About Us
The Kelowna-Kasugai Sister City Association (KKSCA) began for the purposes of the Associations objectives:
To promote and enhance the sister city relationship between the Cities of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, and Kasugai, Aichi, Japan. To plan and co-ordinate communications between interested groups and individual citizens of the two cities in the areas of Culture, Education, Commerce, Athletics, Civic Affairs, Environment and Fellowship, To plan and co-ordinate reciprocal visits between the citizens of the two cities.
For the past thirty years, the Kelowna-Kasugai Sister City Association has fostered the relationship with Kasugai and has been instrumental in the development of many great things in Kelowna.
Kasugai Gardens
Opened in 1987, grown to be one of Kelowna’s landmarks of beauty and tranquility.
Focus Groups – to bring different facets of our two cities together to find common areas to concentrate on joint efforts.
Civic
Lady of the Lake Sponsorships– sponsored numerous Lady of the Lake candidates and with the support of Kasugai business, offer a trip to Kasugai to internationally represent Kelowna as youth ambassador
Annual Youth Delegation– hosting 8-15 students from Middle schools throughout Kasugai
Education
- Four Sister Schools Created
- Kelowna Secondary School, Mt. Boucherie Secondary School, Rutland Middle School, Glenrosa Middle School
- Japanese Courses into Curriculum
- British Columbia accredited courses started solely on the recommendation of members of the KKSCA
- Presentations to Grade 6 classes
- Started as a volunteer program and continues upon request from the schools.
- Bursaries
- Have been offered in the past.
- Foreign student exchanges to and from Kasugai
- Offered through the above mentioned sister schools and the KKSCA has helped sponsor students.
Culture
Music Delegations - with School bands to Kasugai and Traditional Japanese instruments to Kelowna.
Festival Japan - bringing awareness to Japanese culture in Kelowna at different venues in Kelowna.
Snowfest – 1998
Winefest – 1995-1997
Kelowna Regatta - 1980’s
Taste of Japan – dinner and entertainment as fundraisers
Folkfest – came from Kasugai many times to represent Japan’s performances
Introduced many people to different Japanese traditional arts enabling groups to form (Taiko Groups/ Ikebana/etc…)
Commerce
Fruit Leather – promoted in 1985
Ice wine – started in late 1990’s and are still actively importing to Japan today.
Help facilitate representatives from different industries such as Tourism Kelowna, UBCO, OK College, independent schools, chefs of Kelowna, artists, musicians, animators, wineries, newspaper media and the Economic Development Commission.
Work with the EDC, educational institutions, and Environmental organizations and liaison between Kelowna and Kasugai to help encourage trade shows between Kelowna and Kasugai.
Sports
Soccer matches in the earlier years
Judo visitations and demonstrations with the Kelowna Judo Club
Environment
Environmental Agreement – signed on August 2001 between Mayors indicating an effort to collaborate ideas and initiatives to help with environmental issues.
Help to introduce schools to sharing environmental awareness through collaborative efforts and correspondence.
Help to encourage more city to city initiatives through existing programs.
Encourage similar companies of both cities to collaborate in programs and initiatives to help with environmental issues. (sponsorships, shared challenges)
Lead delegations to Kasugai to share in our environmental programs.
Mission Statement
