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News Release: New Book Sheds Light on Global Peace-Building by Ordinary PeopleSister City Movement's Vibrant Fifty Year History Chronicled for the First TimeFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 21, 2006  WASHINGTON, D.C. - Arriving on the heels of the organization's 50th anniversary this year, a new book Peace Through People: 50 Years of Global Citizenship, published by Sister Cities International in partnership with Butler Books, 2006, chronicles the sister city movement's growth in the United States. The sister city movement traces its origins to September 11, 1956, when U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed a White House Summit on Citizen Diplomacy and called for people-to-people exchanges to build peace and understanding. The organization grew from a handful of committees to a grassroots network of 2,500 communities in 134 countries. Their grassroots and autonomous movement is well-known at the local level, but its far-reaching efforts to build peace have been under-appreciated, until now. The book's vignettes scattered along a time line organized by decade, showcase citizen efforts to promote community linkages fostering peace and goodwill around the world. The complicated weave of real-life characters includes federal officials, local activists, mayors, and overseas partners. It demonstrates that diplomacy today doesn't happen exclusively among high-level officials, but that it also occurs within thousands of citizen exchanges. Among the book's many highlights, readers can learn about: - Arlington, Texas and its post-World War II outreach in friendship to a community in Germany. - President Dwight D. Eisenhower, among the most respected battlefield leaders in the world, who believed that peace could only come through people understanding each other. - The U.S.-U.S.S.R. Sister Cities Conferences that united Cold War enemies in the name of peace. - The sister city partnership that Ernest Hemingway wanted but never came to fruition. - The Japanese sister city group that was in a New York City airport on 9/11 and built tighter bonds with their U.S. partners as a result. - The vision young people have for a more peaceful world, expressed through artwork created for the Showcase of Young Artists since 1988. When selecting photos and stories for the 248-page full-color book, the editorial team faced a daunting task. More than 300 submissions from local sister city programs had poured in, and the organization also had an extensive archive filled with photographs and documents. The book debuted at the organization's 50th Anniversary Conference in Washington, D.C. on July 13, 2006. It is available for purchase online at www.sister-cities.org or by phone at 202.347.8630 for $39.95. Managing editor for the project was Ami Neiberger-Miller, and the editorial team included Carol Butler, Emily Carter, and Sharon Receveur. Writers included Mariam Alkazemi, Julie Riouallon, Amanda Straub, and Sheryl Thomas. The book was designed by Scott Stortz and Heather Jones of Louisville, Ky. Butler Books is also based in Louisville, Ky. Artwork Available for News Media: Cover art, images from the book, and excerpts are available. Request by contacting our communications staff at 202.347.8630, communications@sister-cities.org. Media Contact: Communications Director, Sister Cities International, 202.347.8630, communications@sister-cities.org About Sister Cities International Representing more than 2,500 communities in 137 countries, Sister Cities International (www.sister-cities.org) is a citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between the U.S. and communities abroad. Sister city partnerships are tailored to local interests and increase global cooperation at the grassroots level. Sister Cities International promotes peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation by focusing on sustainable development, youth and education, arts and culture, humanitarian assistance and economic growth programs. |
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