I N T E R N A T I O N A LSisterCities

2013 Annual Report

Table of Contents

Letter from the President .................................1

2013 Annual Report ........................................2

2013 Donors .................................................18

Board of Directors .........................................19

State Coordinators ........................................20

Honorary Board and Global Envoys...............21

2014 Sister Cities International Staff ..............22

Table of Contents

Explore 50 Years of Sister Cities History

Sister Cities International’s 50th Anniversary book Peace Through People:50 Years of Global Citizenship contains hundreds of stories of citizendiplomats bringing the world together from the first half century (1956-2006) of the sister cities movement.

This fully searchable edition is available online atwww.sister-cities.org/50years.

Greetings,

I want to first thank our members and partners for supporting the work of Sister CitiesInternational. It is through the efforts in your respective communities that we fulfill ourmission to “Promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation – oneindividual, one community at a time.”

We began 2013 with a huge event – the very first Sister Cities International Inaugural Gala!As most of you are aware, every President of the United States, since Dwight D.Eisenhower, has been the Honorary Chairman of Sister Cities International. Since we werethe very first event of Inauguration week, we received worldwide publicity for our goal toconnect communities in the United States with their friends around the world. ThePresident’s own Marine Corps band opened an evening that brought Mayors,Congressional Representatives and Ambassadors together to celebrate with our owncitizen diplomats.

Our Sino-African Initiative has been the prime example of how cities can form mutuallybeneficial trilateral sister city relationships. The Osogbo, Nigeria-Asheville/Raleigh, NorthCarolina-Xiangyang, China trilateral partnership worked together in Osogbo to renovate and upgrade one primary health carecenter to offer emergency obstetric care, establish a drug revolving fund, and provide extra equipment. Included in theproject were medical training exchanges between the cities, as well as mayoral and business delegation exchanges. Theother two programs under the grant were a water and sanitation project involving Nairobi, Kenya/Denver, CO, U.S./Kunming,China at the Madaraka Primary School in Nairobi and a waste management project in Malawi with the communities of Zomba,Malawi/ Urbana, IL, U.S./Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China.

In 2013, our annual conference was held in the great city of San Antonio, Texas. We partnered with the United NationsUnited Environmental Accords program to host 600 delegates from all over the world including Diplomatic Corpsrepresentatives from 30 countries. We reinvigorated our Youth Leadership Program and intend to double the size of our youthleadership summit in San Jose in 2014.

It’s apropos that the theme of the 2014 conference in San Jose is “The Power of Digital Diplomacy” given the expandedpresence of Sister Cities International as well as our members on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other socialmedia. We’ve also added customizable partnership profiles to our website for all of our more than 2,000 sister cityrelationships and you can now view our 50th anniversary book, Peace Through People, which recounts some highlights fromthe first half century of sister cities. If you have not yet had the chance to see the amazing photos and even more incrediblestories of international cooperation, please have a look at www.sister-cities.org/50th. Please also continue to share yourstories with us; our 60th anniversary is quickly approaching and hope to be able to share some of the newer stories abouthow sister cities members are building peace.

This upcoming year we are poised for even bigger things. In addition to the conference in San Jose, the first ever U.S.-ChinaSister Cities conference will be held in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the first U.S.-Chinapartnerships. We’ll continue to expand and enhance our website, put more resources like webinars and toolkits online, andexpand affinity benefits for members. We’ve also decided to waive any application fee for our Young Artists and AuthorsShowcase as well as our Annual Awards to encourage even more members to participate in these popular programs.

We hope that you are as excited about sister cities in 2014 as we are; it’s going to be a big year. Again, thank you for yoursupport and your belief that if we “Connect Globally” we can “Thrive Locally.”

Mary D. KanePresident & CEO

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Connect globally. Thrive locally.

I N T E R N A T I O N A LSisterCities

Sister Cities International is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3)nonprofit that serves as the national membership

organization for individual sister cities, counties, and statesacross the United States. This network unites thousands ofcitizen diplomats and volunteers from 522 U.S. communitieswith over 2,000 partnerships in more than 140 countries.

Sister Cities International was created at President Dwight D.Eisenhower’s 1956 White House Summit on CitizenDiplomacy. He envisioned an organization that would be achampion for peace and prosperity by helping citizens fosterbonds between people from different communities aroundthe world. President Eisenhower reasoned that if privatecitizens built partnerships that celebrated and appreciateddifferences between cultures, and didn’t rely solely onnational governments to manage international relations, thenit would lessen the chanceof new conflicts.

For nearly six decades,Sister Cities Internationalhas served as a hub forinstitutional knowledgeand best practices in thefield of citizen diplomacy.Sister Cities Internationalcontinues to strengthenthe sister cities networkthrough strategic

institutional partnerships, grants, programs, and support forits members. Sister Cities International motivates andempowers private citizens, local organizations, andmunicipal officials to conduct long-term, mutually beneficialsister city, county, or state relationships.

The mission of Sister Cities International is just as importanttoday as it was when it was founded. With the advent of theinternet and new technologies, the world is becomingsmaller, and the relationships and interactions between theU.S. and its foreign counterparts are more complex thanever. Despite this increase in online communication, theface-to-face meetings and personal relationships developedthrough sister cities are still vital and irreplaceable.

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TO PROMOTE PEACE THROUGH MUTUAL RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING, AND COOPERATION — ONE INDIVIDUAL, ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME.

Sister Cities International Mission Statement

“If we are going to take advantage of the assumption that all people want peace, then the problem is forpeople to get together and to leap governments – if necessary to evade governments – to work out not onemethod, but thousands of methods by which people can gradually learn a little bit more of each other.”

-Dwight D. Eisenhower, Founder of Sister Cities International and 34th President of the United States of America

What Do Sister Cities Do?

