Mayor of Gateshead Cllr Maureen Chaplin and Leader of Gateshead Council, Councillor Mick Henry greet Mayor Nishimura of Komatsu and Mrs Nishimura.
The Mayor of Komatsu in Japan has become the first-ever foreign national to be given the Honorary Freedom of Gateshead.
The prestigious honour of Freeman of the Borough of Gateshead was bestowed upon the Mayor of the Japanese city of Komatsu, Toru Nishimura, as a symbol of the ever-expanding ties between the two towns on Friday 20 June.
Mr Nishimura is the first foreign national ever to be awarded the Freedom of Gateshead. The privilege is being bestowed upon Mr Nishimura, elected Mayor of Komatsu since 1997, for his work and support in building cultural and youth links between the children of both towns.
The Mayor of Gateshead, Councillor Maureen Chaplin, presided over the ceremony at Gateshead Civic Centre. The Leader of Gateshead Council, Councillor Mick Henry, presented Mr Nishimura with a painting and commemorative scroll. Councillor Henry said: “Gateshead’s relationship with our Japanese friends has never been stronger. A large part of this strength is down to the commitment of Mayor Nishimura to our highly successful youth exchange programme and it is very fitting that we award the highest accolade we can to Mayor Nishimura for his work.
“Ever since the exchange programme began, children from Gateshead and Komatsu have developed strong and long lasting friendships. They have learnt valuable lessons about the differences between our two towns, in terms of culture, geography and, of course, the languages we use. But, crucially, they have learnt even more about what we have in common and what brings us together to help each other. This has brought us together in a way that strengthens all of our futures.”
Speaking on his new status as the first person from outside the UK to become a Freeman of Gateshead Mr Nishimura said: “I am extremely surprised that I have been nominated to receive such a high honour as the Freedom of Gateshead Borough. When I saw the list of the people who have been bestowed with the Honorary Freedom of Gateshead and their extraordinary achievements, I asked myself if I deserved to be bestowed with such an award.
“I have decided to humbly accept the Freeman of the Borough Award as a sign of my wish that the friendship between Gateshead and Komatsu keep growing stronger.”
During his visit to Gateshead to receive the Freedom of the Borough, Mr Nishimura has visited pupils at Lord Lawson of Beamish School and the Birtley excavator-manufacturing site of Komatsu UK. Mr Nishimura’s was also due to visit The Sage Gateshead, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts, Saltwell Park and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, before returning to Komatsu.