Portsmouth Welcomes Sister City Delegation from Nichinan, Japan

On Sunday, October 3, 2010, twenty students and four teachers from Nichinan Gakuen Junior High School accompanied their Director General Masakuni Soeda and Vice Principal Masaki Kawagoe to Portsmouth. The students are staying with Portsmouth families for four days, reciprocating the visit to Nichinan in August 2010 by members of the Portsmouth High School Madrigal Singers.

 
Students from Nichinan Gakuen Junior High School visit Treaty exhibit.

Accompanying the students for the start of the trip were Nichinan Deputy Mayor Katuhisa Sakamoto, the Chairman of the Nichinan Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mithuo Shimizu and the Nichinan General Affairs Section Manager Masahiro Murasumi.



They first visited the Portsmouth Peace Treaty exhibit at the Portsmouth Historical Society museum where they were greeted by a member of the Japan-America Society of NH. They then were welcomed by the Mayor of Portsmouth, Tom Ferrini and the Superintendent of Portsmouth Schools, Ed McDonough, with Assistant Superintendent Steven Radravic at Wentworth By the Sea Hotel.

 Mayor Tom Ferrini (at podium) with, left to right, Nichinan Chamber PresidentShimizu, Nichinan Deputy Mayor Sakamoto and Gakuen School Director General Soeda, at the reception at Wentworth By the Sea.

NH Senator Martha Fuller Clark, sponsor of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day bill in the NH Legislature (who also participated in the Portsmouth-Nichinan Sister School program at its start), former Mayor Eileen Foley (who founded the program) and a representative of the Japan-America Society of NH (who presented the Nichinan visitors with copies of the Governor's Proclamation of Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day) also participated. Bill co-sponsor Representative Robin Read also attended.

 Nichinan guests present a gift to the founder of the Portsmouth-Nichinan Sister City program, former Mayor Eileen Foley (left). NH Senator Martha Fuller Clark (center, in pink).

The students spent four days visiting Portsmouth High School and staying with local families.

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