Lethbridge College will be well-represented when a delegation from Lethbridge and the surrounding region travels to China and Japan later this month.
The college will be represented in the delegation by Dr. Edith Olson, Dean of the Centre for Applied Arts and Sciences.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to return the visits that our sister-cities have paid to us previously,” says Olson. “I look forward to the opportunity to explore a new culture, the ability to build relationships with our international partners and an educational exchange of ideas that will benefit the entire college community.”
This delegation will be led by Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman and will include regional representation from Lethbridge County along as well as local economic and education sectors.
“The purpose of this trip is to pursue economic development opportunities, support educational connectivity between partners, and continue fostering relationships following the recent visit from our sister-city colleagues and companies in Anyang City and Anyang County, Henan, China and Haebaru, Okinawa, Japan,” says Mayor Spearman.
Partners for the Mission to Asia include:
- City of Lethbridge
- University of Lethbridge
- Lethbridge School District #51
- Economic Development Lethbridge
- Transmark Ltd.
- Golden Ant Inc.
- Starfield Magrath Ltd./AgSpectra Ltd.
- Lethbridge County
- Lethbridge College
- Holy Spirit Catholic School Division #4
- SouthGrow Regional Initiative
- SkierkaTech/Great Excavations
- Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
For formal gift exchanges on the trip, the delegation will be taking items produced by local artists Karen Armstrong and Stuart Hill. These will include clay works from Armstrong stamped with a custom Lethbridge-and-region design and glazed with colours that represent our abundant sunshine, water, land and resources. In addition, Hill – with help from the fabrication team at Friesen’s Plastics – is creating contemporary statuesque pieces using various materials that reflect the spirit, cultures and history of the Lethbridge region.