Sister-City Accord Links World Heritages in Japan, France

Miyajima Island, Hiroshima Pref., May 16 (Jiji Press)--A signing
ceremony for a sister-city agreement between the municipalities governing
Japan's Itsukushima Shrine and France's Mont-Saint-Michel was held Saturday
at the Shinto shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Mont-Saint-Michel, a rocky tidal island in Normandy, northwestern
France, and the Japanese shrine on the island of Miyajima, officially called
Itsukushima, are both registered by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization.
The French island is famous for its scenic monastery and
Itsukushima Shrine is renowned for its huge front gate built over the water,
each attracting more than three million visitors annually.
At the ceremony, Mont-Saint-Michel Mayor Eric Vannier said,
"Despite their geographical distance of some 10,000 kilometers and cultural
differences, the two heritage sites have many features in common," such as
more than 1,000 years of history as a holy place. The sister-city agreement
was "pushed by destiny," he said.
In his greetings, Katsuhiro Shinno, mayor of Hatsukaichi, the city
where the shrine is located, said the alliance is "very significant" because
it can make his city and Mont-Saint-Michel more attractive.
Officials from the Japanese government and Hiroshima Prefecture,
western Japan, attended the ceremony, as well as local business leaders.
The two sides plan to set up booths at their respective sites to
introduce the other. In addition, they aim to enhance exchanges by events
introducing local features such as the environment, history, culture and
foods.
The Japanese and French governments released a poster last year
featuring the two sites to mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment
of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This led the
Mont-Saint-Michel side to contact Hatsukaichi officials and to start
exchanges.