Ambassador’s Commendation - Keele University’s Collection of Flowering Cherries
2025/4/2
On 2 April 2025, Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki awarded the Ambassador’s Commendation to Keele University’s Collection of Flowering Cherries. The commendation was handed by Ambassador Suzuki at Keele University.
Since the late 1940s, the collection has been built over the decades through the dedicated efforts of Keele’s experts, in collaboration with Japan. Today, the collection includes over 240 varieties and more than 300 cherry trees, some of which are species that have become extinct in Japan. It has been granted National Collection status by Plant Heritage in the UK.
As the previous Japanese Speech Contest participants from Keele made the Embassy of Japan aware of this extraordinary collection, Ambassador Suzuki expressed his gratitude to Keele’s Japanese Studies and shared his appreciation to the supporters who have contributed to building the collection. He also expressed his hope that the sakura at Keele will continue to flourish in the decades to come, symbolising the enduring friendship between Japan and the UK.
In response, Professor Mark Ormerod OBE expressed his gratitude for Ambassador Suzuki’s visit to Keele and his Commendation. In addition, Dr Peter A Thomas, Mr Dave Emley, Mr Graham Lees and Mr Chris Sanders VMH, cherry blossom guardians and supporters, recalled on the history of the collection, and expressed their honour in receiving the commendation. They have also extended their gratitude to both the supporters and university officials.
The ceremony was followed by a tour of the collection, during which attendees enjoyed the blooming cherry trees.
Since the late 1940s, the collection has been built over the decades through the dedicated efforts of Keele’s experts, in collaboration with Japan. Today, the collection includes over 240 varieties and more than 300 cherry trees, some of which are species that have become extinct in Japan. It has been granted National Collection status by Plant Heritage in the UK.
As the previous Japanese Speech Contest participants from Keele made the Embassy of Japan aware of this extraordinary collection, Ambassador Suzuki expressed his gratitude to Keele’s Japanese Studies and shared his appreciation to the supporters who have contributed to building the collection. He also expressed his hope that the sakura at Keele will continue to flourish in the decades to come, symbolising the enduring friendship between Japan and the UK.
In response, Professor Mark Ormerod OBE expressed his gratitude for Ambassador Suzuki’s visit to Keele and his Commendation. In addition, Dr Peter A Thomas, Mr Dave Emley, Mr Graham Lees and Mr Chris Sanders VMH, cherry blossom guardians and supporters, recalled on the history of the collection, and expressed their honour in receiving the commendation. They have also extended their gratitude to both the supporters and university officials.
The ceremony was followed by a tour of the collection, during which attendees enjoyed the blooming cherry trees.