Sister city organizations plan and implement cooperativeactivities and exchanges with their counterparts in other

countries. These activities typically fall into four categories:youth and education, community development/municipalexchange, business and trade, and arts and culture. Withinthese categories there is a tremendous breadth of diversity,as each community uses its unique resources, history,geography, and citizenry to guide their activities.

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Sister City Partnerships by U.S. State

Sister City Partnerships by Country

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

MexicoJapanChina

GermanyFrance

ItalyRussia

United KingdomChinese Taipei

South KoreaIsrael

PhilippinesIrelandPolandSpain

GhanaCanada

BrazilUkraine

AustraliaIndia

GreeceNicaragua

PeruArgentina

188185

167108

10182

7664

5650

484241

3733323029

2322

2017171615

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

368

185

174

97

76

75

63

61

59

55

51

43

42

42

39

California

Florida

Texas

Illinois

Ohio

Washington

North Carolina

New York

Virginia

Maryland

Colorado

Arizona

Hawaii

Minnesota

Pennsylvania

Sister City Partnerships by Region

What is a Sister City?

A sister city, county, or state relationship is a broad, long-term partnership between two communities in two

countries. A sister partnership is officially recognized afterthe highest elected or appointed official from bothcommunities sign an agreement establishing therelationship.

A city may have any number of sister cities, with communityinvolvement ranging from a half dozen to hundreds ofvolunteers. In addition to volunteers, sister city organizationsmay include representatives from nonprofits, municipalgovernments, the private sector, and other civicorganizations. Sister city relationships offer the flexibility toform connections between communities that are mutuallybeneficial and which address issues that are most relevantfor each partner.

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

East AsiaNorth And Central Asia

Middle EastSoutheast Asia

South AsiaWestern Europe

Southern EuropeCentral Europe

Northern EuropeEastern Europe

Southeastern EuropeNorth AmericaSouth America

Central AmericaCaribbean

West AfricaEastern Africa

Southern AfricaNorth Africa

Central AfricaOceania

Pacific Islands

462101

6863

28343

14578

4636

24220

1075251

7531

2415

732

4

343

522 U.S.Communities

In 143 Countries

With 2,012Partnerships

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1

15

101

10

41

3

1232

37

WALES

2

SCOTLAND

1411 NORTHERN IRELAND

8

3

37

1

932

4

21

1

30

188

4

4

10

1725

2

6 12

10

8

7

10

8

3

3

29

8

1

2

16

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 3

BARBADOS 1

ST. KITTS and NEVIS ISLANDS 1

CAYMANISLANDS

1

EL SALVADOR

12

SINT MAARTEN 1PUERTO RICO

5

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS 1

U.S. Partnerships Worldwide

Sister City Relationships by Region

Asia 36% South/Central America and Caribbean 10%Europe 33% Africa 8%North America 11% Oceania 2%

36%

33%

11%

10%

8%

2%

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1 NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

4

1

AMERICANSAMOA

21

6

2

14 1

1

6

3

1

1

23

448

3

20

1

167

4

4

48

50 185

42

76

13

5

11

7

15

14

108

6

1437

12

5

32

17

82 13

410

3

6

51

23

1

12

1

4

6

6

2

12

KINSHASA

1

BRAZZAVILLE

13

8

2

3

1

2

14

1

1

1

6

PALESTINIANTERRITORIES6

22

10

4

CYPRUS 1

2 MONTENEGRO

LEBANON 21 MALTA

1 PALAU

CHINESE TAIPEI 56

1

1

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WASHINGTON15____75

MONTANA2___3

IDAHO3___4

UTAH2___10

NEVADA1___8

OREGON14___32

CALIFORNIA82___368

COLORADO17___51

WYOMING

ARIZONA11___43

NEW MEXICO5___24

HAWAII2___

42

ALASKA5___

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U.S. Members and Partnerships

KEY

Number of Member Communities

Number of Partnerships

100+ Partnerships51-99 Partnerships11-50 Partnerships1-10 PartnershipsNo Members

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MAINE2___5

NEW HAMPSHIRE

VERMONT2___5

1___8

MASSACHUSETTS5___

23

RHODE ISLAND

CONNECTICUT 5___30

NEW JERSEY2___

17

DELAWARE2___8

MARYLAND13___55

NEW YORK20___61

PENNSYLVANIA7___39

WESTVIRGINIA1___2

VIRGINIA18___59

OHIO18___76

INDIANA15___31

MICHIGAN9___

23

KENTUCKY11___22

WISCONSIN13___37

ILLINOIS41___97

NORTH CAROLINA17___63

SOUTH CAROLINA7___18

TENNESSEE9___

32

FLORIDA

37___185

GEORGIA9___38

ALABAMA4___32

MISSISSIPPI1___2

LOUISIANA2___

16

ARKANSAS6___

10

MISSOURI4___

22

MINNESOTA19___42

IOWA16___36

NORTH DAKOTA

SOUTH DAKOTA3___4

NEBRASKA4___7

KANSAS7___

13

OKLAHOMA7___

21

TEXAS26___174

DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA

1___14

Member Services

Sister Cities International offers a number of services andresources to help members find partners, expand and

improve programming, and save time and money. Whether itis developing new skills, recognizing milestones, or providingmuch needed information and connections, Sister CitiesInternational is committed to boosting the impact of itsmembership. Be sure to visit the Member Area of SisterCities International’s website where you can access anumber of these services and learn more about how SisterCities International can help.

Staff and Network AssistanceWhether it’s a volunteer, elected official, municipal employee,businessperson, or any other participant in a sister cityprogram, Sister Cities International’s staff is available toassist by email or over the phone. Every day staff fieldquestions about governance, programming, financing,policy, and more. Whether it’s starting a new sister cityorganization from scratch, rolling out a new type ofexchange, or simply trying to make current programmingeasier and more effective, the first call should be to SisterCities International’s office. A full list of staff can be found in the back of the directory or online at www.sister-cities.org/staff.

