Twin City Celebrations

Since 2013 the cities of Leiden and Nagasaki have enjoyed an official Friendship Affiliation.  On Friday, 24 November this friendship affiliation will be elevated to that of Twin Cities in a signing ceremony to take place in Nagasaki.  We are extremely grateful to all those whose efforts and cooperation have led to this end, in particular to the late Aad van der Luit and the City Middelburg.

The Leiden Friends of Nagasaki Foundation is therefore pleased to celebrate the relationship with Nagasaki on Thursday 30 November 2017.

The Speakers:

Professor dr Matthi Forrer (1948) studied Japanese Language and Culture at the University of Leiden and East Asian Art History at the University of Amsterdam. Professor Forrer is Senior Researcher Japan Collections at the Museum for Ethnology in Leiden and lecturer  Material Culture of pre-Modern Japan at the University of Leiden.

Professor Forrer has been closely involved in the restoration of Deshima in Nagasaki.

 

Jessica Hilhorst (1977) Studied Japanese Language at the University of Leiden and is

Senior Policy Officer for Education Innovation at the City of Leiden.  In 2016 Hilhorst spent  six months at the International Affairs Division of the City of Nagasaki.  Ms Hilhorst has been closely involved in the groundworks leading towards the establishment of a Twin City relationship with Nagasaki and was involved in the establishment of the initial Friendship Affiliation and visit to Japan of Leiden Mayor Lenferink in 2013.