Meeting with City of Osaka
President of the Rotary Club of Melbourne, Adrian Nelson
Wednesday 16th November 2023
Mayor Matsui San, Nakakoji San, Orihara San, and Toriyama San,
Over 40 years ago in 1978, the City of Melbourne and City of Osaka become sister cities. Our two Rotary Clubs later became sister clubs.
The Rotary Club of Melbourne is the first and largest Rotary Club in Australia. The Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne, Junji Shimada, is a member of our club. He is also from Osaka. The Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp, and the Governor of the State of Victoria, Linda Dessau, are also members of the Rotary Club of Melbourne, along with two Nobel Prize winners. Today I am joined by Past Presidents Chris Wang and Robert Fisher with their wives Janet and Myra, and Past Vice President Trevor Nink and his wife Millicent.
In our time as sister clubs, together we have had many opportunities for friendship and to benefit disadvantaged people in the world. This includes a leprosy project in Cambodia, a water project in the Philippines, and a project in remote Australia to provide solar power to indigenous communities.
In 2008 we partnered to facilitate the Future Leaders Exchange Program with the City of Melbourne and City of Osaka, which saw four young professionals from each city engage in 10-day professional development visits. It was a great success for both cities.
The Rotary Club of Melbourne has travelled as a group to Osaka on three occasions, future leaders, 90th anniversary and now the centenary celebration of the Rotary Club of Osaka. We are honoured to be here today and thank you for your generous invitation. Last year, members of the Rotary Club of Osaka had planned to attend our centenary celebration in Melbourne, but unfortunately COVID intervened. We are so pleased to be able to meet in person again.
With our activities together we have enhanced the friendship and goodwill between our two great cities and Clubs. It is our hope that we continue to mutually benefit with future joint projects – in particular with the upcoming Osaka Expo, that we may help facilitate a new Future Leaders Exchange Program between our cities at that time.
Today I wish to hand-deliver this letter to you from the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp.
I also present to you on behalf of the members of the Rotary Club of Melbourne, our club banner and a coin to celebrate the Centenary of Rotary in Australia.
Thank you for meeting with us today.
