We are greatly saddened and angered by recent events in our country. Protests continue across the U.S. and around the globe highlighting the systemic racism and prejudice that have plagued our nation for far too long.
The senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and no doubt, many others whose names we don’t know, remind us that we still have so far to go. Our hearts break for the victims. Our hearts break for their families. Our hearts break for our communities and our world.
At the core of Sister Cities International is the belief that peace can be obtained through people-to-people and sustained community-to-community connections based on mutual respect and understanding. This message is more important now than ever before. We are at a precipice and our communities must now come together to answer the calls for social justice and reform.
Now is not the time for us to remain silent. Now is the time for us to lean in and open up dialogue around what is happening in our cities. It is only by encouraging discussions around institutional racism and ethnic inequity that we will begin to see the change that our communities are demanding.
Sister Cities International is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We stand in solidarity with our Black community and we will continue to promote peace, respect and mutual understanding within our local communities and with our sister cities around the world.
Ron Nirenberg Leroy Allala
Chairman of Sister Cities International President and CEO
Mayor of San Antonio, Texas Sister Cities International