In keeping with the ethos of sister cities, Sister CitiesInternational believes that peer learning is one of the bestways for sister city organizations to improve. That’s why inaddition to providing expert staff support, Sister CitiesInternational connects its members with other communitiesand sister city organizations who have done similar projectsor dealt with similar challenges. Contact staff and find outhow other cities can help your sister cities organization bringthe most to your community.

Cities Seeking CitiesIn 2013, Sister Cities International worked to strengthen theorganization’s role in facilitating new sister city partnershipsthrough the Cities Seeking Cities program. The MembershipDepartment works closely with member cities and utilizes awide range of channels, including foreign embassies, U.S.State Department foreign service officers, municipalassociations, other city twinning organizations, and NGOs,among others, to find potential matches. In 2013, SisterCities International helped members make contact withcommunities in Germany, Argentina, Chile, China, Myanmar,France, Costa Rica, Ghana, Kenya, Israel and the PalestinianTerritories, among others.

U.S. State Department AssistanceSister Cities International connects its members with U.S.State Department officials both in the U.S. and abroad.When trying to revive a dormant partnership or starting newpartnerships and programming initiatives, meetings andbriefings with officials can help provide useful informationand networking opportunities for sister city organizations.Sister Cities International also regularly works with memberson U.S. State Department exchange programs and grantopportunities.

Events Calendar and Sharing Your StoryIn 2013 Sister Cities International’s Events Calendar becameone of the most popular new initiatives. Members wereencouraged to send Sister Cities International details abouttheir organization’s upcoming exchanges, events, sister cityanniversaries, board meetings, and other activities, whichwere posted to Sister Cities International’s website whereother sister city organizations as well as the public couldlearn more.

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Membership in Sister Cities International is open tocommunities of all sizes, including towns, cities,counties, and states. For more information onmember benefits as well as membership rates, visitus online at www.sister-cities.org/membership

“Our program has flourished to a level that wouldhave never been possible, in a large part due tothe valuable resources and assistance availablethrough SCI.”

-Mary Neilson, Hot Springs, AR

To follow up on these activities members were encouragedto “Share Your Story” and submit accounts of theirexchanges and accomplishments, which were thenpromoted via social media and articles posted on SisterCities International’s website. “Share Your Story” is availablethrough Sister Cities International’s website, and membersare encouraged to visit and share with the world how theirsister city program connecting communities around theglobe.

Grants and FellowshipsEvery year Sister Cities International offers competitive grantopportunities to members for exchanges and programmingin a number of fields. In 2013 Sister Cities International alsobegan posting grant and fellowship announcementsadministered by other nonprofits, foundations, and federaland state governments. Available only to members throughSister Cities International’s Member Area, visit us online andfind out what opportunities are waiting for your sister cityorganization.

Visa AssistanceNot sure what type of visa a sister city volunteer or officialshould be traveling on? Looking to just make sure all visapaperwork is in order? In 2013 Sister Cities Internationalpartnered with a number of experts in immigration law andvisas to provide members with pro bono advice on specificinbound visa questions they might have. To request visaassistance members can visit the Member Requests sectionof the Member Area on Sister Cities International’s website.

InsuranceSister Cities International continues to offer members accessto affordable travel insurance in partnership with InternationalMedical Group (IMG) as well as special events insurance.With members participating in thousands of delegation visitsand hundreds of events every year, insurance is a neededbenefit which Sister Cities International is proud to offer. Forup to date information on available insurance and to accessthese special rates, members can visit the Insurance sectionof the Member Area on Sister Cities International’s website.

New Partnership and Anniversary CertificatesSister Cities International wants to make sure that a sistercity partnership, whether it’s new or 50 years old, isrecognized as a step forward for citizen diplomacy andpeace building. All members can now requestcomplimentary certificates for their communities as well astheir international partners that recognize new partnershipsor milestone anniversaries. These commemorativecertificates are available free of charge to Sister CitiesInternational members and can be requested in the MemberArea of the website.

WebinarsIn 2013 Sister Cities International hosted nine interactivewebinars for members, with topics including fundraising, recruiting volunteers, incorporating environmental andeconomic innovations in programming, sister schools, anddoing business in Mexico, among others. These webinarsallow members to have live Q&A with staff and guestspeakers, and all webinars are recorded and available tomembers in the Member Area of Sister Cities International’swebsite.

Toolkits and Templates Members can take advantage of a number of toolkits andtemplates available in the Member Area. Whether it’s runningsister schools, developing a new partnership agreement,writing a support letter for a visa application, or a number ofother common tasks for sister cities organizations, thesematerials help members expand their programming andsave valuable time and resources.

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All members can proudlydisplay their membership in one of the world’s largestnetworks of citizendiplomats with Sister CitiesInternational’s MemberBadge and tagline “ConnectGlobally. Thrive Locally.”

City and Partnership Profiles

Every member community has a profile on Sister Cities International’s website providing a list of its partnerships, contactand social media information, and a narrative section about the sister city organization, all customizable by members

themselves.

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Contact information and socialmedia fields allow the public to getin touch with members and learnmore about their program

Members canadvertise whenthey are lookingfor new partners,including specificregions or programareas where theyhave an interest

Members can customize abrief description about theirsister city program

Sister City, Friendship City,and Emeritus relationshipsare listed and attractivelyand conveniently displayedon the map

Click on the infobutton to learnmore about aspecific sistercity relationship

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Sister Cities International drastically increased the ability of members to communicate with the public by adding profiles foreach of the over 2,000 partnerships in the network. These profiles can provide partnership specific contact and social

media information, narratives about the history of the partnership and its current activities, the date the partnership wasestablished, and even copies of the original partnership agreement, all customizable by members.

