Category: News/Updates

Hello Friends!

We will be having a Friends of Aomori Board Meeting this coming Tuesday, March 4 from 4:00 – 5:30PM at Don Nicoll’s personal residence!  Thank you, Don!  Meeting minutes will be posted here shortly thereafter.

The Friends of Aomori would like to thank the recent donors to our organization!  Your contribution helps support the several student exchanges between the State of Maine and Aomori Prefecture (learn more) and the annual state delegations (read about past delegations).  We truly appreciate it!

Learn on how you can donate to Friends of Aomori:
https://maine-aomori.org/donate/

Thank you very much!

こんにちは!

MASSAC and Friends of Aomori would like to bring you exciting news!  The Aomori Delegation will be visiting the State of Maine from November 10 – 14, 2014 to celebrate 20 years of the sister-state relationship between Maine and Aomori Prefecture!

We are in the process of planning the events and schedule of the delegation activities, which will be updated on the website and our Facebook page!

We would like to sincerely thank the Aomori Prefecture’s Tourism and International Affairs Strategic Bureau for their understanding of our cancellation of the Maine Delegation to Aomori last year.  The Maine-Aomori relationship is very important to us, and we are deeply honored to host Aomori delegates this November!

2014 celebrates the close people-to-people relationships we have created over the years.  Let’s make it one of the best delegation visits yet!

Hello Friends!

We will be holding a  Friends of Aomori this coming Tuesday, Novemeber 5 from 4:30-6:00 at the USM Portland Glickman Library 4th Floor Conference Room.  All are welcome to attend!  The purpose for this meeting is to discuss and reevaluate our goals, restructure our organization, discuss membership in a constructive manner, revisit our fundraising possibilities, and create small, easily attainable goals with quick deadlines to get things in motion.  Planning for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the sister-state relationship has already begun!  Please join us!

Below are pictures of Mr. Kawaragi performing for Maine students at various schools.  Thank you very much, Kawaragi-sensei.  It was very fun!  本当にありがとうございました。とても楽しかったです。 Your performances have positively impacted hundreds of students of the State of Maine!  We look forward to your performances next year!

If your school or organization would like to participate in a cultural exchange like Mr. Kawaragi’s performance, please use our contact form to speak  with Friends of Aomori.   We have already begun planning for Kawaragi-san’s performance schedule next year, so please contact us to express your interest!  This year, most performances lasted 45 minutes in length and were at school assemblies at the beginning or end of the school day, or during an individual class or group session.

There are more photos and videos of Mr. Kawaragi’s visit among other interesting updates on our Facebook page.

Hello Friends!

Kawaragi Katsutoshi, our fantastic guest between Maine and Aomori for many years, has planned to visit Maine this Sept. 29 – Oct. 15! As the leader of the Hachinohe Enburi dance group and the United States – Nippon Friendship group (USN), Kawaragi-sensei has been one of the pillars of the cultural connection for the sister-state relationship. He currently lives in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

He will be accompanied by his lifelong friend and retired professor Mr. Mike Herrick!  Mr. Herrick has been involved with Japanese language instruction and East Asian Studies for many years, and will be a part of Kawaragi-sensei’s performance by serving as the MC.  He will provide English explanations of the performance to the students!

During his stay in Maine, Kawaragi-sensei will perform his traditional Japanese dances and activities at Reiche Elementary, PATHS, Greely Middle School, Georgetown Elementary, West Bath School, Moore Middle School, Hall-Dale Elementary, Marcia Buker Elementary, and Dresden Elementary! He will also volunteer at the Preble St. Soup Kitchen in Portland, ME!

Welcome to Maine, Mr. Kawaragi and Mr. Herrick!  Thank you very much!

Dr. Don Hudson, the Chair of the Maine-Aomori Sister-State Advisory Council (MASSAC), and Mr. Henry Prosack, President of Friends of Aomori,  had a Skype video meeting with the Aomori Prefecture International Affairs Division on September 25, 2013.  It was delightful to see members of the International Affairs Division that we had not met previously.

The meeting focused mainly on planning for the 20th Anniversary Celebration.  All parties have agreed that Aomori Prefecture will host a Maine delegation in Japan in 2014!  The main themes of the delegation are planned to consist of ocean energy, fisheries and aquaculture, education, and the 20th Anniversary of the Maine-Aomori sister-state relationship!

We would like to thank Aomori for their understanding of our cancellation of the October visit this year.  We remain dedicated and strong to the cause, and are eager to enhance the sister-state relationship to new heights.  MASSAC and Friends of Aomori look forward to further ties, establish new connections, and provide additional benefit to the citizens of both states.

Skype meetings with the International Affairs Division will be conducted on a regular basis in addition to our routine email communication.

Our website will be updated frequently with the progress and activity of both MASSAC and Friends of Aomori.