A SISTER city relationship has been set up between Frankston and another waterfront location, Suva in Fiji.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed to establish the sister city relationship between Frankston and the Fiji capital.
Frankston has sister city relationships with Wuxi in China and Susono in Japan. Frankston councillor Kris Bolam says that sister city relationships are important as they provide “greater enrichment within our communities, with Wuxi Way located on the Frankston Foreshore offering many residents a delightful outdoor walk, Susono Way and Japanese Friendship Garden located outside Frankston Private Hospital, opposite Monash University’s Peninsula Campus and the Japanese Garden located at Frankston High School offering a welcoming place of connection for students and friends.”
“The relationship will enable our community to know more about the cultural, social and economic lives of those in Fiji and to gain insight into the most populous Pacific Island country on our doorstep. It also provides an opportunity for greater sharing, such as connections between schools that enable young people to learn more about each other and develop friendships that have value for generations to come,” he said “There’s also the potential for mutually beneficial opportunities for tourism and business development when overseas travel opens up again.”
Earlier this year Frankston Council agreed to spend $5500 on the delivery of hospital beds to Fiji to assist with their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frankston Council figures show that there are 248 people with Fijian ancestry living in Frankston, around 0.2 per cent of the local population.