"When the call for a sculpture design first went out to represent the friendship between two cities an ocean apart, I thought 'how does someone put into a sculpture all that being sister cities encompasses?' As I sat down to work it seemed my heart directed my hand to this design. The design is of two hands reaching for each other in support and friendship. A bridge symbolizes the connection of two peoples across water. One hand is not larger or stronger than the other; they are the same size, much like mutual respect. They are joined by the arch under the bridge showing we are all one--mankind." -- by Lori Hough at the unveiling of "Two Hands with a Bridge of Friendship" in Yahaba, Japan.

This sculpture is the result of an innovative sculptural exchange between Fremont, Michigan and her sister city of Yahaba, Japan. An artist from each region was selected to design a public sculpture to be both fabricated and installed in the sister city.