sister INTERNATIONAL 20th ANNUAL SISTER CITY AWARD RECIPIENTS FOR 1981 Each year, the Reader's Digest Foundation sponsors the International Sister Cities Awards, which are based on activities carried out by U.S. sister cities and their affiliates during the previous year. The following summary is a condensation of the award winning entries to the 1981 Sister City Awards Competition. The awards were presented at the 1982 Sister Cities International Annual Conference held in Tampa, Florida, August 18-21, 1982. BEST OVERALL PROGRAM AWARDS (The "Best Overall Program Award” is given annually to those U.S. cities and their affiliate(s) in other nations that have demonstrated continuing activity, citizen involvement and imagination in projects and activities. They have shown they are practicing the fundamental goals of the Sister Cities program—understanding, friendship and reciprocity on a continuing long-term basis. Best Overall Program Awards are presented to cities with multiple affiliations that have carried out meaningful programs with each of their affiliates.) OVER 300,000 POPULATION TOLEDO, OHIO-TOLEDO, SPAIN In 1980 the Toledo, Ohio, Committee on Relations with Toledo, Spain, planned a yearlong observance to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their sister city relationship with Toledo, Spain, which took place in 1981. Particular care was taken in three major areas: finance, public relations, and project planning, which brought the entire community together to join in this unique celebration of international friendship between the two Toledos. With financial support from the committee; area businesses; industry; foundations; a grant from the Ohio Arts Commission; the sale of commemorative posters, glasses and T-shirts; cash flow exceeded expectations. Full media coverage contributed to broad community support-a local public television station produced a 30 minute documentary on sister cities which was aired twice, area radio stations featured special sister cities programs, and the city's newspapers covered many of the group's activities. Special projects included the circulation of a slide program on Toledo, Spain, among area organizations and institutions; the month of May was dedicated Sister City Month; the anniversary poster was displayed throughout the city; 5,000 anniversary brochures were distributed; and Spanish cultural attractions were featured most months at the art museums. On the basis of the tie between the two Toledos, a delegation of 56 from Toledo, Ohio, was received by King Juan Carlos in Madrid, a first time occurence for a nongovernmental delegation. The group spent three days in Toledo, Spain, where they encountered another first, a tour of the Military Academy which had never been seen by foreign civilians. A return visit to Toledo, Ohio, was made by 20 Spanish delegates. They participated in a host of activities while in Ohio which culminated with a trip to Washington, D.C., accompanied by an Ohioan delegation, where they were received by Vice President George Bush and representatives of the International Communication Agency at the White House. The sister cities relationship is a commitment honored and maintained by the citizens of both Toledos. The two committees communicated throughout the year to determine projects of mutual interest which included music, artistic and educational exchanges, as well as official and unofficial visitations. Wichita's program provided educational experiences for its citizenry by providing opportunities for a wide variety of projects. An official mayoral visit was made to each of the three sister cities, and Wichita's Sister Cities Advisory Board effectually detailed the importance of the sister cities concept to the community in light of proposed government spending cuts. Exchanges were comprised of individuals, 11 students from Orleans, seven students from Tlalnepantla, one Wichita student to Cancun, a reciprocal exchange of 40 Wichita and Tlalnepantla students, and exchanges between 10 Wichita students and 14 Orleans students; all involved homestays. To publicize the sister cities concept within the community as well as in their sister cities, the committee developed several items: a bilingual videotape (French and Spanish), trilingual brochures, and display boards were placed strategically throughout the city. Radio promotion and newspaper coverage was also effective. Other activities promoted by the committee included: a proclamation from the mayor declaring May 8 Sister Cities Day, sent books (community-wide donation), donated beds to a Tlalnepantla emergency hospital where patients were being treated on concrete floors, held a River Festival in honor of the three sister cities, and held a car wash to raise funds to send school supplies to Tlalnepantla. Wichita's goal, to increase citizen awareness and support was met not only in Wichita, but also in its sister cities. 50,000 to 100,000 KETTERING, OHIO-STEYR, AUSTRIA -KETTERING, ENGLAND With a commitment to involve each of the 161 members of the Kettering-Steyr Sister City Association in the objective to maintain close ties with the two sister cities, the groups activities were geared in this direction. Personal contact was established when 36 Kettering, Ohioans, went to Kettering, England, for their initial sister city visit. They found themselves "at home" during their three day stay in England. When 13 adults from Steyr went to Kettering, many of the organization's members were host families; city officials got involved by hosting a luncheon, dinner-dance, and a cocktail party; and the Kettering Civic Band provided entertainment for the group. A group of Steyr youth spent three weeks with host families. captured the hearts of all throughout their stay. The group also performed in St. Louis' huge "Strassenfest," a German street festival. These activities provided the stimulus for a nearby community to join the program with a German community. BEST OVERALL YOUTH PROGRAM AWARDS (The Best Overall Program Award in the area of youth programs is given to U.S. cities in recognition of their efforts to involve youth in responsible, challenging action that meets the needs of the overall local program. These local programs provide youth with opportunities for planning and decision-making. The impact of their activities reaches out into their own communities and to their sister cities. The youth are involved in participatory activities and they work together as a group to achieve a common goal.) OVER 300,000 BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA-PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI " The Baton Rouge Sister Cities Youth Program concentrates its efforts on giving the youth of the community the opportunity to participate in international activities through the Sister Cities program. The group accomplishes this by learning more about its three sister cities, recruiting new youth members and increasing the awareness of citizens about Baton Rouge's sister cities relationships. Major activities during 1981 included the completion of a portable display/exhibit on the three relationships, participation in LSU's Expo '81 and the 25th Anniversary International Festival of Song and Dance, exhibition of their sister cities at the library and various fund raising projects. 100,000 to 300,000 LAKEWOOD, COLORADO-SUTHERLAND SHIRE, AUSTRALIA The Lakewood Sister Cities Youth Program objective is to foster friendship, understanding and acceptance of the differences between the youth of Lakewood and Sutherland Shire. The group accomplishes this by providing youth projects and activities that benefit all ages of the youth community in both cities-elementary pen pal exchanges (2,000 youngsters involved), school and community presentations by both American and Australian exchange students in both communities and, a ninemonth reciprocal student exchange for each of nine American and Australian students. Learning more about each other on a one-to-one basis increases the entire community's awareness of each other; makes each community feel good about its young people; and increases an awareness of them as volunteers. The young people involved mature, become more open-minded, learn about another country's culture and how to adapt to it. 50,000 to 100,000 PENSACOLA, FLORIDA-CHIMBOTE, PERU The Pensacola Sister Cities Youth Program wanted to attain youth participation in the local program and to maintain friendly youth relations with its sister cities abroad. The group accomplished this by maintaining pen pal relationships not only with youth in their sister cities, but also with other sister cities youth throughout the United States. Additionally, the youth members participated in leadership training workshops, traveled to near-by Sister Cities youth programs to share and exchange ideas and experiences and completed international, community, service projects. The youth involved in this program were exposed to the excitement and self-fulfillment of |