SCI: Sustainable Development

PROPOSED FAIR TRADE ART & CRAFT GALLERY TO FEATURE SISTER CITY ARTISANS

Winston-Salem Sister Cities Seeks to Raise $5,000 Through SupportSisterCities.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2006

Local Contact Information: Michelle Kennedy, 336.703.6229

Sister Cities International Contact Information:
Ami Neiberger-Miller, 202.347.8630 ext. 8251, amiller@sister-cities.org
Mandy Straub, 202.347.8630 ext. 4877, communications@sister-cities.org
Sheryl Thomas, 202.347.8630 ext. 4007, sthomas@sister-cities.org

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Enabling people to help themselves is crucial to the establishment of sustainable communities. A new project by the Winston-Salem Sister Cities (WSSC) program will do just that. WSSC is seeking funds to establish an art and craft gallery that will showcase the work of artisans from the community's four sister cities.

Structured around fair trade principles, The Exchange will be located in central downtown Winston-Salem. Artisans will receive payment in advance to support their families and the continuation of their craft. Board member and committee chair, Michelle Kennedy said, "The Exchange will not only support entrepreneurs in our sister cities, it will also ensure the success of the Winston-Salem scholarship and micro-credit loan program."

Sister Cities International says that when the store opens, it will be the first fair trade store established specifically to market sister city artwork. To begin the project, an initial investment of $5,000 is needed and WSSC hopes to raise the money through www.SupportSisterCities.org.

Through this initiative, the WSSC aspires to encourage entrepreneurship, gender equality, and fair pricing of artisans' products in order to facilitate growth and improve quality of life.

Anyone can give to The Exchange - Support Winston-Salem's Sister Cities project online at www.SupportSisterCities.org, a fundraising website maintained by Sister Cities International that allows individuals and corporations to target their money to specific projects and track how it is spent. Developed specifically for the sister cities network, this innovative website helps connect people with real projects and communities, engaging citizens of both communities in changing their world.

An interactive website, SupportSisterCities.org allows donors to ask questions directly to project contacts in Winston-Salem and across the country. It also lets donors read progress reports as the project gets underway. They can easily notify friends and colleagues about the project or make a donation with a few clicks of the mouse.

SupportSisterCities.org is powered by Global Giving and administered by Sister Cities International's Network for Sustainable Development. For more information visit www.SupportSisterCities.org or e-mail support@sistercities.org. You can also visit Winston-Salem Sister Cities International's website at http://www.ci.winston-salem.nc.us/default.aspx?mod=Article&id=1350.

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. Begun in 1956 after a White House summit where U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower called for people-to-people exchanges, 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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