October 1, 2019

Delegation from Sister City Yilan, Taiwan visits Madera

In late September the City received a visit from a delegation representing Madera’s sister City Yilan, Taiwan. Councilmember Jose Rodriguez and Board of Education Trustee Ed McIntyre greeted the group, which included Director-General Joseph Ma of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, as they arrived at City Hall where discussion of common challenges and successes shared by the two communities quickly became the focal point. 

After stopping for a moment to snap a picture with the giant gong that’s displayed in the lobby of City Hall (a gift to the City of Madera from Yilan in 1994) and touring a few departments, the delegation traveled to Quady Winery, where they were treated to a facility tour and a sampling of local products.

The visit was arranged by the nonprofit Madera/Yilan Sister City Corporation. Sister-city relationships are created to help foster friendship and understanding among different cultures and to encourage trade and tourism between towns of similar demographics and size. Over the years the City of Madera has enjoyed multiple cultural exchanges as well as the exploration of business, trade and educational opportunities with Yilan.