The Lima Sister Cities Association was formed in 1995 to establish sister city relationships with one or more foreign cities, promote greater understanding and appreciation for diverse cultures, and celebrate Lima’s growing participation in a global community. The Lima Sister Cities Association is a volunteer membership organization designed to embrace individuals and organizations with international interests in our community. The formal linking of Lima with Harima-cho, Japan, became a reality in 1999. Since then, several Japanese delegations have visited our community, and many Lima officials and Sister Cities Association members have visited there. To date, over 400 people have participated in these exchanges. Through the exchange of information, the development of personal relationships between representatives of our cities, and wide public attention to the culture and economy of our sister city, the Lima Sister Cities Association aims to foster a bond between Harima-cho and Lima that extends across the full social, racial, and economic spectrum of our communities.

In addition to two quilts for sale by the LSCA, items from the personal collections of the Co-Chairs of the LSCA’s Japan Committee are on display here. Keiko Hahn, a native of Yokohama, Japan, has lived in Lima since 1951. She has contributed a collection representing her early fond "memories of Japan", especially of her family and friends.  In 1999 to commemorate the nearing end of the 1900’s, Keiko’s youngest sister, Romi Kawashima, and Romi’s Patchwork Quilt School students made the large photo quilt, recording memorable happenings in their families’ lives as they welcomed the 2000’s. The quilters’ hearts and love were sewn into this Millennium quilt.  The previous year, Romi had served as the head of the Nagano Quilt Commission, for which she oversaw the creation of kimono-shaped quilts for each of the 72 countries that participated in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Games.

Sandra Liechty, Instructor of Japanese at Ohio State-Lima, lived with her husband and children in Japan for 17 years, working for the Mennonite Church Mission Board. She has contributed items here that she and Carl both received as gifts when they lived in Japan and acquired on subsequent trips back to Japan after returning to Ohio in 1986. Her collection reflects the love of traditional Japanese forms and design she developed as a Westerner in The Land of the Rising Sun. These pieces reflect Sandra’s "memories of Japan" from the idyllic time she spent as a newlywed and young mother in the country.