The City of Montebello has been affiliated with the City of Ashiya, Japan since the inception of our Sister City Program in 1961.

In recognition of our continued friendship, the City of Montebello dedicated Ashiya Park in 1972 to stand as a symbol of our deep respect for our friends in Ashiya. In celebration of the 40^th anniversary of our Sister City affiliation, plans are currently underway for construction of an authentic Japanese Garden at the Montebello City Hall complex honoring the City of Ashiya. The garden project is being made possible through generous donations by the Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Association, City of Montebello and City of Ashiya.

This past April, a 30 member delegation from Ashiya traveled to Montebello for a 40^th anniversary celebration attended by over 200 people from our community. A Montebello Delegation had the opportunity to travel to Japan in November to celebrate our anniversary in Ashiya.

As Sister Cities, Montebello and Ashiya have shared many wonderful memories and friendships over the past 40 years. One of the most exciting aspects of our Sister City Affiliation is the annual Student Ambassador Exchange Program begun in 1964. Each year, two students between the ages of 16 and 21 years of age are chosen to serve as Student Ambassadors. Students from Montebello travel to Ashiya in early July of each year and spend four weeks living with host families and learning first-hand about the Japanese culture. In turn, two students from Ashiya travel to Montebello in late July and spend four weeks living with families in Montebello and visiting local Southern California sites.

The Student Ambassador program provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for young people in our community to travel to Japan representing our community and experiencing this beautiful culture firsthand.

The Montebello-Ashiya Sister City Association is a group of community members and past Ambassadors who work to keep our relationship with Ashiya strong. Applications to participate in the student exchange program are available to through the Sister City Association and Montebello City Hall. Students residing in Montebello may contact the Administration Department for further information at (323) 887-1365.