Maui Honors Sister City With Miyakojima City Day Proclamation

By Maui Now Staff

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa issued a proclamation today, officially designating Tuesday, July 28, 2015, as Miyakojima City Day, in recognition of the 50-year anniversary of the County of Maui and Miyakojima City Sister City relationship.

Miyakojima City is located on several islands in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture. 

In April 1965, the County of Maui adopted a resolution establishing a sister-city relationship with Hirara City Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan. In October 2005, Miyakojima City merged Miyako Island’s Hirara City, Gusukube, Irabu, Ueno and Shimoji.

There has been a long history of cultural exchanges through Maui County’s Okinawan community, Maui Okinawa Kenjin Kai, Maui Chapter of the Worldwide Uchinanchu Business Association, Hawai‘i United Okinawa Association and the many Okinawan cultural groups and organizations which promote and perpetuate the Okinawan culture on Maui.

In addition, thousands of Maui County residents have visited their ancestral home on Okinawa’s Miyako Island.

This sister-city relationship has strengthened the bonds initiated through cultural, business and economic exchanges, furthering the ties of friendship, promoting enduring goodwill and enable the people of Maui County to continue to exchange educational, medical, cultural and business ideas and information.