Suzhou, Jiangsu (China), Kanazawa, Ishikawa (Japan), and Jeonju, North Jeolla (Korea) are all member cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The creative field designated for Suzhou and Kanazawa is “Crafts and Folk Art”, while Jeonju’s is “Gastronomy”.
The exchange among the three cities began after when Suzhou and Kanazawa concluded a sister/friendship city agreement in 1981, Suzhou and Jeonju signed a sister/friendship city agreement in 1996, and Kanazawa and Jeonju signed a sister city agreement in 2002. Based on such relations, the three cities have started hosting a Go (board game) exchange program since 2010, and a library exchange program since 2015. The framework for library exchange was established when Suzhou Library, Kanazawa Umimirai Library and Jeonju’s Wansan Library each signed bilateral MOUs from 2013 to 2015 based on the sister/friendship relations of the cities.
Furthermore, as one of the CCEA 2018, Kanazawa conducted various cultural exchange activities throughout 2018 along with its partner cities, Harbin and Busan.
- Since 2010: CJK Sister/Friendship City Go Tournament Held Biennially
- With suggestion from Kanazawa in 2009, the first tournament was held in Suzhou in 2010 and the event has then been held on a rotational basis. The event was held annually for the first three events but since the fourth event, it is held every other year. The event is hosted by a private organization (Kanazawa International Go Association) in Kanazawa, while it is hosted by the local governments in Suzhou and Jeonju. At the most recent event, the 6th, a total of 40 amateur players, 10 from Suzhou, 10 from Kanazawa, and 20 from Jeonju participated.
2018 CJK Sister/Friendship City Go Tournament (Source: Jeonju City)
- Since 2013 : With Trilateral Library MOU on Exchange Cooperation Signed, Trilateral Library Exchange Begins
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Based on sister/friendship cities relations, Suzhou Library and Kanazawa Umimirai Library signed a MOU on Friendship Exchange Cooperation in December 2013. Suzhou Library and Wansan Library (September 2014) as well as Umimirai Library and Wansan Library (October 2015) soon followed suit, completing the framework for trilateral library exchange. Since 2017, Wansan Library and Umimirai Library have been conducting a mutual book exchange project every two years.
Major exchange projects among the three libraries are as follows.
Events :
| Event No. | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2010 | Suzhou |
| 2nd | 2011 | Kanazawa |
| 3rd | 2012 | Jeonju |
| 4th | 2014 | Suzhou |
| 5th | 2016 | Kanazawa |
| 6th | 2018 | Jeonju |
| 7th | 2022 [tentative] | Suzhou [tentative] |
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| October 6 – 25, 2016 | With cooperation from the two partner libraries, Umimirai Library hosted an exhibition program introducing Suzhou and Jeonju. During the exhibition period, “Methods of Promoting Reading to Children at Home in China, Japan, and Korea” exhibition was also held. |
| June – August, 2017 | Wansan Library and Umimirai Library exchanged books for the first time since the signing of the Letter of Intent (LOI). In June, Wansan Library donated to Umimirai Library 43 books including: books about Jeonju, bestsellers, and books related to Korean culture. In August, Umimirai Library donated 50 books related to the history and culture of Kanazawa to Wansan Library. |
| March 2018 – February, 2019 | Umimirai Library exchanged 100 books with Suzhou Library. In March 2018, Umimirai Library donated books about Japan’s culture, economics, rural area, and children to Suzhou Library, while in February 2019, Suzhou Library donated books about China’s history and culture to Umimirai Library. |
| October 11 – 30, 2018 | With cooperation from the two partner libraries, Umimirai Library held the Kanazawa City Library and Sister Cities Libraries Path of Exchange exhibition. The event introduced an overview, culture, traditional crafts, and libraries of Suzhou and Jeonju, as well as related works such as CJK Children’s Book Exchange Program through various exhibits such as panels, crafts, and books. The event also saw a picture book making workshop and music performance titled, “Connecting Stories of the Three Cities with Picture Books and Music – Suzhou – Kanazawa – Jeonju”. |
| April 2019 – June 2020 | Umimirai Library donated six books displayed at an event hosted as a part of the 2018 CCEA (“Connecting Stories of the Three Cities with Fairy Tale and Music”) to Suzhou Library and Wansan Library. (Book titles: CJK Traditional Fairy Tale 1~3, CJK Children’s Story Exchange Report 2015~2017) The following year, in June 2020, Wansan Library donated 50 books introducing Jeonju, best-sellers, and popular culture books to the Umimirai Library. |
| December 10 – 11, 2019 | Suzhou, Kanazawa, Jeonju Library authorities meeting was held along with the opening ceremony of Suzhou No.2 Library. Total of about 20 CJK library authorities convened to discuss current management status of each library and future directions for development. |
| February – April 2021 | In February 2021, Umimirai Library sent 50 books related to rural areas, Japanese literature, and children to Suzhou Library. In April of the same year, Suzhou Library also donated publications to Umimirai Library. |
| July 22 –27, 2021 | The 40th Anniversary of Friendship and Sister Cities SuzhouKanazawa Exchange Exhibition was held at the Umimirai Library. This exchange exhibition included the Suzhou-Kanazawa Exchange Photo Exhibition and Suzhou Landscape Photo Exhibition, including 37 pieces of eight kinds of crafts from Suzhou. During the two-day exhibition held from the 24th to the 25th, a lecture on Chinese paper craft was held on two occasions for the citizens of Kanazawa. |
Poster for the Suzhou-Kanazawa Exchange Exhibition of “The 40th Anniversary of Friendship and Sister Cities”
(Source: Kanazawa City)
Suzhou crafts exhibited at “The 40th Anniversary of Friendship and Sister Cities” Suzhou-Kanazawa Exchange Exhibition
(Source: Suzhou City)
