Minister Naoyuki Agawa, Minister of Public Affairs at Japanese Embassy of the United States, joined Michon Peck of DC Public Schools and Mayor Anthony Williams on March 25 for the Mayor’s annual Cherry Blossom Poster Contest 2004 Awards Ceremony. Joining Mayor Williams was one of the poster winners, Kiara Brooks, of Brookland Elementary School in Northeast. The poster contest theme for this year is "Cherry Blossoms: Remembering 150 years of Peace and Friendship with Japan." It celebrates the continued friendship between the United States and Japan, the 1912 Gift of Trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo, and the artistic talents of DC Public School students.

March Photo Gallery »

*All photographs by Lateef Mangum unless otherwise noted.