Richmond
celebrates Saitama, Japan and return of Richmond Little League Sister City Baseball
Exchange
Council & Mayor to hold Ceremony in
Richmond City Council Chambers
WHAT
(Richmond,
Virginia U.S.A. 30 July 2025) – Richmond City Council and Mayor Danny Avula celebrate the return of the
Saitama City,
Japan and Richmond Little League Sister City Baseball Exchange.
This
exchange started in 1994, beginning the year after Richmond City Council’s
Richmond Sister Cities Commission established an official Sister Cities
relationship with Saitama City, Japan in 1993.
The relationship
began shortly after a Japan-Virginia Society was founded in 1988, which fostered
a friendship between the peoples of Japan and Virginia.
This cultural exchange
includes coaches, players (11-12 years old), families, officials, and staffs rotating
visits between our cities and engaging in educational, cultural, community, and
sporting activities.
Over the years, hundreds
of Saitama and Richmond youths, families, coaches, and staff. have taken part
in this successful international exchange that has created many happy and
lasting memories and friendships.
On hiatus 2020 to 2023 due to COVID, the baseball exchange resumed last year with
the Richmond Little League visiting Saitama and celebrating its 30-years of
friendship.
Richmond City Council and Mayor Danny Avula thank
the Richmond Little League, Saitama, Japan delegation, Saitama Junior Baseball Team, and all the
coaches, players, families, officials, staffs, sponsors, supporters, and fans for
everything they do to make this exchange such a welcomed and ongoing success.
Saitama, Japan / Richmond Little League Baseball Exchange
Schedule
of Public Events
Thus.,
31 July 2025 1500 - 1730 hrs. (est.); Saitama City Delegation
Arrives
Friday,
1 August 2025 1000-1200 hrs.
Baseball Game
Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and
Community Facilities Byrd Park North and
South Fields; Near 600
S Shepard St. Richmond, Virginia https://maps.app.goo.gl/U3BavriyPevZ1wCq8
Sat., 2
August 2025 0930-1230 hrs.
Richmond History Tour
- 0930 hrs.: St. John's Church - Reenactment of
Patrick Henry's Speech
- 1100 hrs.: Tredegar American Civil War
History Museum
- 1230 hrs.: Box Lunch at Brown's Island/Richmond
Dept. of Parks, Recreation, & Community
Facilities
1730 hrs.
Baseball Game (Rec. Game)
Richmond
Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities Byrd Park
North Field; Near
600 S Shepard St. Richmond, Virginia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/U3BavriyPevZ1wCq8
1930 hrs.
Baseball Game (All Star)
Richmond
Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities Byrd Park
North Field; Near
600 S Shepard St. Richmond, Virginia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/U3BavriyPevZ1wCq8
Sun., 3
August 2025 Out of town event: Baseball Game Nationals
vs. Brewers
Mon., 4
August 2025 1000-1200 hrs.
Baseball Game (Interleague)
Richmond
Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities Byrd Park
North and South Fields; Near 600 S Shepard St. Richmond, Virginia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/U3BavriyPevZ1wCq8
1400-1600 hrs.
Richmond Official Celebration
Reception
Richmond
City Council and Mayor of Richmond
Richmond City Hall; Richmond City Council
Chambers; 900 E. Broad Street, 3rd floor; Richmond, Virginia
1400-1600 hrs.
Richmond Official Celebration
Reception
Richmond
City Council and Mayor of Richmond
·
Saitama
City, Japan Ceremony
Richmond City Council
- Cynthia
I. Newbille, Council President, Richmond City Council
- Nicole
Jones, Councilmember, Richmond City Council, and Richmond Sister Cities
Commission representative
Richmond
Mayor
- The
Honorable Danny Avula, Mayor of Richmond
Saitama City, Japan delegation
- Ishikawa Manabu, Head of Delegation, Saitama City, Japan
- Hayashi Yoshio, Chairman, Saitama Baseball
- Kenji Katsuya, Manager, Saitama Baseball
Richmond
Sister Cities Commission
- Miss Catherine E.
Nexsen, Chair, Richmond Sister Cities Commission-Richmond-Saitama City,
Japan-Richmond Committee
Richmond Little League
- Robby
McKetta, Player Agent/Saitama Exchange Program, Richmond Little League
Richmond City Hall; Richmond
City Council Chambers; 900 E. Broad Street, 3rd floor; Richmond,
Virginia
Visit Richmond City Hall
Observation Deck
Richmond City Hall; Richmond City Council
Chambers;
900 E.
Broad Street, Observation Deck; Richmond, VA
Tues., 5
August 2025 0700 hrs.; Saitama City Departs: Richmond
International Airport
WHO/ATTENDEES
estimated:
70+/- (32 Japan, 30 Richmond Little League, 10 Richmond City Council/City)
Richmond
City Council
·
Cynthia I. Newbille, Council President,
Richmond City Council
·
Nicole Jones, Councilmember, Richmond City
Council, Richmond Sister Cities Commission
·
Candice D. Reid, City Clerk, Richmond City
Council-Office of City Clerk
·
Members of Richmond City Council
Richmond
Mayor
·
Danny Avula, Mayor of Richmond
Saitama City, Japan Delegation (33)
·
Ishikawa
Manabu, Head of Delegation, Saitama City,
Japan
·
Hayashi
Yoshio, Chairman, Saitama
Baseball
·
Machida
Akihiro, Coach, Saitama
Baseball
·
Fukai Mitsugi, Coach, Saitama
Baseball
·
Akiya Akiko, Coach, Saitama Baseball
·
Katsuya Kenji, Manager, Saitama Baseball
· Tadaomi Kikugawa, Paramedic, Saitama, Japan
·
Saitama Baseball
Players, Families, Staff, etc.
