Roots of Friendship
Messages from Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle, Hiroshima YMCA President Shoji Kamikubo, and YMCA of Honolulu President Michael Broderick
The Origins of the YMCA of Honolulu’s “Let’s Get Together” Hiroshima-Honolulu Teen Exchange Program It was January 1960 when Neal Blaisdell, Mayor of Honolulu, and Shinzo Hamai, Mayor of Hiroshima, met to strengthen international understanding and friendship. What came forth from this meeting was a vow to work for peace, an opportunity for a lasting relationship as “Sister Cities,” and one of the strongest bonds of friendship.
Message from Mayor Peter B. Carlisle
Message from Shoji Kamikubo
Message from Michael F. Broderick
mayor, city and county of Honolulu
Hiroshima YMCA General Secretary
President and CEO, YMCA of Honolulu
It gives me great pleasure to send my warmest aloha to our honored guests from Hiroshima who are in Honolulu with the YMCA’s “Let’s Get Together!” exchange program.
I am honored to be here in Hawai‘i and to take part in the wonderful celebration of the “Let’s Get Together!” Hiroshima and Honolulu YMCA exchange program. The YMCA has been a big part of my life. I first became involved in the Hiroshima YMCA as a junior high school student, and traveled to Honolulu as a high school delegate of the “Let’s Get Together!” exchange program in 1967.
It is an honor to help lead an organization that is celebrating 50 years of international goodwill and friendship. For those of you who have participated, volunteered and supported this extraordinary program over the many years, thank you.
This home stay student exchange program successfully forges friendships and instills memories that will last a lifetime. Bringing young people from Japan and Hawai‘i together at a personal family level is a means of creating an enriching cultural experience. It demonstrates the YMCA’s firm belief in the value of cultural exchange and reflects the organization’s philosophy and objectives. The program’s impressive 50-year history parallels the positive and productive Sister City relationship between Hiroshima and Honolulu. The committed efforts of YMCA members in Japan and Hawai‘i to continue this valuable program are commendable.
From my own personal experience to witnessing generations of Japanese and American students participate in this significant program, I have seen the seeds of friendship, goodwill and understanding grow and blossom. As leaders of our organization, it is our responsibility to continue to provide these unique opportunities for our young people to come together in unity, to help involve, inform and inspire our future generation of international leaders.
International exchanges like the YMCA Hiroshima-Honolulu “Let’s Get Together” bring people together to share common experiences, to exchange ideas and to remind us that we are joined together. Through these experiences, we gain a better understanding of the many similarities that we share and learn to respect our differences. Japan and Hawai‘i have a special bond, built over the decades through sustained diplomatic, economic and cultural exchanges. Let us continue to work as countries and YMCAs to bring our young people together in peace, spirit and cooperation.
Thank you, On behalf of the people of the City and County of Honolulu, I welcome the students and delegates, and extend best wishes for an enjoyable stay in our islands.
Peter B. Carlisle
Mahalo,
Shoji Kamikubo
Built on the foundation that had been laid, the Hiroshima YMCA proposed a student exchange program and the YMCA of Honolulu gladly accepted. In the summer of 1961, the first group of teens from Hiroshima came to Honolulu. After many years, the friendship of the two YMCA’s, and the “Let’s Get Together!” Program, blossomed into what it is today. “Let’s Get Together!” allows students of different backgrounds to experience diversity in cultures, social practices, environments, economies and life styles. Students are to honestly and openly work towards achieving the objectives which are integral to the program.
Program Objectives: – Build an illusion-free understanding of our countries. – Understand the philosophy, objectives and programs of the YMCA in our country. – Enable youth to learn, understand and appreciate themselves and others. – Gain a better understanding of our country by visiting and learning about another country. – Cultivate ways in which youth can develop friendship and lead the way for world peace. – Learn and understand the attitudes and feelings of others about our country. – Have fun while making new friends. – Recognize and take advantage of the opportunity that Hawai‘i presents to all to be a living bridge between the people of the Pacific area.
Lasting Impressions “Let’s Get Together!” Alumni Reflect on their Experiences “I discovered the excitement of learning about the global community by participating in the Honolulu-Hiroshima YMCA partnership in 1962. The relationships and bonds with my host families have endured for over 49 years.” Gerianne Lee, 1962 Delegate
“I still count my involvement in the Honolulu-Hiroshima “Let’s Get Together!” program as one of the high points in my 46 years on this earth! Hearing from survivors of the bombing first-hand and visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum were life-changing experiences.“ Scott Moon, 1979 Delegate
“The program had a big impact on my life. I still keep in touch with my homestay family and even though we live in different countries, my friends from Hiroshima and I have gone through the same phases of life together. We’re far apart, but are having the same experiences.” Heather Florendo, 1989 Delegate
“This program was one of the most definitive and impactful experiences of my life while ‘growing up’ in the YMCA of Honolulu. It laid a foundation for a commitment towards peace, youth empowerment, cultural exchange and global education which continues to guide every aspect of how I strive to live, personally and professionally.” Chad Nico Hiu, 1999 Delegate
Michael F. Broderick
“Out of all the Y programs I was involved in, my experience in Hiroshima showed me what I was passionate about. I returned to Japan in the JET program and lived there for 4 years.” Riley Hirozawa, 2000 Delegate
“Let’s Get Together!” brings together people of different backgrounds and cultures and shows them that they’re not much different.” —Lance Shinsato, 1993 Delegate
“Let’s Get Together” 50th Anniversary Celebration
A Great Friendship
of the Hiroshima-Honolulu YMCA
The Future of the Program Mahalo for attending the 50th Anniversary Celebration of “Let’s Get Together!” Over the last five decades, the YMCA of Honolulu and the Hiroshima YMCA have worked closely together and created a great friendship because of this program. Not only do we appreciate our friends in Hiroshima on a Sister City level, or a YMCA level, but we appreciate them personally. Participants in “Let’s Get Together!” have formed deep, personal bonds with one another; some have remained life long friends. We are very proud of this achievement and believe that it epitomizes the goals of the program. It is here and now we sow the seeds of peace, so that we may reap the rewards in the future. What will the next 50 years of the Hiroshima-Honolulu YMCA “Let’s Get Together!” be like? As always, it will be an opportunity for youths from different lands to forge friendships and deepen their understanding of each other’s history and culture.
Friendship is universal and timeless, and today, social media is a powerful tool in building and maintaining friendships. The program of the future may use these tools as a starting point for getting to know each other and sharing stories and ideas. When the students come together, they will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of each other’s home country by creating skits, music, graphic art and slam poetry. Most importantly, they will imagine and execute the program for each other and in doing so, they will grow. As before, the friendships need not end upon the return home. The HiroshimaHonolulu YMCA “Let’s Get Together!” experience will continue to enrich the lives of all who take part. We are excited for the future, and seek to continually build these types of understandings and relationships between youths, who will carry it with them for the rest of their lives.
“The 1962 YMCA “Let’s Get Together!” exchange[...] made a huge and sudden impact in how I identified myself.” —Bertrand Kobayashi, 1962 Delegate
“Strong friendships were built at camp. Although days have passed since we left Shikoku, the memory lingers on.” —Dianne Minei, 1967 Delegate