Let the world know howyour partnership startedand what you’ve beendoing recently

To find contact information for Sister Cities International members, search for the city in the Interactive Directory on our website www.sister-cities.org.

Find out who is the contact for specific sister city relationships

Members can upload acopy of the original partnership agreement

Find out when the partnership first started

The High School Homestay ExchangeThe High School Homestay Exchange program is anopportunity for Sister Cities International’s members to host students for a year or semester of high school in theUnited States. International coordinators in non-U.S. citiesselect high school students, who must be between the agesof 15 and 18 ½ years old on the first day of school, to applyto the program. Once students are accepted and in theUnited States, the sister city organization provides oversightof the students, organizes host families, and includes thestudents in sister city activities. The High School HomestayExchange program is intended to provide foreign studentswith exposure to U.S. culture and society, as well as helpU.S. citizens build relationships with visitors from abroad.

In partnership with the American Cultural Exchange Service,Sister Cities International assisted over 30 students secureJ-1 secondary school exchange visas in 2013. In 2014 theHigh School Homestay Program will be expanded to alloweven more students to participate.

Young Artists and Authors Showcase Each year, the Young Artists and Authors Showcaseencourages high school students from around the globe toexpress the mission of Sister Cities International throughoriginal artwork and literature. All students must submit theirwork based on a designated theme that is announced eachyear. Artwork is sent from member cities around the world toWashington, D.C. where a panel of judges selects the

winners based on originality, composition, and themeinterpretation.

In 2013, young artists and authors reflected on the theme,“The Power of Exchange” and illustrated the long-termimpact that exchanges have had on them or theircommunities. The winning art pieces were showcased at the2013 Sister Cities International Annual Conference in SanAntonio, Texas before departing on a yearlong tour to citiesacross the United States. The Young Artists and AuthorsShowcase is made possible by the generous support of theCarvey Family.

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Programs

High School Home Stay Exchange students from Shizuoka, Japan spending time with their host family in

Omaha, Nebraska

2013 Young Artists Showcase Grand Prize Winner: “Hope” by Faith Tsou of Naperville, Illinois

2013 Young Artists Showcase Finalist: “Worlds Converge” byVivienne Salisbury of Houston, Texas

Leading Asia2013 was the third and final year of the Leading Asia:Renewing the U.S. and Japan Sister Cities Networkprogram, generously funded by the Japan Foundation. Thefinal programming centered on the Pan-Pacific Summitportion of the Sister Cities International Annual Conference inSan Antonio, Texas. Sister Cities International providedexchange funding for over twenty citizens from Japan toattend the Conference, including two Japanese mayors, thedirector of the Japan Foundation, the Executive Director ofthe Council of Local Authorities for International Relations(CLAIR), the Acting Consul General to Japan in Houston,and the Minister, Head of Chancery from the Embassy ofJapan. An additional eleven individuals from U.S. cities thatparticipated in the program were also flown in for theconference to network with these dignitaries as well as theirpeers in the sister cities network. Delegates enjoyed valuableface-to-face opportunities to discuss ideas for exchanges,best practices, and innovative programming focusedprimarily on business, renewable energy initiatives, andyouth and young professional engagement.

What Did Our Programs Do?

2013 Youth Leadership SummitAt the 2013 Sister Cities International Annual Conference inSan Antonio, Texas, over 50 students from around theUnited States participated in the Youth Leadership Summit.The Summit was designed to provide youth in the SisterCities International network with experience in addressingglobal challenges and the ways in which different nationalexperiences drive international cooperation on critical issues. The students had the opportunity to speak with

representatives from foreign governments, including theConsuls General from Norway and Russia, the MinisterCouncilor of the Embassy of Japan, and a senior U.S.Department of State official, to learn about the countriesthey were representing in a Model United Nations-stylesimulation. In addition, the students had the opportunity tohear from the Ambassador from Indonesia, the HonorableDino Patti Djalal, about the importance of youth activism innational and international political discourse, which wascited by students as a highlight of the weekend.

The Summit culminated with a simulation intended toexplore possible solutions to the critical environmental issuesthey had been studying throughout the weekend.

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Participants share their experiences representing differentcountries at the 2013 Youth Leadership Summit

“My overall experience was incredible! It feltamazing to be surrounded by so many peoplewho have similar interests to me and arepassionate about diplomacy. I can’t believe that Igot the chance to listen to so many amazingindividuals speak about their careers andexperiences.”

-Survey response from a 2013 Youth Leadership Summit Participant

Over 100ParticipatingCommunities

Over 100 Flights to Sister Cities

Over $500,000 in Funding ToMembers

Sino-African Initiative

Sister Cities International’s Sino-African Initiative (SAI) is atwo-year program funded through a grant from the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation. SAI is designed to address themanner in which Chinese, African, and U.S. cities cancollaborate on economic development and urban povertyissues in Africa. By working with Chinese, African, and U.S.citizen diplomacy networks, local municipal governments,and businesses, this initiative seeks to create strategies that

ensure development and poverty alleviation projects addresscommunity needs, safeguard human rights and safety, andpromote transparent business practices and governmentaccountability. Activities for this program include researchand program design, exchanges, and webinar andconference sessions.

SAI began in early 2013 with a conference and trainingsession in Nairobi, Kenya which served as a platform for allthree African-U.S.-Chinese trilateral sister city partnershipsto learn more about the larger context of their projects,participate in knowledge sharing between cities, and plantheir trilateral projects. General seminar sessions, site visits,project management training, and project planningworkshops, all on the theme of “Urban Service Delivery inPublic Health and Waste Management,” providedconference participants with the tools to execute theirprojects over 2013. The conference concluded withMemorandum of Understanding signings between thetrilateral partnerships pledging to complete their pilotprojects. Throughout 2013, Sister Cities International staffprovided additional support for the projects through financialadministration, project coordination, backstopping, technicalsite visits, and research.

