Fort Worth to Become Sister Cities with Guiyang, China
Official agreements will be signed by Mayors Price and Li Zaiyong
Mayor Li Zaiyong of Guiyang, China, along with seven other Guiyang officials, arrive in Fort Worth on Sunday to sign the official document to become Fort Worth’s eighth sister city. The official signing ceremony will be held Monday, October 17th at 10:00 a.m. at City Hall in the Council Chambers and is free and open to the public.
“Fort Worth is eager to formalize relationships with Guiyang. We look forward to many exchanges between our two cities. Together, Fort Worth and Guiyang hope to create a better understanding of our individual cultures. There are many similarities and many differences we will be able to share,” said Mayor Betsy Price.
In May 2010, a Fort Worth delegation of Sister Cities board members, representatives from the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, City of Fort Worth and local business leaders visited China to determine which city to invite to become Fort Worth’s eighth sister city. Upon a recommendation by the Sister Cities board of directors, the Fort Worth city council unanimously selected Guiyang, China and an official invitation was extended. Guiyang immediately followed with its acceptance and the two cities will sign the official agreement next week.
Both cities have expressed a desire to create meaningful exchanges and as a result, through Sister Cities’ International Leadership Academy, 15 Guiyang students with two teachers came to Fort Worth in July 2011, spending two weeks with students in Fort Worth.
While here the Chinese delegation will interact with city officials, local business leaders, visit museums, other cultural sites and celebrate their final evening in Fort Worth at Billy Bob’s Texas with a farewell celebration including a performance provided by the Comanche Nation. “We are eager to show our new friends what Fort Worth has to offer and to encourage them to come back often,” said John Burgoyne, Sister Cities Guiyang Chair. Future exchanges may focus on education, economic relations, health, arts and culture all in an effort to create understanding and respect of each other’s cultures.
