The City of Bunbury laid out the welcome mat this week to honour a delegation from Vietnamese friendship city Nha Trang.
Nine delegates, including People’s Committee of Nha Trang City chairman Le Huru Tho, spent two days taking in Bunbury’s many sights and sounds.
On Wednesday, the group viewed presentations on smart cities, E-government, urban planning, and local government budget collection projects, all delivered by City of Bunbury staff members.
Discussing development and trade, they then met with Bunbury Geographe Chamber of Commerce and Industry representatives as well as South West Development Commission personnel.
There are things they can learn from us but there are also a lot of things we can learn from them.
- City of Bunbury international relations senior officer Carol McDowall
They were also given tours of Bunbury Port, the Dolphin Discovery Centre, Edith Cowan University, and Bunbury Wildlife Park.
The delegation concluded its trip with a formal event at the City of Bunbury Chambers and a wind-up at the Bunbury Surf Life Saving Club headquarters at the Back Beach.
City of Bunbury international relations senior officer Carol McDowall said the visit further strengthened the bond between the two cities.
“There are things they can learn from us but there are also a lot of things we can learn from them,” she said.
“The chairman was warmly welcomed by the city and the community.
“I would encourage anyone in the community who is interested in our sister city relationships to get in touch and we’ll see if we can facilitate any exchanges they might be interested in making.”
The Bunbury City Band recently returned from a whirlwind tour of Vietnam.
Along with sightseeing, the troupe also put on concerts in Nha Trang and Ho Chi Min City.
Tour organiser Sue Veitch said the group gained a understanding of the asian nation and its interests.
“We got to see a completely different culture,” she said.
“The way things are run over there is entirely different to here.
“It was huge for younger members to see a whole other way of life.”
After 18 months of fundraising, the Bunbury City Band collected close to $24,000 for the journey.
Read more: