Fort Worth Wins Sister Cities International’s 2020 Innovation in Arts & Culture Award
Fort Worth, Texas has won the Sister Cities International 2020 Innovation in Arts & Culture Award for a city with a population greater than 300,000 for the production of the 35 Things in 35 Days social media campaign. The awards competition, which is open to over 500 sister city programs nationwide, recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and community sister city programs that are promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation.
Fort Worth Sister Cities International was established on June 26, 1985, making the year of 2020 the organization’s 35th anniversary. Because meeting in person was not an option, 35 Things in 35 Days was born with the goal of educating the community about the cultures of Fort Worth’s sister cities and celebrate the organization’s 35th anniversary through fun and informative videos. Starting 35 days prior to June 26, 2020, a new video was debuted each day live on Facebook featuring one of Fort Worth’s sister cities.
This project was a unique way to connect with supporters not just in Fort Worth, but all over the world. Volunteers and colleagues in Fort Worth and all nine of Fort Worth’s sister cities participated. Participants were able to stay involved by contributing their time and talents to the organization from home. They were energized when invited to participate and developed creative ways to engage with others from cooking demonstrations, musical entertainment, tai chi classes, asparagus picking in France and more.
Sister Cities International Annual Awards recognize excellence in overall programming and highlight key innovations in arts and culture; business and trade; humanitarian assistance; and youth and education. All award winners were honored during Sister Cities International’s 2021 Annual Conference held virtually July 15-16.