Our Activities

1984

 Jan Founding meeting (January 8th)

     Mission statement: As a private group implementing exchange activities in Izumo City in this age of internationalization, our association will promote international goodwill and spread knowledge of foreign affairs in order to further our mission of contributing to worldwide mutual understanding and to local cultural development.

     Board of Directors: President Tom T. Kuwabara, Vice Presidents Masao Nagira and Yoshihiko Fukuda, and Chief Director Motoharu Sugihara
 Aug   Welcome party for Dr. Thomas Turley and Dr. Barbara Molony, assistant professors at Santa Clara University

Sept 1st English Speech Contest for Junior High School Students (held annually henceforth)

 Nov 1st Overseas Friendship Tour (Santa Clara, Oxnard, and Palo Alto, 14 members)

1985 

 Mar  Welcome party for Oxnard City Mayor Nao Takasugi 

 Aug  California Fair (at Izumo’s Palao shopping center)
      Welcome party for Cynthia Gissler (daughter of the Mayor of Santa Clara)

1986 

 Mar 2nd Santa Clara Friendship Tour (Middle School Brass Band performance. 32 middle schoolers and 10 adults)

      Signing ceremony for the partnership between Santa Clara Sister Cites Association and International Exchange Association of Izumo (March 13th)

 Oct Exchange welcoming Santa Clara Goodwill Delegation (10 members including Mayor Souza and Sister Cities Association President Figueira)

      Signing ceremony for the Sister City Agreement between Izumo City and the City of Santa Clara (October 11th)

      California Cuisine Cooking Class 

1987
July 3rd Santa Clara Friendship Tour (18 members including Mayor Naora)

      Exchange welcoming Santa Clara's high schoolers (held annually henceforth)

1989 

 May Exchange welcoming Santa Clara Cultural Delegation (including Sharon Gissler. Cultural seminar is held)

1990

 Aug Izumo Lions Club 30th Anniversary Santa Clara Visit

1991

 Oct  Reception activities for San Francisco State University track team,

competitors in the Izumo Kunibiki All-Japan University Ekiden (held annually henceforth)

      Exchange welcoming Santa Clara Goodwill Delegation (17 members,Izumo City's 50th Anniversary)

 Nov Awarded an Izumo City Distinguished Service Award Santa Clara Mayor's Cup awarded to the winner of the 8th English Speech Contest for Junior High School Students (awarded annually henceforth)

1993

 Mar International Goodwill Softball Tournament (held annually until 2002)

 Oct Exchange welcoming Santa Clara Citizens' Delegation
      IEAI 10th Anniversary Ceremony 

1996

July Visit to Santa Clara for 10th Anniversary of the Sister City Relationship          (Mayor Nishio, President Kuwabara)
Oct  Exchange welcoming Santa Clara Delegation (including Mayor Judy Nadler)

1997
Sept Sister Cities Agreement 10th Anniversary Citizens' Mission (Santa Clara,Yosemite National Park, 17 members) 

1999

 Oct IEAI 15th Anniversary Ceremony (guests include Mayor Judy Nadler)

2000

 Nov Awarded a Shimane Prefectural Distinguished Service Award for International Exchange 

2001
 Nov Exchange welcoming Sister Cities Agreement 15th Anniversary Santa Clara Visit Delegation (including Mayor Judy Nadler)

2003

 Jan Awarded a Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award for Town Open to the World 

 Feb International Goodwill Bowling Tournament (held annually henceforth) 

2004

July Izumo City Merger Commemorative Ceremony and exchange welcoming Santa Clara Sister Cities Signing Delegation

2006

 Mar 3rd Middle School Brass Band Santa Clara Mission (40 middle schoolers, 6 adults)

 Apr Exchange welcoming Santa Clara's Wilcox High School (15 students, 2 teachers)

July President Tom T. Kuwabara awarded Sister Cities International's Volunteer of the Year Award

2008

 Apr Exchange welcoming Santa Clara Symphonic Band (90 members, mostly middle and high schoolers)

2009

 May IEAI 25th Anniversary Ceremony (guests include Mayor Patricia Mahan and Sister Cities Association President Debi Davis)

     Publication of 25th Anniversary Commemorative Booklet

July Vice President Masao Nagira becomes President, and President Tom T.Kuwabara is installed as Life Honorary President

2011

 Oct Sister Cities Agreement 25th Anniversary Santa Clara Visiting Delegation (15 members), Anniversary Ceremony (guests include Mayor Nagaoka, City Council Chairman Miyamoto, President Nagira, and Life Honorary President Kuwabara)

2013

July Japan America Grassroots Summit in Shimane (80 participants from the US, including 5 from Santa Clara)

2014

 Oct   IEAI 30th Anniversary Ceremony (guests include Sister Cities Association President Kathy Watanabe, Mayor Nagaoka, and Chairman Sakane)
      Lecture and Panel Discussion (guests include Shimane University President Shotai Kobayashi, Sister Cities Association Vice President Yuki Ikeji, and Mayor Nagaoka)

2015

 Mar Awarded Izumo City's Special Distinguished Service Award for International Exchange Organizations
      24th Izumo Middle and High Schooler Santa Clara Goodwill Mission (12 students, 4 adults)
June Exchange activities for 2 Santa Clara High School students and Taylor Von Kugelgen
Jul Vice President Masatoshi Yamamoto becomes President, and President Masao Nagira is installed as an advisor

2016

 Mar 25th Izumo Middle and High Schooler Santa Clara Goodwill Mission (24 students, 5 adults)
June Exchange activities for 4 Santa Clara High School students and Karl Watanabe

2017

 Mar Commemorative plaque installed for the 30th Anniversary of Izumo City and City of Santa Clara's Sister City Agreement 

     26th Izumo Middle and High Schooler Santa Clara Goodwill Mission (12 students, 3 adults)

 Apr Awarded a California State Assembly Certificate of Recognition for Sister City Exchange

2017
 Jul Exchange welcoming Santa Clara Sister Cities Association President Raj Chahal (currently a councilmember) and his wife, Vice President Tedra Nikolai (current President), and 3 students from Santa Clara High School (visits to Izumo Senior High School, etc.) 

 Nov Awarded a Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award for Distinguished Service to Local Government

2018

 Mar 27th Izumo Middle and High Schooler Santa Clara Goodwill Mission (12 students, 3 adults)

 May Santa Clara Visit Photo Exhibit (runs until July at City Hall, Youme Town Izumo, and Izumo Central Library)

June Exchange activities for 4 Santa Clara High School students and Will Kennedy

2018
Sept Welcome party for new Coordinators of International Relations (US and France)

 Oct Support and exchange activities for the Ivy League Select Team at the 30th Izumo All-Japan University Invitational Ekiden

 Nov 35th Santa Clara Mayor's Cup English Speech Contest for Junior High School Students 

2019

 Feb International Goodwill Bowling Tournament

 Mar 28th Izumo Middle and High Schooler Santa Clara Goodwill Mission (11 students, 3 adults)
 Apr Santa Clara Visit Photo Exhibit (runs until July at Izumo Central Library, City Hall, and Youme Town Izumo) 

2019
June Exchange activities for the Santa Clara Official Delegation (Mayor Lisa Gillmor,Councilmember Raj Chahal), 4 high schoolers, and Margaret Horoszko 

2019
Oct Support and exchange activities for the Ivy League Select Team at the 31th Izumo All-Japan University Invitational Ekiden

Oct 36th Santa Clara Mayor's Cup English Speech Contest for Junior High School Students