Recognizing and congratulating Kazumi Teune for her dedication and contributions to strengthening the Japanese American community in Philadelphia as Executive Director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP) for more than 15 years.

WHEREAS, On November 24, 2015, the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia will host its third Annual Meeting at Philadelphia City Hall to recognize the organization’s continued efforts to bring the Peoples of Japan and the United States together to achieve a greater good for society, and to honor the leadership provided by Kazumi Teune towards achieving that mission; and

WHEREAS, Kazumi Teune, a native of Japan, moved to Philadelphia in 1982 to join her future husband, Henry Teune, Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Since then, she has become a notable figure in raising the profile of the Japanese American community in the Philadelphia region; and

WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Kazumi Teune, JASGP raised funds to plant 1,000 cherry trees in Philadelphia’s historic Fairmount Park in 2007, and the Festival has developed into the second largest cherry blossom festival in the Northeast Region attracting over 40,000 participants annually during the Festival’s two-week period; and

WHEREAS, Kazumi Teune has exhibited unwavering commitment to working with the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to promote friendship with Japan which has cultivated many important cultural, political, and economic exchanges between the City of Philadelphia and Japan. Notably, she has been instrumental in maintaining Philadelphia’s Sister City relationship with the City of Kobe in her role as the appointed Honorary Ambassador of Kobe to the United States; and

WHEREAS, Kazumi Teune will be honored with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Award by Ambassador Reiichiro Takahashi, Consul General of Japan in New York for her achievements as Executive Director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia from January 2001 to November 2015; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors and recognizes Kazumi Teune for her dedication and contributions to strengthening the Japanese American community in Philadelphia as Executive Director of Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP) for more than 15 years.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Kazumi Teune as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

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