A delegation of Gettysburg leaders, including Mayor Rita Frealing, is visiting Sekigahara, Japan this week to commemorate 10 years of partnership between the two sister cities — a relationship dedicated to preserving ancient battlefields and promoting peace.
Also joining the visit are Destination Gettysburg President and CEO Karl Pietrzak and Adams County Civil War expert Christopher Gwinn. During their weeklong trip, the delegation is touring the Sekigahara battlefield, meeting with the Sekigahara mayor, the governor of Gifu Prefecture, and other Japanese officials. The visit, generously funded by the Sekigahara delegation, includes a Memorial Event marking the tenth anniversary of the World Battlefields Summit, first held in 2016.
Frealing noted that in addition to the Memorial Event, the trip also includes shared cultural events including Cormorant fishing on the Nagara River and a samurai sword-making demonstration.
The delegation is participating in presentations and panel discussions highlighting how each site interprets and manages its battlefield visitor centers. The group will explore ways to deepen collaboration among the “Three Great Ancient Battlefields” — Gettysburg, Sekigahara, and Waterloo, Belgium — emphasizing their shared commitment to preservation and peace.
“It is an honor for Gettysburg to be a partner of these great ancient battlefields,” Pietrzak said. “During this trip, we aim to share best practices on tourism, preservation, and commemoration efforts underway in Gettysburg so that we might learn from one another in our shared mission.”
As part of the partnership, the National Park Service and the Gettysburg Foundation loaned a collection of Battle of Gettysburg artifacts to the Sekigahara Memorial Museum, marking the largest loan of artifacts ever made by the two organizations. The items will be on display as part of this week’s commemoration.
The connection among Gettysburg, Sekigahara, and Waterloo began with the World Battlefields Summit in 2016, which brought together representatives from these major battle sites to exchange strategies for preserving and interpreting their histories.
All three are now united through Sister City and Sister Park agreements, fostering cultural exchange, tourism collaboration, and shared historical preservation.
The battles of Gettysburg (1863), Sekigahara (1600), and Waterloo (1815) share a deep historical connection as critical battles in internal, civil wars that reshaped their nations’ destinies. Gettysburg preserved the American Union, Sekigahara unified Japan and ushered in centuries of peace, and Waterloo ended Napoleon’s ambitions and stabilized Europe.
Though separated by continents and centuries, the three battlefields now serve as places of remembrance and reflection, where visitors honor the cost of war and the enduring value of peace.
Also attending the events in Japan are representatives from Waterloo. Together, the three sites continue a shared mission: to preserve their historic grounds as places where people can reflect on the meaning of conflict and the enduring value of peace.
Featured Image Caption:
Outside the Sekigahara Memorial in Japan, from left to right: Destination Gettysburg President & CEO Karl Pietrzak; Adams County resident Christopher Gwinn; Gettysburg Mayor Rita C. Frealing; President du Collège Provincial Tanguy Stuckens of Waterloo, Belgium; and Nancy Schroeders, Director of Culture, Sports, and Tourism for Waterloo, Belgium.