Gent and the Japanese city of Kanazawa, sister cities since 1971, are structurally renewing their bond at the Town Hall of Gent on Monday, October 5th. The ceremony will be attended by the mayor of Kanazawa, Takashi Murayama, who is traveling to Gent with a delegation for this occasion.
The renewed agreement, a 'Memorandum of Understanding', places emphasis on two new themes: architecture and care. Both cities share strong architectural identities and face similar challenges, such as how historical cities can evolve and become more sustainable without losing their character, as well as challenges related to an aging population.
The exchange of knowledge and experiences aims to help both cities develop new answers to these societal challenges. The collaboration will, among other things, create opportunities for exchanges between architects, students, educational institutions, and other professionals. A first initiative is a free exhibition currently running in the old library at Zuid.
More than fifty years of cooperation form a strong foundation, but the sister city relationship must continue to evolve. In addition to reflecting on past achievements, the focus is on future joint projects. Familiar initiatives such as student exchanges, as well as culinary, musical, and cultural exchanges, will continue to be part of the partnership. The City of Gent also explicitly thanks the Gent-Kanazawa Support Club for their years of dedication. A recent example of their support is the launch of the Gent-Kanazawa Sister City Walk.
