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Kyoto Prefecture has established friendly ties with regions abroad for the promotion of international exchange in order to foster mutual understanding and contribute to peace in the world through interaction with people who have their own unique language, customs, and culture. Kyoto Prefecture has established friendly ties with Shaanxi Province in the People’s Republic of China, the Yogyakarta Special Territory in the Republic of Indonesia, the State of Oklahoma in the United States of America, Leningrad Region in the Russian Federation, and the city of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to promote exchange and joint projects in a variety of fields such as culture, art, young people, education, environment and industry.
Shaanxi Province and Kyoto Prefecture have been in continuous active exchange in many fields since the Tang period and share much in common as former capitals.
Shaanxi Province lies almost at the center of China. The area is about 205,000 square kilometers (about 45 times as large as Kyoto Prefecture), and the population in 2010 was about 37,330,000 (about 14 times as many as Kyoto Prefecture).
The capital, Xian has been the center of Chinese politics, economics, and culture, and has flourished as the capital of China during the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties. It has a rich history and is famous for its earthenware figures of soldiers and horses found around the exterior of burial grounds to protect the deceased.
Acceptance of trainees for public administration and medicine, exchange with Shaanxi museums, children’s art exchange exhibition, environmental business exchange, and cooperative tree planting programs.
Yogyakarta Special Territory is a place of traditional court culture and historical inheritance, and has much in common with Kyoto Prefecture. It was on this basis that the friendly tie-up was established.
Yogyakarta Special Territory is in the center of the island of Java. It takes about one hour to get to Yogyakarta by airplane from the capital, Jakarta. Its area is about 3,200 square kilometers and its population in 2010 was about 3,450,000. It has a long history and deep traditions, and is the center of education and culture in Indonesia. Temples such as Borobudur and musical instruments such as the gamelan are famous. Their main industries are agriculture (rice) and traditional manual industries (batik, gold and silver work, etc).
Dispatches of trainees and experts for cultural asset protection and agriculture, children’s art exchange exhibition, and textile manufacturing exchanges.
Yogyakarta Royal Dance and Gamelan Music Performance was held.
The State of Oklahoma, which is in the middle of United States, has many universities and laboratories and has much common with Kyoto Prefecture. It was on this basis that the friendly tie-up was established.
The State of Oklahoma was established as the 46th state of the United States of America in 1907. Its area is about 181,000 square kilometers, and its population in 2010 was about 3,750,000, of which about 8 % is Native American. It has many lakes, state parks, and health resorts. Its main industry is agriculture, such as wheat and stock farming, mining, oil, and natural gas.
Mutual dispatching of youth, children’s art exchange exhibition
Leningrad Region, whose capital is St. Petersburg, has much in common with Kyoto Prefecture as a center of art and culture.
Leningrad Region is in the northwest of Russia, and is about 700 km from Moscow. Its area is about 84,500 square kilometers, and its population in 2010 was about 6,810,000 (including St. Petersburg). St. Petersburg, the capital of Leningrad Region, is the capital of the former Empire of Russia, and flourished as the center of politics, economics, and culture. The Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Leningrad National Ballet Company are all located there. Its main industries are machine industries, shipbuilding, mining, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.
Celebration program for 15 years of friendship (2009)
Children’s art exchange exhibition
The City of Edinburgh, which flourishes as the capital of Scotland, has much common with Kyoto Prefecture in terms of rich history. It was on this basis that the friendly tie-up was established.
The City of Edinburgh is the north-east of Great Britain. The area is about 262 square kilometers, and the population is about 480,000 (2010). It has been the capital of Scotland, and flourished as the center of politics, economics, and culture, since about the middle of the 15th century. It has many historical inheritances such as Edinburgh castle, and the Edinburgh International Festival is famous throughout the world. The main industry is traditional Scotch whiskey, crystal products, and high technology industries.
Children’s art exchange exhibition (～ 2010)
Occitanie Region is home to universities, research institutions and cultural heritage sites, and has much in common with Kyoto Prefecture. It was on this basis that the friendly tie-up was established. In January 1st, 2016 the former regions of Languedoc-Roussillon (Montpellier for its capital) and Midi-Pyrénées (Toulouse for its capital) were merged together to form a new region Occitanie (Toulouse for its capital).
Occitanie Region is located in the southern part of France, and faces the Mediterranean Sea. The area is about 72,724 square kilometers, and the population in 2015 was about 5,720,000. It has abundant tourism resources such as six world heritage sites including Carcassonne. The amount of wine production in Occitanie Region accounts one thirds of the total domestic production, and the total production area and export amount of the organic wine in the region are ranked at the top in the nation. The region is also well-known for high-quality gastronomic products of truffle and foie gras.
Senior high school student exchange, exchanges in the research field between Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and Montpellier University, exchanges in the research field between Kyoto University and institutions related to agricultural studies
The two regions aim to promote cooperative relations in the fields of forestry and smart city programs as well as ongoing educational programs in universities and senior high schools while trying to expand an area for mutual cooperation. It was on this basis that the friendly tie-up was established.
Among all 10 provinces Quebec is Canada’s largest province by land area with a size of about 1,670,000 square kilometers (five times that of Japan). The population is about 8,200,000, and French is a provincial official language. Quebec’s capital is Quebec City, in which its old town area is on the list of the UNESCO’s world heritage site. Montréal in Quebec ranks second among North American cities for the number of university students per capita, and home to more than 60 international institutions. The main industries are widely ranged from aerospace, video games, life science to lumber. The area has created innovative unique cultures as a world’s center of circus arts such as Cirque du Soleil.
Québec Original: https://www.quebecoriginal.com/en (external link)
Exchanges in the Model Forest Program, participation in Kyoto Smart City Expo, senior high school student exchange, exchanges in the research field between Kyoto Prefectural University and Laval University