[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 103 (Thursday, July 22, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SISTER-CITY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MARQUETTE, MI AND 
                            YOKAICHI, JAPAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 2004

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, on August 13, 1979, the city of Marquette, 
MI, entered into a sister city relationship with Yokaichi, Shiga 
Prefecture, Japan. Since then, the relationship has flourished, and I 
would like to congratulate both cities on their upcoming 25th 
Anniversary of this sister-city bond.
  In his September 12, 1992 remarks to the 102nd Congress, my 
predecessor, Congressman Robert Davis, praised these sister cities and 
included an extensive history of that relationship (E2819-2821). I 
would also like to highlight the history of the Marquette-Yokaichi 
sister-city program:
  On September 12, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower initiated the 
Sister City program to build close relationships and cultural 
understanding between people of different countries. President 
Eisenhower's theory: these new relationships could be a powerful force 
in promoting world peace and would help prevent misunderstandings 
between the governments of those countries.
  On November 14, 1968, Michigan Governor George Romney and Shiga 
Prefecture's Gov. Kinichiro Nozaki initiated a Sister State 
relationship. This was followed by annual exchanges between these 
states and the encouragement to establish bonds between their cities.
  When the cities of Marquette, Michigan and Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan 
signed their August 13, 1979 Sister City Agreement, its focus was 
directed to cultural exchanges with the intent of developing long-term 
friendships and understanding between the people of these two 
communities. Several actions have assisted its continued expansion and 
success:
  Annual exchanges of formal delegations and several informal 
delegations have occurred since 1979.
  Each delegate, visitor, student, teacher artist or other 
representative to his or her sister city is welcomed as a member of an 
extended family and stays with a host family that may include three 
generations in its household.
  ``Sister'' agreements were signed between the Rotary Clubs in 1979 
and the Chambers of Commerce in 1983 of the two cities.
  The two cities have also had many exchanges through their education 
programs. Northern Michigan University has offered an academic year 
scholarship to a student from Yokaichi since 1980 and several have 
returned to receive degrees there. The Japan Center for Michigan 
Universities, located twenty miles from Yokaichi, has offered 
scholarships to three Northern Michigan University students each 
academic year since 1989.
  Marquette and Yokaichi school students exchange letters and the 
schools in each city teach their pupils about their Sister City. 
Michigan and Shiga initiated annual teacher exchange and government 
worker exchange programs in the early 1980's. Michigan and Shiga 
initiated a summer high school student exchange program in the 1990's.
  Finally, over 100 Marquette or Yokaichi casual visitors have been 
welcomed to their sister city. More than 2,500 delegates, host family 
members, students, teachers, government officials and informal visitors 
have participated directly in the Marquette-Yokaichi partnership. With 
each exchange has come the opportunity to plant new seeds of friendship 
and understanding, many of which have become self-sustaining gardens 
that are freely shared with others in the community. With each exchange 
has come the opportunity to become a member of an extended family. And 
for many, it has become a life-changing experience.
  Mr. Speaker, again I applaud the cities of Marquette and Yokaichi for 
their great success in building this special relationship through their 
sister-city status. I congratulate them on their 25th anniversary and I 
wish them continued success for the next twenty-five years.

                          ____________________