About Sister Cities

The Town of Collingwood has established ties and relationships with the communities of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Guerro, Mexico; Katano, Osaka, Japan; and Boone, North Carolina. The benefits of sister city relationships include:

  • Increasing cultural awareness and fostering an understanding and apprecitation through projects that build cross-cultural awareness;
  • Supporting economic development to promote common prosperity and create a relationship where economic and community development can be implemented and strengthened.
  • Encouraging joint learning partnerships so communities can creatively learn, work and solve problems together through reciprocal educational, municipal, business, professional and technical exchanges and projects. 

 

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico crest

Collingwood's sister city relationship with Zihuatanejo was declared in 2005. Zihuatanejo (pronounced Zee-wa-ta-NAY-ho) is located on the Pacific coast, 5 km's from Ixtapa, about 240 km's north of Acapulco.Zihuatanejo, or Zihua as it’s affectionately called, is a paradise of beautiful beaches, friendly people and an easygoing lifestyle. With a population of over 105,000 it is developing as a tourist location but, or the most part, Zihua has retained its historic charm where narrow cobblestone streets of downtown hide wonderful local restaurants, bars, boutiques and artisan studios.

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, MexicoZihuatanejo Guerrero

 

Volunteers

We are always looking for new volunteers, either to join the committee or participate in a specific project. New members are urged to bring new ideas, interests and skills to be part of planning for future activities and initiatives with our sister city in Mexico. If you're interested in volunteering please contact 705-444-2500. 
 

History

From the outset, the Committee’s activities have been varied and the group comprises of community volunteers with an interest in Mexico. Originally, a Collingwood delegation, including the Mayor, travelled to Zihuatanejo to sign the declaration.  The following year, an official group from Zihuatanejo came to Collingwood and there was also a student delegation that visited us.

From time to time, other Collingwood citizens, including Councillors have visited Zihuatanejo and discussed various initiatives and projects. In the Spring of 2009 Collingwood citizen and musician, Drew Wright participated in the Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival.

In the summer of 2010, a re-energized Zihuatanejo/Collingwood Sister City Committee was formed.  The first initiative of the group was in honour of the 200th anniversary of Mexican Independence Day on September 16th, 2010 when the committee distributed Mexican flags and activity/colouring sheets to local elementary school students and raised the Mexican flag at the Collingwood Station.

Its next project provided English language books and CD recordings to 120 children in the enrichment program at Casa del Pacifica in Zihuatanejo.  (This non-profit school was founded by Pacifica Hotels in 2000.  Its mission is to assist the most disadvantaged Zihuatanejo children in Grades 1-6, gain learning skills that they would not normally have the means to obtain.)

 
Sister city declaration       Flag of Collingwood is raised in Zihuatanejo   Celebration of sister cities relationship
2005 - Sister city declaration 2005 - Flag of Collingwood is raised in Zihuatanejo 2005 - Celebration of sister cities relationship
 
 
 

Boone, North Carolina, USA

Town of Boone, North Caroline Banner

The Sister City Agreement with Boone, North Carolina was signed in October 1995.  Since that time, there have been a few reciprocal visits.  Band exchanges occurred in the late 1990s with the CCI Band and students from Boone.  In 2004, a delegation which included former Mayor Terry Geddes, visited Boone and the following year, the Collingwood Chamber of Commerce hosted a group of approximately 20.  As recently as 2006, Boone received a visit from Collingwood citizens bringing greetings and gifts from Collingwood. 

Town of Boone, NC
Boone Chamber of Commerce

Town of Boone, NC Tourism

 

 

Katano, Osaka, Japan

Katano, Osaka, Japan crest

The Town of Collingwood’s longest and most established sister city relationship is with Katano, Japan.  While the twinning was officially announced in 1981 when a delegation visited Collingwood from Japan, the relationship was forged in previous years by a Collingwood citizen, who was residing in Katano in the late seventies.  Numerous exchanges, events and visits have taken place over the years, including those organized by the Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, the CCI Band and Rotary Clubs.  Collingwood’s Friendship Gardens Park honours the Collingwood-Katano relationship and for the 20th anniversary of the twinning, a bench in the park was dedicated. In the fall of 2007, a municipal delegation including Mayor Carrier, travelled to Katano to celebrate the 27th anniversary of the twinning agreement.  A delegation from Katano, including their Mayor, Jinkoh Nakata, visited as recently as the summer of 2008, to celebrate Collingwood’s sesquicentennial.

The successful relationship with Katano is due to the Collingwood/Katano Sister City Committee. The objectives of the Katano Sister City Committee are: to promote international friendship and culture between Collingwood and Katano, Japan and to encourage the sharing of language and culture.

The Katano/Collingwood Sister City Committee welcomed four students from Katano and the Katano International Friendship Association Chairperson Yoshitaka Oku at a special reception on August 11, 2014.The Japanese students, one high school and three university, stayed in Collingwood in a two-week home stay program organized by the Katano/Collingwood Sister City Committee. Another visit will be organized in hounour of the 35th Anniversary of the friendship in 2016. 

Japan National Tourism Organization
Katano City

Sister Cities MedalPhoto Gallery of Collingwood's Sister City Civic Collection
Contact: (705) 444-2500
 

Attachment Size
Sister Cities International Charter of recognition (PDF) 101.53 KB
Declaration of Sister City Affiliation Boone & Collingwood (PDF) 75.54 KB
Declaration Ixtapa Zihuatanejo (PDF) 362.83 KB
Katano Declaration and Reaffirmation (PDF) 399.85 KB
Mexican Independence Day Colouring Page (PDF) 3.17 MB