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Cities and Townships Hosted Events, Report 1.
Miyako Island Awaiting German Prime Minister
Updated July 21, 13:00
Municipalities in Okinawa are hoping to have one of the Summit delegates hold exchange programs with their residents and have been inviting the G8 leaders to visit their villages either before or after the Summit.
The residents of Miyako are looking forward to the visit of German Prime Minister Gerhard Shroeder to their island.
Miyako Island has had a long relationship with Germany. In fact, the Ueno German Cultural Village can be found here.
The relationship between Germany and Miyako began way back in July 12th, 1873 when a German merchant ship, the RJ Roveltson, got into a typhoon and started to sink off Miyako Island. The island inhabitants found the merchant ship and rescued the crew.
The crew was carefully taken care of by Miyako's inhabitants for over one month then returned to their country.
The captain reported the incident to the German emperor who then sent a warship to Miyako Island to thank the inhabitants for their kindness and build a "Philanthropy Monument" in Hirara city. In 1937, Japan's Ministry of Education decided that this episode in Miyako Island's history is a "beautiful story that should be told to people" and introduced it in the national elementary schoolbooks. In 1993 Miyako Island inaugurated the Ueno German Cultural Village and declared the year 2000 as German Friendship Year.
With the coming of the Summit to Okinawa, the residents of Miyako have invited German Prime Minister Shroeder to attend a reception ceremony and plant a memorial tree in the island to further deepen and enhance their friendly relations.
In addition, they are undertaking exchanges activities with Naruto City, in the Tokushima prefecture, a municipality that also has relationships with Germany.
The people of Miyako are eagerly awaiting this event and working hard to ensure its success. This is not the first time for the island to hold an event of international magnitude since the International Triathlon Tournament is also held every year in Miyako.
- Date: 21st July 12:00 - 13:15
- Place: Ueno German Cultural Village (15 min. by taxi from Miyako airport)
- Details : A reception ceremony will be held at the Multi-purpose Square of Ueno German Cultural Village followed by a visit to the Philanthropy Memorial Hall and the planting of a memorial tree at the main street.
- Contact: German Federal Republic Prime Minister Reception Headquarters
- Tel: 09807-6-3195 (Inside German Cultural Village)
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