Seventeen young ambassadors from Australia, Japan and the United States have been recognised as they begin this year's Hawkesbury Sister City Exchange Program, continuing a tradition that has built international friendships for more than four decades.

The students were formally welcomed and presented with certificates before Tuesday night's Hawkesbury City Council meeting in recognition of their participation in the 2026 exchange.

The annual program sees Hawkesbury students travel to Kyotamba, Japan, and Temple City, California, for a five-week cultural exchange, while local families open their homes to students visiting from both sister cities.

One of this year's participants has a special connection to the program's history.

Japanese student Kokona Kitamura is a second-generation exchange participant, following in the footsteps of her father, who travelled to the Hawkesbury as part of the Sister City Exchange Program in 1990.

The milestone highlights the lasting friendships and family connections that have grown from the program since it was established in 1984.

Speaking at the ceremony, Hawkesbury Mayor Les Sheather said the exchange continues to demonstrate that young people from different countries have far more in common than they may first imagine.

"This exchange program between Hawkesbury City Council, Temple City in the United States and Kyotamba in Japan has been a wonderful tradition since 1984," Cr Sheather said.

"While we may live in different parts of the world, this program reminds us that we share far more in common than we might expect, and the students taking part in the program this year are experiencing this firsthand."

He wished the students safe travels and encouraged them to make the most of what he described as a unique opportunity.

Beyond sightseeing, the exchange gives students the chance to experience everyday family life, attend school in another country, improve language skills and develop a deeper understanding of different cultures.

Many former participants have maintained lifelong friendships, with some families hosting exchange students across multiple generations.

As Hawkesbury's newest cultural ambassadors embark on their journey, they also continue one of the district's longest-running international community partnerships strengthening ties between three communities separated by thousands of kilometres but connected through friendship, hospitality and cultural understanding.

Correction and Apology

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