Lismore has a lot of relatives and it is looking at ways to keep track of family members.
The town has several cultural relationships with other cities around the world – it all started with a Sister city relationship with Yamato Takada, Japan, which began on 7 August, 1963. It was also the first sister city relationship forged between Australia and Japan.
Since then the family has grown to include a Twin relationship with Makassar, Indonesia; a Mutual Friendship Declaration with Conegliano and Vittorio Veneto, Italy; a Sister city relationship with Lismore, Ireland; and a Sister city relationship with Eau Claire, USA
It has gotta to a point where all those relationships ends wrangling and Lismore City Council is calling for expressions of interest to join its Sister City Advisory Panel.
The Panel oversees and provides guidance on key aspects of Council’s cultural relationships, from student exchange programs to cross-cultural visits and events.
‘Lismore’s sister city and cultural relationships have grown organically over the years,’ says Sister City Advisory Panel Chair and Lismore Councillor Neil Marks.
‘Our sister city relationship with Yamato Takada is historically significant, being the first of its kind between Australia and Japan, and this has remained a very strong bond that we actively nurture.
Marks says that the people of Yamato Takada hold our sister city relationship and Lismore in very high regard, and we continue to have an annual student exchange program as well as visits by local dignitaries every few years or for anniversary occasions.
‘With others we still share a close connection – we have a Friendship Festival each year in Lismore that celebrates our friendship with Conegliano and Vittorio Veneto in Italy, and if you visited Eau Claire in Wisconsin, you’d find the Lismore Hotel with its Northern Star wallpaper.’
Cr Marks says council is looking for people to join the Sister City Advisory Panel who understand the importance of these cultural relationships and who can bring energy and creativity to the table.
Interested people need to complete the expression of interest form at www.lismore.nsw.gov.au and email to [email protected] The closing date for nominations is 2 November 2018.
