The Mosaic Mural to Commemorate the Oakland Fukuoka Sister City 60th Anniversary

Although the COVID-19 pandemic was not over in the US, Oakland and Fukuoka still wanted to commemorate their upcoming 60^th anniversary in 2022. Prathana (JA 2020/2021), Brittany (JA 2009, Bridge Club President) and JJ (Liaison Officer, Mural Project Leader) were on the design committee along with other Oakland and Fukuoka representatives and the mosaic artists, Rachel Rodi and Guy Fuerte. Video conferencing enabled committee members in Fukuoka to easily attend the meetings.  

The mosaic mural was a community project with a message of “Compassion, Peace, and Community” to celebrate 60 years of friendship between Oakland and Fukuoka. The art piece included components representing Oakland such as the black-crowned night heron, the oak tree with acorns, waterways representing the harbor and Lake Merritt, and pebbles special to the Oakland topography. The art piece also included comparable components representing Fukuoka such as the Japanese Bush Warbler, plum blossom tree with plum blossoms, waterways representing the harbor and Ohori Park, and pebbles collected by community members in Fukuoka.