This year marks half a century since Riga and Kobe (Japan) signed a twinning agreement, which over the years has resulted in many mutual projects, promoting interest and understanding of the traditions and lifestyles of the people of both cities. In this context, a delegation from the City of Kobe will visit Riga from 3 to 6 June and will be warmly welcomed by the Riga City Council.
On Monday, 3 June, at 14.00, the Kobe delegation, led by Vice-Mayor Kazunori Ohara, will be received at Riga City Hall by Mayor Vilnis Kirsis and other local government representatives. The meeting will be followed by the opening of the exhibition “Riga - Kobe 50” in the lobby of the City Hall, which reflects the most beautiful, interesting and significant moments of the cooperation between the cities. The exhibition will be open until 28 June.
At 15.30, the representatives of the management of two cities will symbolically plant a sakura tree in the Park “Uzvara”, which will complement the 114 sakura trees already growing there and given to Riga in the past, making the transformed park even more flourishing.
On 4 June, representatives from both cities will visit the company “Naco Technologies” to see how Riga is developing an environmentally friendly energy sector. A visit to the company “Atlas Aerospace” is also planned to discuss safety and security issues. At the end of the day, at 18.00, the two delegations will enjoy musical performances of works by Latvian and Japanese composers by Andrejs Osokins and Liene Denisjuka-Straupe at a gala event at the Small Guild Hall.
On 5 June, the guests will visit the Science and Innovation Centre of Riga Technical University, where they will learn about the development of scientific activity and innovation implementation in Latvia, as well as a visit to the company “SAF Tehnika”.
The Kobe Garden in the Āgenskalns neighbourhood, designed in the style of Japanese gardens, reminds to inhabitants of Riga about mutual friendship of both cities, and also it does the clock placed on the corner of Kr. Valdemāraand Kalpaka Boulevard in 1993, which shows the time of Riga and Kobe in two dials. There is the same clock in Kobe.
During these years of twinning, the Riga National Zoo has also developed a close cooperation with Kobe Zoo. Almost everyone in Kobe knows that everyone's favourite elephant Zuze came to their town from Riga years ago. Our Zoo has also sent a pair of lynxes, Duke and Lucy, and Kobe has sent Japanese cranes, macaques, red macaws and red ibises in return. The cooperation between Riga and Kobe zoos is planned to continue in the future.
The twinning started on 18 June 1974 and has since grown, developed and strengthened, covering a wide range of areas of mutual interest.
Information was prepared by: Sindija Grāvere, Project Coordinator for External Communications Department of Riga City Council Communication Administration, e-mail: sabine.solovjeva@riga.lv.