Historical Sister Cities
Wellington has two historical sister city relationships:
- Hania, Crete, Greece
- Harrogate, England
A historical sister city relationship is one based on past or ceremonial links.
Hania, Greece
The Hania-Wellington Historical Sister City relationship, which was formed in 1984, celebrates the contribution of the Greek and Cretan communities to Wellington and the strong links formed since WWII.
A special relationship developed between New Zealand and the Hania area of Crete. This area was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting during the 1941 Battle of Crete, which was between New Zealand and German troops.
An olive tree has been planted in the grounds of the Michael Fowler Centre to commemorate the relationship. A Greek-New Zealand Memorial can also be found on Kent and Cambridge Terrace.
Wellington celebrates 'Hania Day' on 21 May, which is also when commemorations for the Battle of Crete take place.
The Mayor of Hania visited Wellington in 2004.
Harrogate, England
The origins for the Harrogate-Wellington relationship stem from World War II when 23 New Zealand airmen were buried in the Harrogate cemetery.
In 1954, Harrogate City Council presented Wellington with a gold mace crafted by a local jeweller. The mace is still used at Council meetings and on ceremonial occasions.
Department Details:
International Relations (Strategy)