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Participants at the 2013 Sino-African Initiative Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nairobi, Kenya – Denver, CO, U.S. – Kunming, ChinaMadaraka Primary School ProjectIn Nairobi, the trilateral partnership renovated MadarakaPrimary School’s toilet block by installing 28 new toilets,securing water tanks, adding mirrors and tiles, and fixingthe roof. Water experts from Nairobi, Denver, andKunming worked together to ensure that the waterquality was up to healthy standards and that the supplyof water was sufficient at Madaraka Primary School. Thetrilateral partnership also provided school supplies for thestudents and included trilateral sister city exchangesfocused on municipal water management, education,and business in Nairobi and Kunming.

Water experts from Denver; Kunming, China; and Nairobi, Kenya at the

Nairobi Water Company.

The Osogbo-Asheville/Raleigh-Xiangyangtrilateral partnership aimed their work atprimary health care. In Osogbo, the grouprenovated and upgraded one primaryhealth care center to become the onlycenter in the city that offered emergencyobstetrics care. In addition, the trilateralpartnership provided extra equipment andestablished a drug revolving fund. Doctorsfrom the U.S. and China joined theirOsogbo counterparts and providedmedical training to over 150 doctors andnurses in Osogbo and additional businessand medical exchanges took place inXiangyang and Osogbo.

Osogbo, Nigeria – Asheville/Raleigh, NC, U.S. – Xiangyang, China Atelewo Model Primary Health Care Center Project

Zomba, Malawi – Urbana, IL, U.S. –Haizhu District (Guangzhou), ChinaIntegrated Waste ManagementProjectIn Zomba, the trilateral partnershipconstructed a new composting site, newcommunal refuse bankers, and procuredtools for composting. Communitysensitization programs and clean citycampaigns were held in Zomba to encouragebetter waste management in the community.Included in the project were trilateralexchanges on waste management trainingand job shadowing exchanges to Urbana aswell as waste and sanitation exchanges to Haizhu district.

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Doctors at a three-day medical workshop inOsogbo, Nigeria focusing on emergency

obstetrics care.

Delegates from Urbana and Zomba, Malawi visit a waste to energy incinerator in Guangzhou, China.

2013 Annual Conference

The 57th Annual Conference inJuly brought together over 550

citizen diplomats from across theU.S. and the world to SanAntonio, Texas to discuss ThePower of Exchange: CreatingSustainable Cities & SustainableRelationships.

Over 25 countries wererepresented during the three-dayconference, where attendees participated in specializedsessions on economic development, communications,exchanges and partnerships, and fundraising. Attendeesalso had the opportunity to participate in various off-sitetours to the Toyota Factory, Dos Rios Wastewater TreatmentFacility, and land sustainability and river improvement toursto both Museum and Mission Reach.

Keynote speakers included David Houle, Author of “Enteringthe Shift Age” and Carola McGiffert, President of the 100,000Strong Foundation. A special consular corps panel consistingof Consulates General to Germany, India, Norway, and

Russia, gave remarks on the importance of sister cityrelationships for their respective countries’ bilateral ties withthe U.S. and discussed opportunities for stronger sister citiespartnerships for the future.

The conference also included a number of tracks organizedwith local and international partners. Sister CitiesInternational partnered with The United Nations EnvironmentProgramme and The Urban Environmental Accords for anumber of shared sessions. A special event on U.S.-Mexicorelations at Port San Antonio brought together San Antonioofficials and Martha Smith, President of the U.S.-MexicoFoundation, to discuss international trade and businessdevelopment through people-to-people engagement across borders.

The conference culminated with an awards ceremonycelebrating leading sister city organizations in the categoriesof arts and culture, youth and education, humanitarianassistance, economic development, and energy andsustainable development. Learn more about the 2014conference in San Jose, California from July 31-August 2 by visiting Sister Cities International online at www.SisterCitiesConference.org.

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BEST OVERALLPopulation less than 25,000: Bandera County Sister

Partnership Association (TX)Population between 25,001 – 50,000: Sister City

Association of Prescott (AZ)Population between 50,001 – 100,000: Lakeland Sister

Cities International (FL)Population between 100,001 – 300,000: Tempe Sister

Cities (AZ)Population between 300,001 – 500,000: Tulsa Global

Alliance, Inc. (OK)Population greater than 500,001: Indianapolis Sister Cities

International (IN)

INNOVATION: ARTS AND CULTUREPopulation less than 100,000: Lakeland Sister Cities

International (FL)Population between 100,001 – 500,000: Iraqi and American

Reconciliation Project (Minneapolis, MN)Population greater than 500,001: Chicago Sister Cities

International (IL)

INNOVATION: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTPopulation greater than 500,001: Phoenix Sister Cities, Inc.

