Deputy Managing Director Krishna Jayaram and Kaʻili Trask O’Connell Executive Director of MOCA met with Mayor Saito of Edogawa who was accompanied by Deputy Mayor Yumiba, Chair Shinichi, Vice Chair Kubota and Councilmember Fukumoto.
Mayor Saito highlighted the exciting activities and initiatives that have occurred since the 2022 Sister City agreement between Honolulu and Edogawa. These include exchanges between youth baseball teams, like those from ʻEwa Makai Middle School, and Bon dancers performing at the Honolulu Festival. He noted that many foreigners now reside in Edogawa, which offers a tranquil, family-friendly atmosphere; currently, one-sixth of its population is non-Japanese. Mayor Saito appreciates Honolulu’s commitment to fostering harmony among diverse cultures and believes that “Honolulu is our teacher.”
Executive Director Kaʻili Trask O’Connell shared her department’s missions and recent events, such as Hawaiian Language Month in February, Art exhibits in Honolulu Hale and mentioned Wahi Pana, a one-million-dollar grant for public art awarded to the City & County of Honolulu by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
