BOTH George Town and Adelaide (South Australia) have cemented their historic sister-city linkages, celebrating 50 years since the pact was signed in 1973.
It was indeed a nostalgic journey for both cities after the sister city agreement was sealed and carried out by the city councils of both, which are divided some 5,900km away.
The Australian High Commission to Malaysia hosted a reception on Tuesday at the historic Suffolk House. Present were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and the Governor of South Australia, Frances Adamson AC, with her entourage.
Also in attendance was the Lord Mayor and Penang Island City Council president Datuk Anthony Rajendran.
Chow said that over the years, George Town and Adelaide have collectively witnessed the evolving tapestry of culture, culinary influences, heritage, and the diversity of races.
It was pointed out that there is a growing number of Penang talents who have resettled in Adelaide. They ventured into entrepreneurship, digital tech and even the wine industry, which ranks as among the top exports of the South Australian state.
“It is also a wonderful delight that both cities have received due recognition from Unesco, with George Town as a World Heritage Site, and Adelaide as a City of Music," said Chow. “Fuelled by enduring friendship and historical bonds, the sister city relationship between George Town and Adelaide stands as a catalyst to enhance tourism prospects and foster meaningful collaborations across various domains,” Chow said.
He added that there would not have been a more appropriate venue to hold the reception than Suffolk House, a historical site that was once home to the late Francis Light. Light founded Penang in 1786 and some 50 years later, his eldest son, Colonel William Light, went on become a founder of Adelaide.
“If we are already impressed by this father and son tale, we must also give due credit to two other gentlemen, unrelated by birth, but united in their foresight." They are the then premier of South Australia, the late Don Dunstan, and the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu – the gentlemen who inked the sister city pact. Lim was the second chief minister of Penang.
Adamson said she was intrigued and excited to be in Penang for the first time as the governor of South Australia. “We hope for this George Town-Adelaide relationship to further prosper in the years to come,” she said in her speech.
Adamson is the 36th governor of South Australia. The government of South Australia is scheduled to hold a month-long Adelaide food fair at Queensbay Mall from tomorrow. – The Vibes, August 31, 2023
