OTAMA, Fukushima － The Otama village government and the Peruvian village of Machu Picchu have agreed to undertake a variety of exchange activities, following up on last October's agreement that made them sister villages.
　A delegation from Machu Picchu visited Otama for a signing ceremony on Aug. 7, held as part of the village's summer festival. The village in Peru is home to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, a World Heritage site known as "the city in the clouds." Otama and Machu Picchu formalized their friendship accord at the site in Peru on Oct. 26 last year. It was the first time for both sides to conclude such an accord with another municipality.

　大玉村は７日、「空中都市」として知られる世界遺産マチュピチュ遺跡があり、昨年１０月に友好都市協定を締結した南米ペルー・マチュピチュ村と、より具体的な交流の在り方を示した「交流活動指針」を調印した。同日、大玉村で開かれた夏まつりの会場で調印式を行った。大玉村とマチュピチュ村の友好都市協定は、昨年１０月２６日、世界遺産マチュピチュ遺跡で締結された。両村とも、他都市と友好都市協定締結は初。

　The villages are connected through Yokichi Nouchi (1895-1969), an Otama native who became the first mayor of Machu Picchu. Nouchi emigrated to Peru and worked to develop Machu Picchu's tourism. Beloved by local residents, he eventually became a leader in the village.
　Machu Picchu has had numerous requests to form friendship pacts from municipalities around the world, but the village government decided to extend a hand to Otama because of Nouchi's contributions.

　大玉村出身の野内与吉（のうちよきち）氏（１８９５～１９６９年）がマチュピチュ村の初代村長を務めたことが縁。野内氏は移民としてペルーに渡り、マチュピチュ村の観光開発に尽力。村人から慕われ、指導的立場になった。マチュピチュ村にはこれまで、世界遺産のある都市など世界中の自治体から友好都市締結を求める声が届いていたが、村は野内氏の功績をたたえ、最初の提携相手を大玉村に選んだ。

　For the signing ceremony, members of Machu Picchu's official delegation, including Mayor David Gayoso Garcia, 39, wore formal outfits from the time of the Inca Empire. Otama Mayor Toshikazu Oshiyama, village assembly speaker Yoshio Endo and other officials wore formal haori coats and hakama trousers for the event.
　At the signing ceremony, officials from both villages wore the same attire as at the friendship accord ceremony at Machu Picchu last year, demonstrating their mutual affection for the Otama residents who attended the ceremony.

　来県したマチュピチュ村のダビ・ガヨソ・ガルシア村長（３９）ら公式訪問団のメンバーは、調印式にインカ帝国時代の正装で出席。一方、押山利一村長と遠藤義夫村議会議長らは羽織袴（はかま）姿で登場した。昨年１０月にマチュピチュ遺跡で行われた協定締結の際と同じ服装で、駆け付けた大玉村民に両村の友好をアピールした。

　"We welcome your visit to the prefecture from our hearts. I hope the exchanges between our villages will continue for a long time," Oshiyama said.
　In his remarks, Gayoso said: "I would like to pass on the friendship between our villages to the next generation by maintaining it for a long time. Though in distance we are far away on the other side of the world, in feeling we are close by."

　押山村長は「心から来県を歓迎し、両村が長く交流できることを期待したい」とあいさつ。ガヨソ村長は「友好都市を長く永遠に残し、次の世代に伝えていきたい。距離的には地球の反対側で遠いが、気持ちはすぐ近くにいる」と強調した。

　The agreement confirms that the two villages will engage in exchanges over education, agriculture, tourism and the economy for the social and economic benefit of both sides.
　For education, the agreement describes student cultural exchanges through popular arts such as painting and handicrafts. Agricultural projects could include exchanging information on farm production and sharing technology.
　For tourism, they plan to solicit donations using the friendship accord and both villages' names, and to promote exchanges of their tourist products.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　指針では、両村民の社会福祉や経済的福利を目的に教育部門や農業、観光、経済の各部門で交流することを確認。教育では絵画や手工芸品など大衆芸術を介した学生文化交流などを記した。農業では農業生産に関する情報交換や技術共有、観光では友好都市や両村の名を用いた寄付を募ること、両村観光商品の交換促進などを盛り込んでいる。

　【　２０１６年８月８日付ほか・福島民友新聞掲載　】