536 results for author: SCI Staff


Santa Barbara-Puerto Vallarta Sister City Committee Help the Needy

For the first time in 15 months of pandemic isolation, Santa Barbara and Puerto Vallarta Sister City Members hosted an in-person BBQ. The gathering was to replenish funds utilized to continue helping the Needy. Another goal of the event was to continue the support of a variety of Puerto Vallarta projects during the pandemic. Read about their efforts below. Hosted by Marti Garcia and Board Member Gil Garcia, the barbecue was held in their backyard in downtown Santa Barbara with a capacity of 50 socially distanced members. Santa Barbara's sister city in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico experienced hardships throughout the pandemic with a significant loss of ...

City of San Antonio Donates $10K To Chennai Sister City For Covid Relief

In the beginning of June, San Antonio and Chennai have exhibited friendship and solidarity through Covid-19 aid efforts. Read about the empowering support below: The City of San Antonio, Texas donated $10,000 in USD to their sister city in Chennai for COVID-19 relief. Their efforts to aid their fellow sister city will bring hope and solidarity between the two cities. Members of the Rotary Club of San Antonio donated $5,000 to the Rotary Club of Madras East as a token of the sister city's support during this unprecedented time. Anuja SA, an Indian American non-profit organization created to promote the Sister City alliance between San Antonio and ...

Fort Worth, TX – Sister Cities Brings Amnesty International Message

Forth Worth Sister Cities International will be discussing citizen diplomacy and human rights in an upcoming webinar. Read Fort Worth's message on their efforts to advocate for international relationships below: Citizen Diplomacy and Human Rights FORT WORTH, TEXAS (June 4, 2021) Fort Worth Sister Cities International brings international attention to Fort Worth with its nine sister cities in China, Eswatini, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, and Mexico since 1985. This month, Fort Worth Sister Cities International will bring Roger Mark de Souza, the Chief Movement Building Officer of Amnesty International, to Fort Worth as part of ...

St. Louis – Stuttgart Sister Cities Current Projects

St. Louis, Missouri and Stuttgart Sister Cities from Germany have joined together to create projects that would further connect both their communities. Read about the most recent project below. The Green Beret Youth Initiative was founded honoring MSG Micheal B. Riley, to empower kids to make a change in their lives and communities in St. Louis. The program advocates for three main pillars: Exercise & Nutrition, Academic Enhancement, and Mentoring. These pillars are in place to create an ultimate impact within the communities. Participants of the program range from children, adolescents, to young adults from the ages of 11 to 17 years old ...

Highland Park, IL and Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities Partnership Hosts Virtual Cooking Class Fundraiser

Chef Thierry Blouet Partners with Highland Park/Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities to bring Art and Cultural Programs to Children in Puerto Vallarta The Highland Park, IL, Sister Cities Foundation and the Puerto Vallarta/Highland Park Sister Cities Committee in Puerto Vallarta partnered with Thierry Blouet, chef and owner of Café des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta, to create a Virtual Cooking Class. This event raised money for Sister Cities Art and Cultural Programs for children in Puerto Vallarta.   The Zoom event, held on May 25, 2021, featured Chef Blouet cooking in his home kitchen and guiding participants as they prepared a gourmet meal. ...

Sister Cities AAPI Highlight Stories

To wrap up our AAPI Community Highlights, we would like to bring attention to some sister cities who helped each other during the this past year regarding the pandemic. By providing PPE to their sister cities and other help they needed, these communities were able to stay strong through each other's support. Read below to see what our partnerships were able to achieve. Cincinnati, Ohio and New Taipei City, Taiwan - "A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed" Establishing their sister-city relationship in 1994, the two cities have participated in mayoral visits and cultural exchanges ranging from youth choirs, folk drum teams, and puppet shows. The ...

Norfolk Sister Cities, VA Matches Donations Towards COVID Aid for Their Sister City Kochi, India

COVID Aid for Kochi As we are sure you are aware, India is suffering under the strain of a significant COVID-19 wave of infection. While things are not as dire as the northern part of the country, Norfolk's sister city, Kochi has not been spared. Norfolk Sister City Association's Board of Directors is issuing a dollar for dollar match up to $500 for donations made in support of COVID relief for Kochi, India. This match will remain in effect through 5:00 PM EDT on May 26th, 2021. Norfolk Sister Cities are working with their counterparts in Kochi to have your donations sent to relief agencies that are working on the ground in Kochi. Donations ...

Baltimore Sister Cities Organizes “Our Home Too” Event in Support for AAPI Communities

OUR HOME TOO A forum in support for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Communities   Date: Thursday, May 27th, 2021 Time: 7:00-8:30pm EDT Format: Zoom webinar Admission: Free (advance registration required) More info & to register: aapi2021.eventbrite.com   May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), which honors the history and achievements of our Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Unfortunately, this year’s celebrations are marred by increasing rates of targeted violence against AAPI individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions are rooted in our nation’s ...

Bellingham Sister Cities Hosted Filmmaking Workshop with Their Sister City Partnerships

Bellingham, Washington Sister Cities held an event in which Bellingham Sister Cities and their sister city partnerships screened videos that their international teams produced. See below to see their work and their impacts! “Resemblances” A Cross-Cultural Filmmaking Workshop Teenage students from four continents and in four different times zones excitedly awaited the screening of the videos their international teams had just finished producing.  It was Sunday evening, May 2nd, in Bellingham, Washington for the ZOOM premier although for three of Bellingham’s sister cities it was Monday at 7:00 AM for those in Vaasa, Finland and Monday at ...

Little Rock Sister Cities Organizes Virtual Student Exchange

Little Rock Students Building Bridges Across the Atlantic By Commissioner Lenka Horakova, Little Rock Sister Cities   “What is Yorkshire pudding?,” one Little Rock student wanted to know. “Do most of the students go watch and support your sports teams?" a student from Newcastle asked his Little Rock counterpart. “UK is on my bucket list,” concluded a Little Rock student at the end of a virtual student exchange session that the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission jointly organized with Newcastle Upon Tyne in the United Kingdom.   The Little Rock commission is part of a network of International Sister Cities that strive to ...