Foxton Primary School welcomes Sister City children's artwork

Foxton Primary School has taken up the opportunity to display artwork by children from Foxton's sister city in Japan.

All 10 artworks are by children who live in Narita, located 50 kilometres east of Tokyo.

As part of the sister cities arrangement, the artworks have been gifted to the Horowhenua District by Narita City’s Mayor Kazunari Koizumi, who is also Chairperson of the Executive Committee for the International Exchange Exhibition of Children’s Art.

For the past two months the artworks have been on display publicly, first at Foxton Library and then in Youth Space at Te Takere.

Horowhenua District Council offered schools the chance to display the artworks and Foxton Primary was the first to take up the offer.

Pupils and staff held a powhiri on Wednesday afternoon to welcome the artworks, which were presented by Horowhenua District Kere Kere Ward Councillor Ross Brannigan.

Pupil Hirini Ryland, 11, says he did not even know Foxton had a sister city.

"It's cool that some of their children's art has come to our school and it will look wonderful up on the walls."

Councillor Brannigan says the Narita children's art provides Horowhenua's younger people with a special insight into a unique culture.

"It’s amazing how quickly any language barrier can be overcome with the arts," he said.

"Also, it's wonderful to see that no matter where in the world children may be, the way they express themselves through art is surprisingly similar."

ENDS

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