It is our pleasure to invite you to attend the San Diego Yokohama Sister City Society 59th anniversary luncheon on Sunday, September 25, 2016. Come and celebrate a longstanding relationship between the two cities as well as learn about the exciting developments and successes we have had in building educational and professional exchanges.

San Diego and Yokohama is one of the oldest sister cities on the West Coast, part of a larger initiative started by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to build people-to-people friendship through sister city exchanges. The San Diego Yokohama Sister City Society was key to rebuilding U.S.-Japanese ties at the national level following World War II, and has tremendously enriched the cultural life of residents in both cities through numerous arts, zoo, and library book exchanges over the decades. Many student, civic, and military delegations have also been exchanged through the sister city relationship.

This year we have expanded our relationship with Yokohama on multiple fronts. We deepened our exchange with the public schools in Yokohama. Twenty students from Kanazawa High School were warmly hosted at Mission Bay cluster of schools during a five day visit in March. Last August Mrs. Yumeka Nagasawa from Kanazawa Middle School and Mr. Takayuki Nagashima from Kanazawa Elementary participated in in-class training at Adobe Bluffs Elementary, Crown Point Junior Music Academy (CPJMA), and Pacific Beach Middle school. SDYSCS also partnered with CPJMA and the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park to build a Japanese garden at CPJMA’s playground.

SDYSCS sent an official delegation to Yokohama in April to discuss Yokohama Mayor Hayashi’s visit to San Diego next year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of sister city ties and open a representative office with the San Diego Economic Development Council. SDYSCS will send another delegation to Yokohama this November led by San Diego Unified School District President Dr. Mike McQuary in order to expand the scope of exchanges between the respective school districts.

This year has been quite eventful and we welcome you to join our luncheon at the Admiral Baker Clubhouse on Sunday, September 13, 2015 from 10:30am to 1pm. There will offer a delicious variety of Sunday Brunch entrees. Reservations are $30.00 per person with parking provided. We look forward to meeting you at our our luncheon and usher in an auspicious 2017.