Celebrate with us

Guilin and Hastings – Sister Cities for 40 years

The always popular annual Lighting of the Osmanthus Gardens celebrates the strong relationship between Sister Cities Guilin and Hastings.

Our community is celebrating the 40th anniversary of our Sister City relationship with Guilin, in China, signed on March 4, 1981.

This long relationship between Hastings and Guilin is very important to both cities and to New Zealand, as it was the first Sister City partnership signed between a city in New Zealand and a City in China.

Over the intervening 40 years there have been very many visits between the two cities, including science, trade and local government delegations, and cultural and educational exchanges. The relationship has enabled the development of strong cultural, educational, and political understanding, and has led to trade opportunities both within Guilin and across wider China.

This is a milestone being celebrated both here and in Guilin.

For our community, sponsors, supporters and their family and friends, we have a number of events over the week starting March 1:

• March 1-7, 6pm to 9.30pm: Lighting of the Osmanthus Gardens, Cornwall Park (koha – no RSVP required)
• March 3-5, 10am to 5pm and March 6, 9am to 1pm: Sister Cities Showcase, community information and school children's activities, Functions on Hastings, Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts and Events Centre (free – no RSVP required)
• March 5, 6.30pm: Sister Cities Alive, a celebration of our 40-year Sister Cities Journey including live performance; the Opera House, Toitoi (free – booking essential)
• March 6, 6pm: Sister City Celebration Dinner; Functions on Hastings, Toitoi (ticketed event $70)