Richmond Little League
·
Liz Kastelberg,
Communications, Richmond Little League
·
Robby McKetta, Player Agent/Saitama Exchange
Program, Richmond Little League
·
Boyd Bullock, Saitama Exchange Program, Richmond Little League
·
Brian Quigley, Richmond Little League
·
James Driscoll, Richmond Little League
·
Richmond Little League Coaches, Players,
Families, Staff, etc.
Richmond Sister Cities Commission
·
Jonette D. Meade Barley, Chair, Richmond Sister Cities Commission
·
Miss Catherine E. Nexsen, Chair, Richmond Sister Cities Commission-Richmond-Saitama
City, Japan-Richmond Committee, Member, Richmond Sister Cities Commission
·
Members of the Richmond Sister Cities Commission
City of Richmond
Staff
·
Kelsey Larus, Mayor’s Director of Scheduling and Advance, Richmond
Office of the Mayor
·
Thad Williamson, Mayor’s Senior Policy Advisor, Richmond Office of
the Mayor
·
Maya
Shaw, Office of Strategic Communications, Social Media Manager
·
Denzel
Mitchell, Special Assistant, Office of the Mayor
CONTACTS/INFORMATION
Mayor (https://rva.gov/mayors-office)
Mira Signer, Press Secretary for Mayor
Danny Avula, 804.646.3110 (tel), 804.960.3448
(mobile); mira.signer@rva.gov (e)
Richmond City Council (https://rva.gov/richmond-city-council)
Steve Skinner, Richmond City Council Public Information Manager, at
804.646.6052 tel/office), 804.335.4054 (tel/mobile); steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (e)
Richmond Little League
(https://clubs.bluesombrero.com/richmondlittleleague)
· Liz Kastelberg, Communications, Richmond
Little League, rvall.agent@gmail.com
· Robby
McKetta, Player Agent/Saitama Exchange Program,
Richmond Little League; robbymcketta@gmail.com
· Boyd
Bullock, Saitama Exchange Program, Richmond Little
League
boyd.bullock@verizon.net
Saitama City,
Japan (https://www.city.saitama.lg.jp/en/index.html)
·
Miharu, Saitama City Delegation, horio@stib.jp
Richmond Sister Cities Commission (https://www.richmondsistercities.org/)
·
Miss Catherine E. Nexsen, Chair, Richmond Sister Cities Commission
Saitama City, Japan-Richmond Committee, 804.355.2780 (tel), saitamajapanrichmondvirginia@yahoo.com (e)
·
Jonette D. Meade Barley, Chair, Richmond Sister Cities Commission
Jonette.MeadeBarley@rva.gov (e)
Additional interesting information :) ______________________________________________
Richmond, Virginia (U.S.A.) - Saitama City, Japan: Exchanges
____________________
Our Sister Cities friendship has fostered exchanges in
various fields, including student and teacher exchange programs, as well as a
junior baseball exchange program.
Educational exchange
- Student
and teacher exchange programs: Richmond and Saitama have a
long-standing tradition of student and teacher exchanges, including
opportunities for teachers to teach English and American culture in
Saitama schools and for Saitama educators to learn about the American
education system.
- Cultural
Exchanges between Richmond and Saitama, Japan
- High
School Exchange: High school students from Saitama's Urawa Municipal
High School have visited Richmond as part of a week-long educational
exchange program.
- Baseball
Exchange: For three decades, the Richmond and Saitama Little League cultural
exchange program has fostered friendships and athletic development between
Richmond and Saitama.
Community and friendship initiatives
- Host
families: The homestay model used in exchange programs provides adults
and students with authentic cultural experiences and builds lasting bonds.
- Community
events: Community events like welcome dinners, conversation nights,
and sayonara farewell parties are held to promote connections between the
community and Japanese visitors.
Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Saitama is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama
Prefecture, Japan. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya,
Yono, and Iwatsuki.
Saitama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly
elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 64 members.
Saitama's economy is principally constituted by commercial
businesses. The city is one of many commercial centers of the Greater Tokyo
area and serves Saitama Prefecture, North Kanto, and northeast Honshu.
Saitama is also home to various manufacturers, exporting
automotive, food, optical, precision and pharmaceutical products. Iwatsuki is
famous for manufacturing Hinamatsuri dolls and ornate kabuto (samurai helmets).
Background ___________________________________________________________________
·
Richmond,
Virginia (U.S.A.) and Saitama City, Japan became Sister Cities in 1993.
·
The term “Sister
City” is used to express a closeness that is engendered through commonalities
between communities. Formal friendships are then established to promote
cultural understanding and educational and economic prosperity.
·
Richmond City
Council established the Richmond Sister Cities Commission in 1980.
·
The Commission
operates under Council oversight and guidelines provided by the Sister Cities
International organization.
·
An early champion
of international relations, Richmond began a relationship with its namesake,
Richmond Upon Thames, England, in the 1930’s.
·
In 1956 a formal
Sister City concept was established in the United States of America by U. S.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower for exchanges between people in other countries,
with a goal of fostering peace, understanding and harmony.
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