Newport News and Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan are celebrating 35 years of sisterhood between the two cities. A delegation of nine youth and seven adults from Neyagawa is visiting Newport News for 10 days to officially commemorate the anniversary and is staying with local host families while here. The school aged delegates will attend high school with host students while the adult delegates will visit colleges, schools, museums and other city attractions such as the Virginia Living Museum, Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center, Lee Hall and Endview Plantation.
Neyagawa is located within the greater Osaka metropolitan area. It has a population of about 240,000 people. Neyagawa is named for the Neya River which runs through its central region. It is a city where history runs deep. Its hills are dotted with Paleolithic (Pre-14,000 BC) and Jomon (14,000 BC -300 BC) era ruins.
The experiences that are exchanged while the delegation visits emphasize the importance of understanding and appreciating different cultures and how exchanging ideas fosters international goodwill as both parties explore the similarities and differences in each of their countries. The mission of the Newport News Sister Cities program is to build and strengthen international cooperation, understanding and development between the citizens of the City of Newport News and those of the world. Learn more at
www.sistercities-nn.com/.