Kanie Japan Ambassadors visit Marion

Representatives from Marion's Sister City, Kanie Japan, visited Marion recently.

The Ambassadors arrived Tuesday, March 24. Representatives from the Marion Chamber of Commerce and the City of Marion worked together to provide a fun-filled week for the Ambassadors, including:

• Tour of Marion Junior High School 
• Tour of Timberline Fisheries
• Tour of AISIN
• Tour of the Illinois National Guard Armory
• Tour of WSIL TV3
• Dinner at Walt's
• Karaoke and drinks at Martini Joe's
• Tour of SIU and the Center for English as a Second Language Department
• Lunch at Kokopelli
• Tour of the Marion High School
• Lunch at 17th Street
• Tour of the Marion Police and Fire Departments
• Ribbon Cutting ceremony at The HUB
• Potluck at the Marion library

On Thursday, a tree planting ceremony was held at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center. Kanie Japan gifted “fragrant olive trees” to the Marion Chamber of Commerce and the City of Marion. Five of them were gifted, in commemoration for the five years the two cities have established a relationship.