「レッツゴー キャム！」Cam, Ikuzo! Come follow Camden’s journey! June 2024

This year “Green Tree Day” was once again carried out at one of Matsudo City’s elementary schools!

On May 10th, as part of the “19th Annual Green Tree Day” which celebrated our sister city relationship, a Bottlebrush tree native to Australia was planted at Takagi Dai Ni Elementary school with the help of their students. In Whitehorse, Australia, Matsudo’s sister city, a Japanese cherry blossom tree was planted nearby a performing arts center at the same time. I hope that thanks to this event, which is now a cherished tradition, the friendship between both cities will continue to be fostered, just as the trees that were planted on this day will continue to flourish.

After the Bottlebrush tree was planted, the students of Takagi Dai Ni Elementary School were able to interact with Australian culture through a quiz, as well as an online video call with the mayor of Whitehorse.

The kids had a fun time learning about the similarities between Matsudo and Whitehorse, and that the reason that Matsudo became connected to Australia is because in 1958 a middle school girl from Matsudo made a request to the Australian Embassy to receive a eucalyptus tree seed. This was followed up by an online meeting between Whitehorse Mayor Denise Massoud and Matsudo’s Mayor Hongoya, where I was given the opportunity to interpret Japanese into English. It was my first time participating in Green Tree Day as an interpreter, and I am truly grateful of having the privilege to help facilitate communication between both of the mayors at an event that will deepen the friendship between the two sister cities.

Next, it was time for the students of Takagi Dai Ni Elementary School to ask questions to Mayor Massoud, and from her responses we were able to learn about the popular sports in Australia such as Australian Rules Football, and some of the differences between school life in Australia compared to Japan. I was so impressed by how all of the students memorized their questions in English, and were able to ask their questions to Mayor Massoud without using a script. I think it is so great that Matsudo’s sister city partnership with Whitehorse became a motivator for students to learn about our sister city and try their best to learn English. Starting from eucalyptus seeds that were received from the Australian Embassy 66 years ago, this is just one of the great things this relationship has led to, and I hope that there are more wonderful changes to come for both cities.

今年も松戸市内の小学校で「グリーン・ツリー・デー（樹の日）」が行われました！

5月10日に姉妹都市締結を記念する「第19回グリーン・ツリー・デー（樹の日）」として、高木第二小学校で6年生と一緒にオーストラリア原産ブラシノキの植樹式が行われ、同時に、松戸の姉妹都市であるホワイトホース市側も現地の舞台芸術センターの近くに日本の桜の木が植樹されました。この伝統となっているイベントで、お互いの国で同時に植えた木が育つように、これからも両市の友情がさらに育まれて欲しいですね。

ブラシノキが植えられた後、高木第二小学校の生徒がクイズやホワイトホース市長とのオンライン会談でオーストラリアの文化に触れることができました。

姉妹都市関係についてのクイズを通じて、両市の共通点や1958年に松戸市の女子中学生が「オーストラリア大使館にユーカリの木の種をください」とお願いをしたことが姉妹都市のきっかけになったこと等を楽しんで学ぶ機会となりました。その後、ホワイトホース市長デニス・マスードと松戸市の本郷谷市長がオンライン会談を行い、私が日本語から英訳の通訳をさせていただきました。初めて通訳者としてグリーン・ツリー・デーに参加し、両市長のコミュニケーションを円滑に回す役割で、これから姉妹都市として友情を深める場に立ち会うことができ、この機会をいただいて誠に感謝しています。

そして、高木第二小学校の児童がマスード市長に質問する時間では、マスード市長の答えの中で、オーストラリアンフットボール等の現地で有名なスポーツや日本と学校での生活の違いを知る機会となりました。生徒の皆さんが自分の質問を英語で覚えて、スクリプト無しでマスード市長に聞いたことに感心し、参加した皆さんにとってホワイトホース市との姉妹都市提携について深く学ぶことや英語を勉強するきっかけとなりました！これは66年前にオーストラリア大使館から頂いたユーカリの種の成果だと思いますので、これからも姉妹都市提携を深め、両市にとって素晴らしい効果がもたらされることを期待します。