Community Summits on Citizen Diplomacy
 |
People from all backgrounds are gathering across the country to discuss ways to improve international engagement, inter-cultural exchanges and sister cities relationships!
Your community can shape the next fifty years of the citizen diplomacy movement by hosting a Community Summit on Citizen Diplomacy this spring 2006!
A Community Summit makes an impact on real people. Read a Japanese participant's account of his attendance at the Tulsa Community Summit.
(L-R) Ms. Mary Kell, BSW International Representative and Leadership Tulsa Member; Mr. Sherman Banks, President of Sister Cities International's Board of Directors; and Ms. Mary Jo Wichers, Leadership Tulsa Member, share a laugh at the Leadership Tulsa Forum on Citizen Diplomacy.
 |
- Summit Planning Materials-Toolkit
- Communities Currently planning a summit
- Successful Summits - Learn from others
- Submit Your Community Summit Feedback - Enter your feedback before May 1, 2006!
- National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy
- Visit the Coalition for Citizen Diplomacy website
- Your Opinion Matters - Join the Raise My Voice Pledge Campaign!
|
Frequently Asked Questions
What is citizen diplomacy?
Why should my community host a Community Summit on citizen diplomacy?
How can my community host a summit?
What are the Islamic Dialogues and how are they related to Community Summits?
Who is the Coalition for Citizen Diplomacy and what role do they play?
How will the Community Summits contribute to the National Summit?
Who will participate in a Community Summit?
Questions about Community Summits and the Toolkit should be addressed to Ami Neiberger-Miller, 202.347.8630 ext. 4877, amiller@sister-cities.org.
What is citizen diplomacy?
Citizen Diplomacy is the participation by hundreds of thousands of Americans in activities that promote international exchange, dialogue and learning for the benefit of the individual, the community, the nation and the world.
Citizen Diplomacy provides an opportunity for Americans of all backgrounds and interests to better understand the rest of the world and for others to learn more about America through such person-to-person activities as student and professional exchanges, hosting of foreign visitors, partnerships involving businesses, and outreach to international communities in our own country.
Why should my community host a Community Summit on citizen diplomacy?
Community summits are designed to build awareness of citizen diplomacy and the importance of international engagement to the life of every community.
Community Summits will help raise public awareness of the international interests of the host community and provide a forum for participants to exchange perspectives on issues that affect the community's global engagement.
The Summits will also serve to identify and expand resources and partnerships, to build a network of like-minded citizens, and to propose action plans that will be presented at the National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy in Washington, D.C. in July 2006.
A community summit will help you and your community to:
- Reach more people in your community with the sister city message.
- Increase community interest in international affairs, education, and exchange.
- Influence the national commitment to citizen diplomacy.
- Strengthen your relationships with your mayor, council members and community.
- Involve more youth in the Sister City Program.
- Build a strong coalition with like-minded groups in your area.
How can my community host a summit?
Your community can host a summit by following these easy steps:
1) Download the Community Summit for Citizen Diplomacy Toolkit
2) Read and Review the toolkit, focusing on the first five pages of objectives and getting started.
3) Create a coalition by contacting like minded leaders and volunteers in your community.
4) Call an initial interest meeting and flesh out ideas and pick one or two point people.
5) Decide on a date for your event.
6) Contact Emily Carter at the Sister Cities International with point people, their contact information and the summit date.
7) Share you community summit plans with others and begin inviting people.
What are the Islamic Dialogues and how are they related to Community Summits?
The Islamic Dialogues are a part the Islamic Peace and Friendship Imitative which is aimed at creating understanding with the Islamic world.
The three major goals for the Islamic Peace and Friendship Initiative are:
- Strengthen the existing sister city partnerships in the Islamic world.
- Form new sister city partnerships in the Islamic world
- Demonstrate through these sisters city partnerships that mutual respect and understanding can be built and sustained between the United States and the Islamic world.
The Islamic Dialogues will cover global citizenship, connecting global communities, and communicating with predominantly Islamic communities. In most communities the Islamic Dialogues will serve as a focus or even a theme as part of the community summit. For more information about these dialogues please contact Rick Ferrar at rferrer@sister-cities.org.
Who is the Coalition for Citizen Diplomacy and what role do we play with them?
The Coalition is a group of more than one hundred leaders from the non-profit, business, academic and exchange communities in the U.S. committed to building peace through the active and sustained international engagement of Americans at home and abroad.
As a result of its 2004 Wingspread Citizen Diplomacy Leadership Forum, the Coalition embarked on a bold initiative to enable citizen diplomats and citizen exchanges to have an even greater impact on building positive global connections in the 21st century.
Sister Cities International is a member of The Coalition for Citizen Diplomacy, and plays a key role in the national campaign the coalition has launched to increase the number of Americans engaged in international dialogue, exchanges and activities.
This campaign includes community summits in 2005 and the first quarter of 2006, culminating in a National Summit on Citizen Diplomacy to be held with the 50th Anniversary Conference in Washington, D.C., July13-15 2006.
Visit the Coalition for Citizen Diplomacy website
How will the Community Summits contribute to the National Summit?
The goal of the national campaign is to increase significantly Americans? participation in Citizen Diplomacy by raising the profile of educational, professional and citizen exchanges and by attracting new participants and resources.
The Community Summits will play a critical role in this national movement by building awareness of Citizen Diplomacy and the importance of international engagement to the life of every community. The Summits will identify key issues and action plans for the National Summit and for a National Report on the Future of Citizen Diplomacy.
Who will participate in a Community Summit?
Participants will include a broad range of interested citizens and organizations, including the International exchange community, local government, business, education, civic and faith-based organizations, ethnic heritage groups, the media, and youth groups.