Delegates from Aspen and its sister city Shimukappu, Japan celebrated the 30-year anniversary of the cities’ partnership through the Aspen Sister Cities program and renewed Shimukappu’s designation as an Aspen sister city Sunday night.
It was the second celebration of Aspen and Shimukappu’s 30th anniversary, after delegates from Aspen visited Shimukappu in October. Aspen and Shimukappu officially became sister cities in 1991 and the original 30-year anniversary celebrations were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 1988 before becoming sister cities, Shimukappu organized a student exchange with Aspen. It put in motion an annual student exchange program where groups of eighth-grade students from both cities visit one another for a 10-day educational and cultural exchange.
Delegates from Shimukappu, Japan are introduced in a 30th anniversary celebration Sunday night. Aspen and Shimukappu first became sister cities in 1991.Students from Shimukappu, Japan on a 10-day exchange program in Aspen perform a dance to a traditional Japanese sea shanty.Ben Belinski, a former English teacher in Shimukappu, performs the koto, the national instrument of JapanJapanese Deputy Consul General of Denver Isamu Azechi speaks at the 30th anniversary celebration for Shimukappu and Aspen Sunday night.Mayor Torre presents the Shimukappu flag at the 30-year anniversary celebration of Shimukappu and Aspen’s sister cities designation. Shimukappu Vice Mayor Hideyuki Matsunaga gifted the flag to Torre during the celebration.Mayor Torre presents a declaration to Shimukappu Vice Mayor Hideyuki Matsunaga renewing the village’s sister city designation with Aspen
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