The City of Ballarat has plans to travel overseas this year, as part of their commitment to strengthening ongoing international relationships and fostering a greater sense of "cultural development".
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As part of the council's "friendship and cooperation agreement", which they embarked upon in 2003 with Timor-Leste in the township of Ainaro, the council plans to visit the southeast Asian nation to commemorate the agreement's 20th anniversary.
The most recent declaration letter, which was signed by the then City of Ballarat deputy mayor Cr Belinda Coates and Timor-Leste Ainaro municipality administrator Albertino de Araujo dated 2016, cited the two regions would work simultaneously to "sustain the bonds of friendship, through cooperation and communication between Ballarat and the Ainaro Municipality from the bottom up to the municipal level".
Specifically, the two committed to working in the fields "education, health, agriculture, economy, infrastructure, culture, eco-tourism, clean water, sanitation, environment and social relationships" to achieve such targets.
The anticipated costs for the exchange visit to Ainaro is about $12,440. This comprises flight and accommodation fees for one councillor and one council officer.
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Other members of the community who have cited interest in attending the commemoration will be responsible for any flight and associated fees for the trip.
This includes members from the Ballarat Friends of Ainaro Community Advisory Committee.
Additionally, the City of Ballarat will also be looking to travel to Japan to celebrate their sister council relationship and 35th anniversary with the Inagawa Hyogo Prefecture in the country's west.
According to council agenda documents, the purpose of the trip will aid in cementing the promotion of both nations' international education pathways, arts and cultural development, tourism with a specific focus on mining history and economic exchange with an end goal of "mutually beneficial economic activities".
The rough costs for the Japan visit will be three times more than the estimated expense to Timor-Leste, with travel costs including flights and accommodation approximated to be $38,000.
This will make provisions for the mayor, one councillor, the city's chief executive or delegate as well as two council officers.
Since signing the delegation in 1988, each local government body has alternated between visiting Ballarat and Inagawa over a five year cycle.
The last trip was made by the Inagawa council, where a delegation led by the Inagawa mayor accompanied by their staff and community members, came to Ballarat in 2018.
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Council documents note this year was the Ballarat's turn to visit Japan as part of the rotating cycle.
In regards to the City of Ballarat's overseas plans, the council agenda document wrote it would be "highly complex" for the council to "extricate" from either trips.
"A negative response to the invitations of Timor Leste - Ainaro and Japan - Inagawa could have an impact on the perceived value council places on its Friendship City and Sister-City relationships," it wrote.
Each of the visits aligns with the council's strategic objectives including enhancing the region as a diverse, inclusive and compassionate community and developing and implementing strong advocacy campaigns for community and the city's priorities.
"Through the sustained long-standing relationship of 20 years with Timor Leste - Ainaro and 35 years with Japan - Inagawa including a strong community support for the continuation of these links, council has been viewed to be actively contributing to the ongoing cultural development of the city," the council agenda document wrote.
Both trips will require a travel report as per the City of Ballarat's Councillor Expense Policy.
Councillors will vote on whether to approve these travels including a maximum of three representatives to visit Timor Leste and a maximum of five representatives to visit Japan at Wednesday's meeting.
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Malvika Hemanth
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