(AZ)

INNOVATION: ENERGY/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTPopulation greater than 500,001: City of San Antonio (TX)

INNOVATION: HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCEPopulation greater than 500,001: Fort Worth Sister Cities

International (TX)

INNOVATION: YOUTH & EDUCATIONPopulation less than 100,000: Suffolk Sister Cities

International (VA)Population greater than 500,001: County of Santa

Clara/Moscow Sister County Commission (CA)

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEARDana K. Kelly of Lakeland Sister Cities International (FL)

YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDCaroline Cole of Hot Springs Sister City Program (AR)

GLOBAL CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AWARDMGM Resorts International

The following programs were recognized at the 2013 Annual Conference for outstandingachievement in 2012:

2013 Fall Leadership Meeting

In October 2013, Sister Cities International held its FallLeadership Meeting in Tacoma, Washington. Board

members, State Coordinators, and Honorary Boardmembers gathered to discuss important issues pertaining tothe organization as well as brainstorm new initiatives invarious committee meetings. Attendees were able toexperience the local flavor of the city and see how Tacoma’ssister cities play a role in the city’s economic developmentgoals. Tours were provided of the Port of Tacoma as well asthe Chinese Reconciliation Park, a space that holds a ting (atraditional Chinese open pagoda) that was donated byTacoma’s sister city Fuzhou, China. Sister CitiesInternational’s Leadership was also invited to attend the 24thAnnual Consular Association Reception, an annual meetingof Washington State’s Consuls General.

In 2013, the Fall Leadership Meeting was held in conjunctionwith the Washington State Sister Cities Annual Meeting, andallowed for local members to interact with Sister CitiesInternational’s Leadership, increase their awareness ofprogramming resources and best practices, and was animportant opportunity to network with volunteers from othercities. Mary D. Kane, President and CEO of Sister CitiesInternational gave a speech on New Directions for SisterCities and Adam Kaplan, Membership Director, provideduseful sessions on volunteer recruitment and takingadvantage of Sister Cities International benefits. TheWashington State Meeting also included a luncheon addressby the Consul General of Japan in Seattle.

The three-day event concluded with Sister CitiesInternational’s Leadership and staff attending the Taste ofCuba Gala, a Cuban-themed fundraiser and silent auction tobenefit Tacoma’s sister city partnership with Cienfuegos,Cuba.

2013 Sister Cities InternationalInaugural Gala

On the evening of January 17, 2013, Sister CitiesInternational hosted its first-ever Presidential Inaugural

Gala. Sister Cities International holds the distinct honor ofhaving the President of the United States serve as itsHonorary Chairperson, and so it was fitting that this eventkicked-off the 2013 Presidential Inaugural celebrations inWashington, D.C.

A VIP reception prior to the Gala set an upbeat mood for thestart of a great evening. Washington D.C. Mayor VincentGray, European Union Ambassador to the U.S. João Vale deAlmeida, and other visiting dignitaries and elected officialsmingled with members of the nonprofit, diplomatic, andcorporate worlds. The President’s own U.S. Marine Bandprovided the opening performance, and the Air Force ColorGuard presented the colors as the band played the UnitedStates national anthem.

Congressman Mike Honda (CA-17), in his address, praisedthe network’s citizen diplomats, calling them “some of themost giving people I’ve met.” He later added, “The energy in the room and spirit of the event showcased thecommitment, passion, and strong principles of this networkin its efforts to achieve peace and prosperity for all.”

Sister Cities International would like to thanks its sponsorsMGM Resorts International, Amazon Web Services LLC,Mike Hyatt, Mary Ellen & Mike E. Fox Sr., Deloitte LLP, theConsulate General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, TheSister Cities Foundation, Mary Palko, Thelma Press, the lateSharon Receveur, and Ridgewells Catering for theirgenerous support in making this Inaugural Gala a success.

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A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 3

The U.S. Marine Band and the Air Force Color Guard at the2013 Sister Cities International Inaugural Gala.

“In addition to educational, cultural and tourismexchanges, we view our sister city relationships asopportunities to promote trade and economicinvestment.”

-Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma, WA

2 0 1 1 D o n o r s

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2013 Donors to Sister Cities International

$500,000+Dr. Hans and Erika Vielberth

$50,000+Frances L. and Louise Carvey

$25,000+Michael S. HyattMGM Resorts International

$10,000+Amazon Web ServicesMichael E. Fox FoundationThelma Press Mary PalkoToyota

$5,000+DeloitteConsulate of NigeriaSharon Receveur

$2,500+Azores TVBrooks Development AuthorityAnita and Tom LiskDogget EnterprisesCarol Robertson LopezU.S. Mexico Sister Cities AssociationCarla Walker

$1,000+The Robert, Martha, & John Atherton FoundationCounty of Bexar, TX

Carolyn BishopFred BlantonWilliam T. BoerumCarol BurdetteNeal BurnhamBrad Cole Chris DufourThe Citizen DiplomatGilbert “Gil” GarciaJane GehlhausenAngie GomezJeanne GoodvinRon GossettRobert GreningerNorris HermsmeyerNancy HuppertFrances LorenzInternational Bank of Commerce, TXDavid MillerNTGStephen T. “Tim” QuigleyThe Louis and Thelma Press TrustDarrell SmithLawrence F. UebnerWells FargoPaula West

$250+Sharon Rae Langdergott DurtkaGerald and Nancy EidamBill and Judy HinkleJane M. & Bruce P. Robert FoundationGayle StallingsJean van Buskirk

$100+Inge AckermannJennifer BauerWilliam Fontaine Bell

Boyertown-Bogodukhov Friendship CommitteeChackles, Carlson, and Halquist LLPCarl DaikerStuart ElliottGarcia ArchitectsChristine HallJames HromasLaverne JohnsonSandra McCormickWallace & Joyce MundenNicole RautamaShirley Rivens Smith Louise SchoeneCarol SeidbergTheresa Thomas

$5+Ronald BroomeIrene Carol DesmanglesElizabeth & Lawrence ForteStephen FullingNeil and Eva IsbellDr. J. Michael KorffNathalie W. McCullochGeorgiana McLeodFrederic MortonJoseph PalenRosemary PentecostNathanael RudneySeattle Sister Cities AssociationJames A. TribbettJanis M. Torrey

A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 3

Sister Cities International would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their general support of SisterCities International and citizen diplomacy in 2013.

