morgan hill sister cities program
J
udy Little is a diminutive woman
with a big heart and boundless energy.
For the past eight years, she and her
husband Murv have been helping to build
a lasting legacy for Morgan Hill – a bridge
that connects us to distant lands and
different cultures.
The bridge-building saga of the Little’s
began when they joined Morgan Hill Sister
Cities, the local chapter of Sister Cities
International. The non-profit organization
was inspired by Dwight Eisenhower when
he encouraged the citizens of post World
War II America to reach out to cities
around the globe and foster cultural under-
standing for the sake of world peace.
“Morgan Hill took up the mission
of Sister Cities when it joined the
international organization in 2003,” Judy
said. “Over a period of time, five sister cities
were carefully chosen and formally adopted
through a proclamation between the City of
Morgan Hill and the local governments of
each city.
“Our chapter volunteers, city officials,
local students and members of the
community have been working together to
create strong bonds with those cities ever
since. We all serve as ambassadors of good
will, and relationships are formed person-
to-person, one city at a time.”
When Judy and Murv joined in 2006,
they offered to coordinate activities
supporting Morgan Hill’s brand new sister
city relationship with Mizuho, Japan.
Today, they continue to fulfill this role. The
cultural and educational exchange between
the two cities has flourished as a result.
Finding Common Ground
Judy Little
Accomplishes Big Things
Written By Robin Shepherd
82
G M H T O D A Y M A G A Z I N E
MARCH / APRIL 2015
“Mizuho was chosen for three reasons,”
Judy said.“First was its similarity to Morgan
Hill in geographical area, population
size, climate and agricultural heritage.
It is located about 35 miles from Tokyo
and produces rice, vegetables, fruits and
flowering plants. “Second, both cities
expressed a sincere desire to have a close,
lasting relationship that would benefit its
citizens for years to come.
“And third but equally important was
the fact that Morgan Hill has a strong and
historic Japanese community dating back to
the immigrant farmers of the early 1900s who
contributed to our agricultural tradition.”
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