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Australian Embassy to recognise Odawara City as the first partner of the AUS+RALLY sports diplomacy campaign
Australian Ambassador Richard Court AC presented a certificate to Mayor Mr Kenichi Kato from Odawara City in Kanagawa Prefecture as the first official partner of the AUS+RALLY campaign, an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative in Japan in 2019-2020. The Australian Embassy Tokyo welcomed the Mayor to a ceremony to celebrate the city on Wednesday 12 June, marking 100 days to the opening of the Rugby World Cup 2019.
Odawara City will provide a training base for the Wallabies leading up to the Rugby World Cup 2019, and for the Australian Rugby Sevens teams ahead of the 2020 Olympics. The city has enjoyed a strong connection with Australia for nearly 30 years through an annual reciprocal language and cultural student exchange with Northern Beaches Council where Former Manly Council formed a Friendship City Agreement with Odawara in 1991.
Launched in April 2019 in partnership with Rugby Australia, the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia, the AUS+RALLY sports diplomacy initiative celebrates Team Australia in Japan in 2019 and 2020. AUS+RALLY brings together new and existing sports diplomacy activities through a communications and events program. The program is intended to support Japan’s hosting of the world’s greatest sporting events and their important legacy.
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