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Executive CommitteeChairmanMr. Tom LiskRichmond, VA

Vice ChairMr. Bill BoerumSonoma, CA

TreasurerMr. Norris HermsmeyerBoulder, CO

SecretaryMs. Carol Robertson LopezSanta Fe, NM

At LargeMr. Neal BurnhamFredericksburg, TX

At LargeMr. Stephen T. “Tim” QuigleySan Jose, CA

At LargeDr. Carolyn G. BishopAtlanta, GA

DirectorsMr. Leroy AllalaChicago, IL

Mr. Bill BehrensWashington, DC

Ms. Carol BurdetteAnderson, SC

Dr. Jane Cahaly (State CoordinatorRepresentative)

Anderson, SC

Mr. Gilbert “Gil” GarciaSanta Barbara, CA

Ms. Jane GehlhausenIndianapolis, IN

Ms. Angie GomezPasadena, CA

Mr. Ron GossettSarasota, FL

Mr. Robert GreningerPrescott, AZ

Councilmember Ash KalraSan José, CA

Ms. Holly LazzeriniBelvidere, IL

Mr. David J. MillerLancaster, NY

Ms. Carolina RendeiroCoral Gables, FL

Mr. Darrell SmithLos Angeles, CA

Mr. Johnson Tilghman (Youth Representative)Eureka, CA

Mr. Lawrence UebnerOmaha, NE

Ms. Carla WalkerCincinnati, OH

Dr. Joshua Walker (Young Professional Representative)Washington, DC

The Honorable Brad Cole (Chair Emeritus, Non-VotingMember)Carbondale, IL

2013-2014 Sister Cities International Board of Directors

Sister Cities International’s Board of Directors is elected by the voting membership of the organization. Directors servethree-year terms (with the Youth and State Coordinator representatives serving two-year terms) and are elected at Sister

Cities International’s Annual Business Meeting each year at the Annual Conference.

Alabama Scotty Colson(205) 254-2317democolson@aol.com

Arizona Ana Cadillo(602) 228-0927 (C)acadillo@msn.com

California (Northern)Brenda Brumfield Ross(707) 642-8015brenbrum@sbcglobal.net

California (Southern)Kathleen Roche-Tansey(858) 481-6856 kroche.tansey@gmail.com

California (Southern)Pat Fallin(805) 245-9075patfallin@msn.com

ColoradoChristine Hall(970) 402-0433christinehallep@aol.com

FloridaPat Buchanan(801) 425-6305 (C) buchananpr@aol.com

GeorgiaLauna Kowalski(404) 414-0225 (O)(404) 702-3535 (C)Launa.kowalski@comcast.net

HawaiiSteve Yoshida(808) 315-7777steveyoshida@gmail.com

Illinois (Northern)Susan Minott(847) 358-2848 (H)(224) 249-1670 (C)sueminott@gmail.com

Illinois (Southern)Josephine C. Wittenauer(618) 281-5384jwitt@wisperhome.com

IndianaHenry C. Cole(317) 573-2250 x2457hcole@marketsharefinancial.com

IowaAnn Geiger(563) 289-3267 (H)(563) 508-3945 (C)geiger@mchsi.com

KansasBarbara Dolci(913) 669-2628 (C)btrdolci@gmail.com

KentuckyKay Sargent(859) 258-3137 (O)kays@lexingtonky.gov

MarylandRobert Agee(443) 306-1036robertagee@comcast.net

MinnesotaDolores Puente Strand(763) 571-1709 dpstrand@usfamily.net

MinnesotaGerry Wenner(651) 483-2905kgwenner@yahoo.com

MissouriRenee Franklin(314) 323-0950 (C)rdbfranklin@gmail.com

NebraskaLarry Uebner(402) 493-2535BankOmaha@cox.net

New MexicoCarol Lopez(505) 471-9118crobertsonlopez@comcast.net

New YorkLouise Schoene(716) 851-5727(716) 481-7045 simonschoene@gmail.com

North CarolinaDavid Van Pelt(336) 602-6213dvanpelt.dvp@gmail.com

South CarolinaJane Cahaly(864) 261-8532 (O)(864) 314-2561 (C)janecahaly@bellsouth.net

TexasMae Ferguson(817) 632-7104mae@fwsistercities.org

VirginiaRuth Hodges Fraser(757) 385-8343 (O)(757) 523-1153 (H)(757) 642-1694 (C)rhfraser@vbgov.com

WashingtonBarbara Sanchez(360) 671-8766snabblady@msn.com

WisconsinAlexander P. Durtka, Jr.(414) 225-6220aldurtka@execpc.com

WyomingNoah Miles(903) 216-7455nmiles1@uwyo.edu

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C o n t a c t s

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State Coordinators

Sister Cities International’s State Coordinators are a volunteer group of leaders in the sister cities network who provideexpertise and assistance to members in their respective states.

A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 3

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C o n t a c t s

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A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 3

