By Councilmember Terry Vowe.

It is a presentation on Sister Cities.

Councilmember Vowe, are you ready?

You ready?

Yes.

Thank you so much, uh President Pro Tem.

Um we are so excited to celebrate this very, very, very special um anniversary uh between the city of Nashville, Tennessee, and Kamakura, Japan.

Um, the reason why I moved to Nashville was to work for the Consulate General of Japan.

And uh the Consul General Um that I worked under, Consul General Sato was actually from Kamakura.

So it's very beautiful and very exciting to be able to um see our project uh not only bloom, but we are celebrating a decade anniversary.

So I am very excited that Sister Cities of Nashville is here with us, and we are thrilled that we are actually uh several of us um will be heading to Japan to celebrate this uh special occasion.

So I'm gonna read resolution 2024-700, a resolution commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Partner City Agreement between the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, the capital of the state of Tennessee, and the city of Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan.

Whereas the International Sister Cities Initiative established during President I Eisenhower's 1956 White House Conference on Citizen Diplomacy seeks to foster friendship and understanding between the United States and other nations through person to person diplomacy and the celebration of cultural diversity and whereas in alignment with this vision, the citizens of Nashville, Tennessee and Kamakura, Japan have committed to working together to cultivate mutual understanding and ensuring the future peace and freedom through the creation of global friendships, and whereas in recognition of Nashville's growing importance to the presence of Japanese businesses in our region, the Japanese government relocated the consulate from New Orleans to Nashville in 2008, and whereas one of the primary goals of the first Consul General of Japan in Nashville, the Honorable Hiroshi Sato, was to establish a sister city relationship between Japan and Nashville to foster cultural exchanges.

And whereas between 2008 and 2014, several cultural and business leadership exchanges took place between Nashville and Kamakura, the hometown of Consul General Sato, and whereas Kamakura became Nashville's eighth sister city in September of 2014 at a signing ceremony in Kamakura between Carl Dean, mayor of Nashville, and Takashi Matsuo, mayor of Kamakura, attended by Nashville and Kamakura leaders.

And whereas since Nashville and Kamakura city partnership was formulated, numerous reciprocal exchanges occurred in music, culture, the arts, government, and education, thereby enhancing mutual respect and understanding between the two cities.

And whereas the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County through the Metropolitan Council officially recognizes and supports this ongoing partnership with the aspiration that it will continue to strengthen and foster lasting friendships between the citizens of Nashville and Kamakura, while encouraging cooperative across various sectors, including music, culture, the arts, education, and governance.

Now, therefore, may it be resolved by the council of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.

Yay.

And I'd love to bring up Mina Johnson, who is the current uh board president of Sister Cities of Nashville to say a few words.

Thank you, Councilmember Bo, and thank you, uh Suara, and thank you, Council Lady Awena.

And I am so excited to take uh this council member with me to Kamakura this Saturday.

And Councilmember and Madame Pro Tem, thank you very much for the recognition and continuous.

And many Council members I know interested to joining uh Kamakura.

So I'm sorry you cannot come this time, but please join next time.

I'm looking forward to showing around.

Thank you again.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

All right.

All right.

Um, if there are any council members who have any announcements, please start getting in the queue.

Are you able to get in the queue?

No.

All right.

So we're raising hands.

First one up is Councilmember Prep T.

Thank you, Madam Pro Tim.

For uh District 25 residents this Saturday.

I will be holding office hours at the well from 8 30 until noon.

So please feel free to come out, ask me questions and get some more information.

Also, I would like to share for Nashville Davison County residents uh uh uh at as a whole um this Wednesday, tomorrow is the start of early voting.

Um, and one of the things that we are aware of, and and in my role as the rules confirmation on public elections committee chair um is we are actively monitoring any possible acts of violence or uh intimidation around voting or at the polling sites.

So if at any moment you feel as if you um are seeing, witnessing, or experiencing any acts of violence or intimidation at the polling places, please reach out to your council member who will then correspond directly with MNPD, who's doing the work to make sure that they have continuing situational awareness of everything going on around our elections.

So rest assured that your institutions have your best interest at heart and want to make sure that you have every opportunity to participate in our democracy.

So thank you, Madam Pro Tim.

Thank you, Councilmember Prepti.

Councilmember Toombs, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Pro Tim.

Um next Tuesday, October 22nd at 6 p.m.

is the monthly District 2 community meeting.

Uh it is in the William D.

Boldenhamer building, which is where the North Precinct is, 2231, 26th Avenue North.

There's also a Zoom option, tiny URL.com, backslash capital D, the number two, capital O, Capital C, Capital T, 22, Capital N, Capital D.

D2, October 22nd.

Um, and there will also be a separate rezoning community meeting on Tuesday, October 29th at 6 p.m.

at Casa de Dios on Dickerson Pike to discuss the rezoning project at 520 Ewing Drive.

Thank you, Councilmember Toomes.

Councilmember Kuppen, you are recognized.

Thank you so much, uh, Pro Tem.

Uh couple things.