Go Global
By Zhu Jingning
As an important anniversary for Hangzhou and its international sister city Boston, the “Boston-Hangzhou Day” series of activities in 2024 was held at Boston City Hall on May 1.
The Hangzhou Municipal government sent a congratulatory letter to the event, expressing their good wishes and reaffirming the friendship between the two cities. This year, the “Boston-Hangzhou Day”, in conjunction with the Boston Urban Forum, invited local urban planners, policy makers, artists, scholars, community representatives, and experts and scholars from Hangzhou, as well as youth representatives, to discuss the important role of culture and arts in urban development.
Boston city councilman Ed Flynn delivered a special speech at the occasion, mentioning that Boston and Hangzhou have much in common, whether culturally, based on the water features, such as the West Lake and the Charles River, or in educational pursuits. Both cities have been actively cooperating in an open and integrated manner during the years of friendship.
In the round table discussion, five representatives including Christina Yu, head of the Asia department of the Museum of Fine Arts- Boston; Richard Chang, principal of Josiah Quincy Upper School; Mike Mei, an artist of calligraphy, Chinese painting and seal carving; Erin Murphy, Boston city councilor; and James Colimon, deputy director of Global Affairs and Protocol for the City of Boston, shared their individual experiences on the cultural and urban development of the two cities and provided pertinent suggestions for future development. Professor Yuan Yumin, dean of International College of China Academy of Art and EDNA Joint Institute, shared his understanding of the relationship between design art and urban culture online.
During the youth exchange session, youth representatives from cities shared their artistic experiences and perception. Boston youth representatives highlighted Boston public art and its importance in life, such as “Mother Duck”as a happy childhood memory, to foster a sense of belonging among citizens. Hangzhou youth representatives took Tonglu County, OōEli and Longwu Tea towns as examples to share their experiences in attracting tourists and generating economic benefits from local public art.
James Colimon re-emphasized the central role of the arts in social, urban and cultural development, and gave a positive outlook for the future development of the two places at the end. He mentioned that through such international forums, Boston and Hangzhou have not only deepened mutual understanding and respect, but also created more opportunities for the youth of the two cities to exchange and learn.
On May 1, 1982, Hangzhou and Boston established a sister city relationship. Over the past four decades, the two cities have engaged in extensive cooperation and exchanges across various sectors including economy and trade, urban development, culture, and education. Since 2022, Boston has officially designated May 1 as “Boston-Hangzhou Day” to commemorate this partnership annually and further foster its growth.