History of The Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Association
About Us (Intro)
The Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Association is a non-profit organization; although the association works closely with the city, it is a community-based volunteer organization that does not receive monetary support from the City of Montebello. Rather, the non-profit raises all funding for the Montebello student ambassadors exchange program and educational scholarships. The work of the Montebello Sister City Association Affiliation is supported by tax deductible contributions made by Montebello residents, individuals, local businesses, and others who support this program with Japan. The benefits provided to the youth of Montebello, their education and development, is matched by the valuable public service that the Sister City Association provides to the larger Montebello community. The association provides a vehicle for community volunteerism, and it gives the city a program for which it can be justifiably proud. Few international sister city agreements will match the Montebello-Ashiya program for longevity and contributions to the local community.
As a result of the long history of the sister city affiliation, many ties have been formed through the student ambassador exchange program and the formal exchanges of city delegations. In addition, apart from the formal delegation exchanges, several unofficial visits have occurred over the years. Members of Montebello’s Sister City Association, both young and old, have traveled to Japan, met residents of Ashiya, and established lasting friendships that have developed a wonderful reality of President Eisenhower’s “people to people program.” MASCA members have also hosted visitors from Ashiya and welcomed them into their homes. This bond of friendship across the Pacific has existed for over half a century between Montebello and Ashiya, and 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Association, a monumental date for both MASCA and the City of Montebello.
About Us (History)
Some sixty years after the international agreement was signed between the two distant cities, one in the United States, and one in far-off Japan, the international sister city agreement between Montebello and Ashiya, Japan, continues to be vital and strong.
The Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Agreement is part of the “people-to-people program” that was initiated in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Given his experience during World War II, the president felt that no people wanted war, that it was governments that declared war. He believed that people could make a difference in avoiding war if the people of the world could get to know and understand each other, peace, not war would be sought. The road to peace was through the people, by their sharing ideas, sharing their cultures, and experiencing life in other countries. Through this contact, people of different countries would have a better understanding of one another. This was especially important during the time of the cold war as the United States and the Soviet Union were in contention throughout the world.
As implemented during the 1950s and 1960s, the people-to-people program had many components and included several committees, such as the sports committee, fine arts, hobbies, literature, medicine, labor. The “sister city associations” was part of the civics committee and these international linkages maybe one of the most important components of the people-to-people program. The Sister City association has helped to create an understanding and tolerance of cultural differences and an awareness of people’s qualities and attributes. This mission is accomplished by a variety of activities such as corresponding between citizens, exchanging visits, exchanging gifts and holding celebrations in each other’s honor.
The Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Association, MASCA
In 1959 the Montebello City Council authorized Mrs. Elaine Kirchner, city council member, to find a sister city in Japan. Mrs. Kirchner attended a conference of Mayors and members of Chambers of Commerce in Osaka, Japan. At the conference she made the announcement that Montebello City was interested in forming a sister city relationship with a Japanese city. Mr. Hiroyasu Okiyama, of the City of Ashiya, a municipality between Osaka and Kobe, contacted her. Then began a two-year process of correspondence between the two cities, which resulted in an agreement that was officially signed in Ashiya on May 24, 1961, at Seido Elementary School. Representing Montebello at the signing was Montebello council member Kirchner, and Chamber of Commerce President, Mr. George Driscoll and Mrs. Driscoll. The Ashiya hosts held a major celebration in honor of the agreement. Gifts were exchanged and the delegation from Montebello presented the Ashiya representatives with Montebello roses to be planted in a new park that would be called the Montebello Rose Garden.
The Sister City Agreement Signing Ceremony, Ashiya, May 24, 1961
The signing and establishment of the sister city agreement between the cities of Montebello, USA, and Ashiya, Japan, was a significant achievement. More so, in that Elaine Kirchner had led the negotiations and officially signed for Montebello.
May 1961, Ashiya, Japan, Montebello City Councilwoman Elaine Kirchner signed the Sister City Agreement with Ashiya Mayor Watanabe.
Mr. Driscoll, Mayor Watanabe, Councilwoman Kirchner, and Ashiya City officials.
Student Ambassador Exchange Program Started in 1964
Student exchanges as part of the sister city association began in 1964 and each summer for over a half century, Montebello has sent two student ambassadors to visit Ashiya and represent the city. Ashiya has also sent two ambassadors each year with the exception of 1995 when no exchanges occurred due to the great “Hanshin,” the Kobe earthquake that damaged much of the city of Ashiya. With the leadership of the mayor, Mrs. Haru Kitamura, and the resolve of the citizens, much of the city had been sufficiently restored to resume the exchanges in 1996. He vi-19 pandemic also caused a stop to the student exchange program, but with Japan and the United States reopening for travel, 2023 will allow the resumption of the Montebello-Ashiya Student Ambassador Exchange. Over the long history of this program, nearly 200 Montebello and Ashiya youth have benefited from the student ambassador exchange experience.
The student ambassador exchange program has been the primary focus of the sister city relationship. The Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Association (MASCA) coordinates the Montebello Ambassadors program; the Ashiya Ambassador program is coordinated by the Ashiya Cosmopolitan Association (ACA).
