The City of Renton and the Renton School District have received the 2010 Sister Cities Peace Prize Award that recognizes the community events in 2009 marking the 40th anniversary of the city’s Sister City relationship with Nishiwaki, Japan.

Plaques were presented Monday night to Mayor Denis Law and Mary Alice Heuschel, superintendent of the Renton School District, at the City Council meeting. The award was presented by the Washington state Sister Cities Association.

Sonja Mejlaender, the City of Renton’s community relations and events coordinator, has provided staff support to the Renton-Nishiwaki Sister City Committee for about 10 years. She oversaw the presentation Monday night.

In an interview, she said the sister-city program is a unique way to learn about other cultures. Friendships are developed for life during exchanges to the two countries, she said.

“The boundaries go away, but your world got a whole lot bigger to see it first hand,” said Mejlaender.

Renton and Nishiwaki became sister cities in 1969, through the work of the Renton Lions Club and other community organizations. The relationship was cemented through regular cultural exchanges, including trips by delegations to Nishiwaki and to Renton.

Renton middle-school students have regularly visited in Nishiwaki in October for more than 20 years. In August students from Nishiwaki come to Renton.

Roger Richert, chairman of the sister city committee, is one of two original members still active on the committee. He spoke Monday night, explaining how the Sister City program has led to a greater understanding of the two countries and their cultures.

In August 2009 to mark the 40th anniversary, Renton and the committee hosted a 17-member delegation from Nishiwaki, including the city’s mayor and representatives of the Nishiwaki Lions and Rotary clubs and of the business community.

Activities included visits to Liberty and Gene Coulon Memorial Beach parks, Renton History Museum, the downtown Library, Cedar River Trail and Uptown Glassworks. Delegates also toured the Renton Boeing Plant. They visited Seattle and watched a Seattle Mariners game.

At the end of the three-day visit, Law and Nishiwaki Mayor Juichi Kishi exchanged gifts.

In accepting the plaque Monday night, Heuschel told the council the exchange in 2009 “was a very special event.”