23 LC 112 1534
S. R. 302
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Senate Resolution 302
By: Senators Anderson of the 43rd, Seay of the 34th, Lucas of the 26th, Halpern of the 39th,
Butler of the 55th and others
A RESOLUTION
Commending and congratulating the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival for its outstanding
1
efforts to foster a long and steady friendship between the City of Conyers and country of2
Japan; and for other purposes.3
WHEREAS, the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival unites thousands of participants from the4
region to encourage better understanding of Japanese culture and other diverse nations and5
to celebrate 42 years of cultural history through international music, dance, arts, crafts, food,6
games, and family entertainment; and7
WHEREAS, the history of the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival stems from the gifting of8
several Yoshino Cherry Blossom trees that were planted throughout the City of Conyers,9
signifying an alliance; and10
WHEREAS, these cherished gifts, also known as Sakura, came from Hideo Ogino, former11
President of Maxell Corporation of America, to represent the friendship between nations, the12
renewal of spring, and the ephemeral nature of life; and13
WHEREAS, in 1982, Maxell and the Chamber of Commerce held the first Conyers Cherry14
Blossom Festival, scheduled during the blossoming of the beautiful Yoshino Cherry Blossom15 23 LC 112 1534
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trees, the subject of nationwide adoration since the Heian period in Japan, more than 1,000
16
years ago; and17
WHEREAS, traditionally, the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival featured cooking classes,18
silk flower arranging, Oriental doll exhibits, Origami demonstrations, Kabuki theater, bonsai19
tree exhibits, karate demonstrations and a Haiku contest; the festival still incorporates many20
of these cultural connections; and21
WHEREAS, in 1991, the Conyers Cherry Blossom Foundation was formed to organize and22
oversee the festival and related events; its growth in attendance and exhibitors made it23
necessary for the foundation to relocate the festival from the grounds of Maxell to the24
Georgia International Horse Park; and25
WHEREAS, in 1999, the foundation contracted with the City of Conyers and the Georgia26
International Horse Park to oversee and present the annual Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival;27
in 2006, the City of Conyers received full rights to the festival; and28
WHEREAS, the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival continues to carry on the tradition of this29
important community event; the festival has become one of the largest and most successful30
events in the Southeast; and31
WHEREAS, for the 38th annual celebration, the Consulate of Japan flew in several special32
guests from Japan to make their first United States appearance at the Conyers Cherry33
Blossom Festival: audiences enjoyed a visually stunning dance performance by Kinuyo34
Shinobu-Kai; renowned champion horseback archer Sakura Yabusame; Ayuko Uemura from35
Towada City; and Japanese calligraphy sisters Miki and Chikako Nakashima from Fukuoka,36
Atlanta's sister-39 city; and37 23 LC 112 1534
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WHEREAS on March 25, 2018, the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival honored Takashi
38
Shinozuka, the Consul General for the Consulate of Japan, with a special ceremony in39
appreciation of Japan's generosity and to continue the spirit and tradition of the deep-rooted40
bond between the City of Conyers and Japan; the United States Customs and Border41
Protection Honor Guard Team presented the United States flags tribute and Mayor Vince42
Evans gave the Consul General a flowering White Dogwood Tree and 10 framed United43
States forever postage stamps of the Cherry Blossom and Dogwood trees to commemorate44
the day; and45
WHEREAS, the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival is faithful to family and to the community46
and prides itself on giving back through student art projects, pageantry, and auxiliary events,47
including The Kiwanis Club Cherry Blossom Golf Tournament at Cherokee Run Golf48
Course, the Annual Cherry Blossom Charity Croquet Tournament at Oxford College of49
Emory University, and the Conyers Police Explorers Dash into Spring 5K, as well as50
introducing two new young artists' workshops in 2023: Bluebirds & Blossoms and Cherry51
Blossom Sculptures, and Treasures in the Trees, a free month-long family activity to52
celebrate nature and the advent of spring, hosted by the Big Haynes Creek Nature Center;53
and54
WHEREAS, since 2016, the Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts and Rockdale County55
Schools have teamed up to present an annual Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival Student56
Photography Contest; winning photographs remain on display at Piedmont Hospital and are57
recognized at the festival; and58
WHEREAS, the Miss Conyers Cherry Blossom Scholarship Pageant is the local franchise59
for the Miss Georgia and Miss America Pageant System, and the winning contestants of the60
pageant are introduced at the festival each year; and61 23 LC 112 1534
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WHEREAS, the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival, with the support of the City of Conyers,
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its participants, and a variety of partnering sponsors from the community, has the distinctive63
honor of being named a Multi-Award-Winning event; it has achieved top honors in multiple64
categories of the Kaleidoscope Awards, recognized by the Southeast Festival and Events65
Association (SFEA), including Best Event Over $75,000, Best Marketing Campaign, Best66
Event within an Event, Best Photograph, Best Sponsor, Best Merchandise, and Best Mascot.67
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body68
commend the Georgia International Horse Park for its dedication to the community and state69
through the festival; congratulate the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival on the remarkable70
occasion of its 42nd anniversary; and extend their sincerest best wishes for the festival's71
continued successes to strengthen the unity and embracement of all cultures.72
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed73
to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the Conyers Cherry74
Blossom Festival and to the Consulate General of Japan in the Southeast.75