Mr. James Amato

Mr. Tony Anderson

Ms. Martha Atherton

Mr. Randy Avon

Mr. Sherman Banks

Ms. Mimi Barker

Mr. Fred Blanton

Mr. Carlo Capua

Mr. Alan Chambers

Mr. Henry Cole

Ms. Mary Cort

Mr. Michael Curd

Mr. Rick Donohue

Ms. Jody Edgerton

Ms. Nancy Eidam

Ms. Mary Jean Eisenhower

Mr. Bill Evans

Ms. Pat Fallin

Ms. Mae Ferguson

Dr. Stelle Feuers

Ms. Ruth Fraser

Ms. Ann Galloway

Mr. José Luis Garcia

Ms. Roxi Goin

Mr. Ron Gossett

Mr. Glenn Gray

Ms. Priscilla Harris

Mr. Robert Heuermann

Mr. Kevin Hill

Mr. James Hromas

Ms. Nancy Huppert

Mr. Michael Hyatt

Ms. Laverne Johnson

Ms. Launa Kowalski

Mr. Boubker Mazoz

Ms. Sandra McCormick

Ms. Georgiana McLeod

Mr. William Mitchell

Ms. Virginia Mueller

Ms. SueMyrick

Mr. Richard Neuheisel

Mr. Len Olender

Ms. Mary Palko

Ms. Thelma Press

Mr. Brian Propp

Mr. Avi Rabinovitch

Mr. John Raeside

Mr. Rodger Randle

Mr. Carlos Reyes

Ms. Shirley Rivens-Smith

Ms. Kathleen Roche-Tansey

Ms. Patricia Sanders

Ms. KaySargent

Ms. Sylvia Sass

Mr. Raymond Schultz

Ms. Ethelda Singer

Mr. Brian Smith

Mr. Charles Stokke

Dr. Robert Swart

Dr. Tom Tenhoeve

Mr. Frank Tripicchio

Ms. Jane Tublin

Ms. Jean Van Buskirk

Dr. Hans Vielberth

Mr. Mark Walton

Ms. Amanda Wash

Ms. Paula West

Dr. Charles Wheeler

Ms. Linda Whitton

Mr. Wylie Williams

Ms. Jane Wood

Honorary Board

The Honorary Board is comprised of key individuals who have shown great leadership in Sister Cities International throughthe years. They are long-standing volunteers from the membership, former members of the Board of Directors, or former

State Coordinators who, because of their outstanding support and involvement in the organization, were voted as HonoraryBoard members. As a self-governing body, the Honorary Board stands ready to assist Sister Cities International memberswith a wealth of institutional knowledge and experience.

Global Envoys

Global Envoys are highly distinguished volunteer leaders of Sister Cities International. There is no higher honor in theorganization. The role of a Global Envoy is to represent Sister Cities International at events around the world and to

serve as a diplomat and spokesperson for the organization.

Nancy HuppertRochester, NYnmhuppert@cs.com

Mary PalkoFort Worth, TXmarypalko@earthlink.net

Thelma PressSan Diego, CAlouispress@sbcglobal.net

Mary D. KanePresident and CEOMary Kane has previously served as the Secretary of State inMaryland and as a former assistant state’s attorney before joiningthe U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where she was responsible forbuilding partnerships and strategic alliances. Mary serves on theboards of Suburban Hospital, a member of Johns HopkinsMedicine, and Mt. St. Mary’s University. She is a graduate of theCatholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law andearned her B.S. in Business and Finance at the Mount Saint Mary’sUniversity.

MembershipAdam KaplanMembership Director202.347.8634akaplan@sister-cities.org Adam Kaplan first joined Sister Cities International in 2008 as theProgram Coordinator for the Iraqi Young Leaders ExchangeProgram before becoming Membership Director in 2012. He isresponsible for member services, recruitment, and policies at SisterCities International. Adam received his bachelor’s degree in Englishfrom Georgetown University and his master’s in InternationalCommunication from American University. He is originally fromCincinnati in the great state of Ohio.

Aveen KarimMembership Manager202.347.8636akarim@sister-Cities.org Aveen Karim came to Sister Cities International after finishing herbachelor’s degree in History with a focus in Middle East and SouthAsian studies from Wake Forest University. The MontgomeryCounty, Maryland native oversees youth programs, including theHigh School Home Stay Exchange, Young Artist and AuthorsShowcase, and the Annual Youth Leadership Summit.

Taylor WoodruffMembership Coordinator202.650.5080twoodruff@sister-cities.org Taylor Woodruff oversees Sister Cities International’s Cities SeekingCities program and serves as the primary contact for citiesinterested in becoming members, and other general memberrequests. He is originally from Jonesboro, Arkansas and graduatedfrom Arkansas State University with a bachelor’s degree inInternational Business.

External AffairsMegha SwamyPublic Relations Specialist (Director of Communications)202.347.8637mswamy@sister-cities.org Megha oversees public and media relations, marketing, socialmedia, and publications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass

Media and a master’s degree in International Affairs from the ElliottSchool of International Affairs at The George Washington University,and is originally from Mumbai, India.

Meghan SchmidtConference and Events Manager202.347.8632mschmidt@sister-cities.org Meghan is responsible for the planning and execution of SisterCities International’s conferences and events, including leadershipmeetings and the Annual Conference. A native of the Washington,DC area, she comes to Sister Cities International with a degree inCorporate Communications from James Madison University inHarrisonburg, Virginia.

ProgramsNuole (Lula) ChenSino-African Initiative Program Manager202.650.5082nchen@sister-cities.org Lula received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees atGeorgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of ForeignService. She manages and oversees the Sino-African Initiative, andhas expertise on China, Africa, and municipal cooperation. Shehails from Urbana, Illinois.

Amena ZamanSino-African Initiative Program Assistant202.347.8638azaman@sister-cities.org Amena works on Sister Cities International’s Sino-African Initiativeand on developing content for future publications. She came toWashington, D.C. from Cincinnati, Ohio to study InternationalAffairs/Development at the Elliott School of International Affairs atThe George Washington University.

Finance and AdministrationYvette BrownDirector of Finance & Administration202.347.8251ybrown@sister-cities.org Yvette oversees Sister Cities International’s finances as well as itshuman resources. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree fromHoward University in Business Administration and Accountingbefore completing her CPA certification.

Maya HoustonFinance Coordinator202.347.8252mhouston@sister-cities.org Maya works closely with Yvette Brown on managing Sister CitiesInternational’s financial documentation and reporting. A DC native,she graduated from the University of the District of Columbia with aBachelor’s degree in Economics.

2014 Sister Cities International Staff

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