-Nolan Hiott, WRGA-
A delegation of 15 people from Rome’s sister city, Kumamoto, arrived at city hall on Thursday morning. The first stop in their historic visit.
On May 29th, 1995, the relationship between the City of Rome and the town of Ueki began more than 30 years ago. As Rome City Commission Chair George Pullen initiated the relationship, hoping to start a student exchange program. The program was successfully started and a document defining the friendship between the two was signed in 1996. This relationship went on with the exchange of ideas, students, and regular visits between Ueki Town and Rome until Ueki Town was merged into the city of Kumamoto in 2010. In the merge, Kumamoto excitedly chose to keep the tradition going. The student exchange program persisted, as did the regular visits, until 2019. With the shutdown that came as a result of the COVID epidemic, relations between Rome and Kumamoto did not wane, as key representatives from both Rome and Kumamoto kept in touch. Though, due to the shutdown, the regular visits and student exchange ended and have not been reactivated since.
This visit sought to reinvigorate the relationship between Kumamoto and Rome and the student exchange was the first point of discussion upon arrival. The delegation arrived at 10:45 Thursday morning and met in City Hall to discuss the reopening of the educational opportunity. Both Kazufumi Onishi, Mayor of Kumamoto, and Rome Mayor Jim Bojo sat down and discussed this possibility. Both sides were optimistic and excited to reopen this historic exchange of national identities.
After the discussions, introductions, and talks took place the delegation from Kumamoto and representatives of Rome walked down the street to eat some Po-boys. The delegation is planned to stay in Rome for two days to be introduced to the culture and heritage of Rome.
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