Sister Cities International Recognizes 2011 Annual Award Winners
Fort Worth Sister Cities is proud to once again be recognized as having the Best Overall Program in the U.S. awarded by Sister Cities International’s 2011 Annual Awards Program! The Awards, given in several categories, recognize sister city programs that demonstrate outstanding accomplishments in advancing the goals and mission of the sister cities movement. Read the press release here. Fort Worth, along with other winners in different categories, were honored at the Lou Wozar Awards Ceremony on July 14th at the 56th Annual Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. This is the eighth time, more than any other U.S. city, Fort Worth Sister Cities has received the award. Thanks to our members and all who have continued to show your support and commitment. This award was received because of the combined efforts of many people. Thank you! Read the Best Overall Program Executive Summary.Welcome back to China delegation
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Special “thank you” to hosts of Toluca engineering and Trier student delegations
Sister Cities International Board of Directors approves Mae Ferguson as Texas State Coordinator
Congratulations, Mae!
2012-03-29 08:53
Sister Cities International Board of Directors approves Mae Ferguson as Texas State Coordinator
WASHINGTON, DC – Sister Cities International Board of Directors approved Ms. Mae Ferguson of Fort Worth as the State Coordinator for Texas. In her new role, Ms. Ferguson will spearhead Texas’ international exchanges and programs. Her vast leadership experience will help facilitate positive economic impact for the state through its sister city relationships. Ms. Ferguson is president and CEO of Fort Worth Sister Cities International where she manages a budget of $1.6 million. She oversees all program activities with Fort Worth’s 8 international partners. Ms. Ferguson serves on Sister Cities International’s human resources, development, advocacy, and governance committees. State Coordinators are dedicated and experienced sister cities volunteers. They serve as a resource at the local level to provide professional assistance and help, with support provided by Sister Cities International, to member communities in their state; and assist communities wishing to maintain or establish a sister city. Read More About Mae About Sister Cities International Sister Cities International facilitates nearly 2,000 partnerships in 136 countries on six continents between 600 communities in the United States with similar municipalities abroad. Sister Cities International represents citizen diplomats who work tirelessly to promote the organizations’ mission of creating world peace and cultural understanding through economic and sustainable development programs, youth and education projects, arts and culture, and humanitarian assistance. Facebook: Sister Cities International; Twitter: @SisterCityIntl; Website: www.sister-cities.org
Congratulations, Mae!
Kids Who Care back from performing in Trier, Germany
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2012-03-28 10:26
Kids Who Care back from performing in Trier, Germany
FORT WORTH- Kids Who Care back from exchange to Trier, Germany The 22 students and 17 adult chaperones who traveled to Trier, Germany last month are back after a successful trip. These students are part of a musical theater performance group. The group also visited Albania during their travels. High School students from Trier, Germany visited Fort Worth in 2011 and participated in the Kids Who Care summer camp. The Fort Worth and Trier high school students worded together to perform an original musical in Trier at the Humboldt High School Assembly Hall. The group will be performing an encore performance of some of the musical numbers from “Choices” at the Trier, Germany High School student farewell potluck dinner on April 19th. Find details here. For more information, contact Beth Weibel, 817/ 632-7105 or beth@fwsistercities.org. Find out more about Kids Who Care by visiting their website: https://www.kidswhocare.org/
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BNSF, UNT Health Science Center and more hosting engineering students from Toluca, Mexico
Health & Social Center opened by group in Swaziland
Rotary Reading Corner also dedicated
Fort Worth Sister City’s team of ten, headed by board chair Brad Mahon, traveled to Fort Worth’s sister city of Mbabane, Swaziland in February to dedicate a community health and social center the group helped design and build. “To actually be there for the dedication and to see the finished product was very rewarding,” said Brad Mahon. “There are many people we need to thank for helping make this possible including Freese & Nichols who helped with the initial design, and individuals too numerous to mention,” continued Mahon. The goal of the health center is to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the Nkwalini Zone of Mbabane. The clinic will improve accessibility of health and social services to a community of over 1,500 people providing access to immunization and HIV/AIDS counseling, as well as food and nutrition for orphaned and vulnerable children. The Rotary Reading Corner was also dedicated. The team from Fort Worth brought over 300 books to open the reading corner. Students and teachers going on an exchange in June will take even more books, along with future exchanges, to sustain the library for the children. While there, members of the group researched future Rotary wheelchair projects with local Rotary clubs. Fort Worth Sister Cities was awarded a three-year, $115,000 grant by Sister Cities International funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to construct the community health center in Mbabane, Swaziland as part of the Africa Urban Poverty Alleviation Program. Fort Worth was one of 28 cities to receive funding for the center after a competitive process of all U.S. sister cities organizations with African partners. For more information, please contact Mae Ferguson, President/CEO at 817/632-7104 or mae@fwsistercities.org.36 Peace Murals in 6 months
2012-03-06 05:49
36 Peace Murals in 6 months
One of the many highlights of the Fort Worth Sister Cities evening of cultural perspectives hosted by the Toluca, Mbabane and Reggio committees, was the presentation by local artist, Jo Dufo, whose original goal was to create 36 Peace Murals in just 6 months. Dufo’s plan has now expanded to include a non-profit organization (ZOAZ) and a documentary about the project entitled “Walls of Peace”, to be created and directed by Michael Aku RoDriguez. With murals already completed in Fort Worth, (2009) Nagaoka, Japan (2010) and on all four outside walls of the care center in Mbabane, Swaziland,(2011) Dufo’s plans include our other six sister cities as well. Her vision reaches as far as a children’s mural in Nicaragua, a women and children’s health clinic in Bangladesh and projects in India and Haiti. “It is inspiring to have 150 people show up and be able to complete a 250 foot mural in a day. Especially one that brings awareness to these care centers that provide meals to kids between 3-13 years old, who have been orphaned by AIDS and whose caregivers cannot afford to feed them, “ said Dufo. The documentary, entitled “Walls of Peace”, will be featured on Kick Start.org once completed. Dufo and filmmaker RoDriguez spent two weeks this past Christmas in Chiapas, Mexico at an orphanage completing a 100 ft peace mural with artists in the community, both adults and children. Dufo shared, “Our way of spreading peace in the world is to go to these various locations, orphanages, hospitals, schools, clinics and celebrate life, celebrate the children, and create peace murals as a way for the community to connect with the organization. The experience allows people who live in the same area to develop a relationship with each other.” The nonprofit that supports this project is ZOAS, Creative Healing Arts. To see pictures of the project in motion visit their facebook page. The evening included an historic documentary on the Rose Marine Theater by Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts and Jorge Varela, Executive Director and a presentation of “Mexico and the United States: Perspectives on Police Training” by Fort Worth Police Officers Daniel Segura and Manuel Reyes. You can stay updated on the wonderful international and cultural events hosted regularly by Fort Worth Sister Cites by signing up for our newsletter, or visiting our facebook page.
Student Ambassadors heading to Italy and Hungary 2012
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