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Toba and Santa Barbara Students enjoy a card game at Santa Barbara Toba Japan Sister Cities Welcome Party. | Credit: Bonnie Carroll 
S.B. and Toba Japan Students singing for the pool party guests at Samarkand. | Credit: Bonnie Carroll 
President Linda Mathews and Takako Wakita introduce host families and visiting students. | Credit: Bonnie Carroll 
S.B. students & Toba Japan students enjoy pool fun at annual visitation pool party. | Credit: Bonnie Carroll 
Board Members Takako Wakita, Past President, Ann Hamilton, Rory Moore and Laural Lyle welcomed guest to the Samarkand Pool Deck for Annual SBTSCO event. | Credit: Bonnie Carroll
On Sunday, July 27th Board members, sponsor families and Santa Barbara student ambassadors celebrated the four visiting Japanese students who arrived on July 24th during their annual Samarkand pool party and deck luncheon where visiting guests, SBTSCO student ambassadors, and hosting families shared introductions and enjoyed a delicious buffet style luncheon, fun card games and a refreshing swim in the pool.
Student ambassadors welcomed visitors to enjoy lunch by the pool where President Linda Matthews and SBTSCO Founder and Past President Takako Wakita introduced hosting families and visiting students to the pool party guests, and the Santa Barbara and Toba students graciously entertained everyone with a charming Japanese song.
Board Members Takako Wakita, Mark and Ann Hamilton, along with Rory Moore and Laurel Lyle were busy welcoming visitors and sharing information on the trip details for the Santa Barbara students, family escorts and interpreters who will be visiting Toba Japan for ten days following the Santa Barbara student visitation.
During their visit, the four students from Toba experienced the Obon Festival at the Japanese Buddhist Temple and the Asian American Film Series at Alhecama Theatre to see two films preceded by a reception where President, Linda Mathews welcomed SBTSCO members and guests.
According to Past President Takako Wakita, who attends student visits to Toba, the 2025 schedule in Japan is busy and packed with educational experiences and fun activities to enjoy during their time in Toba. Santa Barbara Toba Sister City Organization is the oldest member of the City of Santa Barbara Sister Cities Committee, founded March 8, 1966. For SBTSCO membership and information visit: http://santabarbaraca.gov.
The Sister Cities Program in the U.S. had its beginnings from a proposal made by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 to establish a “People-to-People Program.” His wish was to involve people and organized groups in personal diplomacy, hoping relationships fostered would contribute to building world Peace. Annually individual committee groups select and produce their own specific and city appropriate projects and programs to focus on and work together to accomplish desired goals.
