum, Arboretum & the Zoo. He was hosted by Tom Furness of the HITT Lab. Sainsbury and Helen Strack hosted a lovely reception at their home. Representatives from the Zoo, the Arboretum and the Burke Museum joined Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association members at this reception.
JIM ANDERTON, Member of Parliament and the New Zealand Minister of Economic Development, was in Seattle on June 2 nd. Members of the Board met with him for a lunch hosted by the Boeing Corporation at the Seattle Yacht Club. The conversation around the lunch table included many thoughtful ideas for furthering a closer relationship between New Zealand and the United States.
SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: Board Member Michelle Coleman represented the Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association at this international event in Spokane, WA, the weekend of July 27-28 th.
The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and dinner was held October 28, 2005, at the Seattle Yacht Club. The guest speaker was New Zealander Chris Liddell, the CFO of Microsoft. Over 120 people attended. The Annual General Meeting included updates by directors of the Arboretum and the Woodland Park Zoo, as well as information about other activities and plans for the forthcoming 25 th anniversary celebration in February 2006 in Christchurch.
ARBORETUM MEETING & grant writing: Board members John Bollard, Phyllis Shulman & Senator Ken Jacobsen met with Dr David Mabberley , the Director of the Arboretum, to discuss the plans for the new proposed gardens. Christchurch will be working with the Arboretum to help secure new plants.
Jay Haavik’s TOTEM POLE has been erected at the Sister Cities Park in Christchurch. This totem pole project was organized by the Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association among others over the past several years. This totem pole allows New Zealanders to see an important artistic tradition from the Seattle area.
Major 2006 Events Forthcoming:
TOI MAORI: opening at the Burke Museum Feb 3 rd 2006. A collection of Maori weavers, carvers & tattoo artists will be exhibiting from Feb 3 rd- Feb 8 th. The exhibition continues through May.
CELEBRATION OF THE 25 TH ANNIVERSARY trip to Christchurch in Feb 2006. A delegation of ten to twelve, including Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin, will represent Seattle.
SISTER CITIES RECEPTION: Wednesday April 26 th 2006 at City Hall.
Rhythmic Gymnastic Visit to Seattle
In January eight rhythmic gymnasts from Christchurch performed in the Yule Cup at Lake Stevens High School. They competed against teams from Japan, Australia, Canada and Russia as well as teams from other US cities. Three of the girls performed in the 12-14 year age group and the other five performed in the 15 and over division. They were accompanied by two coaches, a manager and a judge. They were in Seattle from January 13 th until January 21 st. The Seattle Christchurch Sister Association joined in welcoming the team at a reception at the Everett Howard Johnson. We also met the team at the airport and helped with their transportation arrangements. The team did well and enjoyed their time here. They will probably return to Seattle again.
WAI Visit to Seattle
In May the New Zealand Maori music group “WAI” performed at the Seattle Children’s Festival. The group, which combines traditional Maori music with contemporary pop styles, was very well received. The four member group spent an additional two weeks in Seattle before continuing on their international tour to the eastern United States, Europe and Australia. The Seattle Christchurch Sister City Association found housing for them for this two week period, transported them and hosted a barbecue for them. They were interviewed on radio stations from Everett to Olympia.
Totem Project
In Christchurch, Seattle Sculptor Jay Haavik carved a beautiful totem in the style of Pacific Northwest Native Americans. Air New Zealand graciously flew the log for the totem to Christchurch free-of-charge. The completed totem was unveiled April 23 in a ceremony in Christchurch’s Garden Park. This park has sections devoted to Christchurch’s six sister cities.
Seattle-Christchurch Scholars Exchange
Four high school students from New Zealand, Sophie Peacock, Courtney McGuigan, Toby Crawford and Ea Wegner visited Seattle for 2 weeks in April as part of the Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association annual Scholars Program. Families of high school students in Seattle hosted the four students. They visited many sites of interest in the Seattle area while learning about their sister city. The Seattle City Council officially greeted them at their April 26 council meeting. Four Seattle students visited New Zealand in late July/early August as part of this program. Sister City Association Board Members David Clayton in Christchurch and Patrick Grant in Seattle are the coordinators.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Seattle Yacht Club on Friday, October 29, 2004. Over 70 members and guests attended. The keynote speaker was Rob Taylor , New Zealand Consul-General in Los Angeles. Jay Haavik, who carved the totem for the Christchurch Sister City Park, also gave a presentation about the project. Attendees were also informed about sister city activities with the Burke Museum, the Woodland Park Zoo, and the Scholar Exchanges. Rachel Jacobsen served ably as master of ceremonies.
Brian and Cheryl Palliser Visit
The Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Committee hosted a welcome dinner for visiting Christchurch-Seattle Sister City Committee President Brian Palliser and his wife Cheryl. The event was hosted by Sainsbury and Helen Strack on September 9 during the Palliser’s visit from Christchurch. Brian Palliser briefed committee members and guests on several important sister city endeavors, particularly the totem project and the scholars ’ exchange.
Summer Retreat
The Seattle committee held their annual summer retreat on August 22 to discuss long-term goals for developing the sister city relationship with Christchurch. The committee considered ideas for continuing the success of ongoing programs of support for the arboretum, the zoo, the Burke museum and student exchanges.
Cooperative ventures with New Zealanders of Seattle
The Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association co-hosted the annual Waitangi Day celebration in February as well as the August 1 Hangi with the New Zealanders of Seattle. Both events were well-attended by people in the greater Seattle area who share an interest in connections with New Zealand. The Association co-organizes a monthly gathering at the Kangaroo and Kiwi on Aurora on the first Thursday of the month. The two organizations co-edit the New Zealand News to inform Seattle area people about activities and events the build the connections between our area and New Zealand.
Seattle-ChristchurchSisterCity Association Board Meetings
In addition to the listed events the Board convened to meet in January, March, April, May, June, August, September, and November of 2003. The Annual General Meeting was held in October.
Web Site
The Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association continues to maintain a web site to inform the public about its activities. Patrick Grant is the webmaster. The site is found at: www.seattle-christchurch.org.
Prepared by
Patrick Grant,
Vice President,
Seattle-Christchurch Sister City Association