The Japan Culture Center of Western New York’s Buffalo–Kanazawa Sister City Committee has been awarded the inaugural U.S.‑Japan Global Impact Grant to fund “Feathered Diplomacy,” a bird conservation and cross‑cultural exchange connecting Buffalo and Kanazawa, Japan.
The project pairs Buffalo Audubon and the Wild Bird Society of Japan‑Ishikawa to develop conservation programs, nature education and outdoor recreation activities that build on both cities’ designation as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). The initiative has the backing of Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan and the International Exchange Division of Kanazawa City.
Goals and partners
Organizers say the program will support citizen‑led, city‑level actions such as “Lights Out” campaigns to reduce risks to migrating birds, window‑collision mitigation, shared outreach and data‑sharing, in‑person exchange visits and the provision of needed equipment. Buffalo Audubon’s Bird‑Friendly Buffalo effort is cited as a foundation for the work.
In prepared remarks, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said the grant builds on nearly 65 years of sister‑city ties and will help connect communities “through a shared appreciation for birds and the natural environments that support them.” Jacob M. Schlesinger, president and CEO of the U.S.‑Japan Foundation, said the proposal captured the aim of the global impact challenge: turning a longstanding sister‑city friendship into a partnership addressing shared challenges.
Buffalo Audubon Senior Naturalist Tom Kerr highlighted the conservation angle: “What’s good for birds is good for people,” and the Japan Culture Center’s president, Chris Morrison, said the project has already generated new ideas and energy, noting plans to meet Kanazawa’s mayor as the partnership moves toward its 65th anniversary in 2027.
What’s next
The release describes program objectives and partners but does not include a grant dollar amount, a schedule for exchanges or specific dates for public activities. Organizers say the project is intended as a model other sister‑city partnerships can follow.
Reporting here is based on a press release from Buffalo Audubon and the Japan Culture Center of Western New York.
