The 2004 Sister Cities International Annual Conference
was held on July 14 - 18, 2004 in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Conference Program
Speeches and Special Programs
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Keynote speaker Peter Yarrow, member of the classic folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary and founder of Operation Respect, shared with delegates at the World Welcome Reception at Bass Hall stories from a career dedicated to building tolerance and understanding across cultural boundaries. He spoke also about the need for an end to schoolyard bullying and the profound role that Sister Cities International could play in solving the problem through the inclusion and implementation of his "Don't Laugh at Me" program in its agenda.
Plenary speaker Mrs. Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), spoke about the role the United Nations is playing to address the Millennium Development Goals. She provided an overview of UN-HABITAT's mandate and the role of local authorities around the globe in addressing water and sanitation, upgrading slum settlements, and the impact of globalization and decentralization in local governance. For a copy of her speech click here.
Recognition and Awards
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The Spirit of Partnership Sister Cities International recognized partner organizations during the Spirit of Partnership recognition ceremony. For a complete list of partner organizations, click here.
Lou Wozar Annual Awards Ceremony
Sister Cities International recognized winners of the 2004 Annual Awards Program during the Lou Wozar Annual Awards Ceremony. Communities won awards for innovative programs in several theme areas and awards for best overall programs. The award for Volunteer of the Year and the Sister Cities International President's Award were also presented. Information about all award winners can be found here.
Young Artists Competition
Winners of the 2004 Young Artists Competition were displayed at the conference, kicking off a one-year tour of the artwork. Click here to view pictures of the winning artwork.
2004 Conference Workshops
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Provided below is an overview of the workshop and regional forum schedule from the 2004 conference.
Wednesday Forums
- U.S.-Ukraine Forum
- U.S.-Russia Forum
- U.S. - Europe Forum
- U.S. - Mexico Forum
- U.S. - China Forum
- U.S. - Africa Forum
- U.S. - Latin America Forum
- Muslim World: Building Bridges Regional Forum
- U.S. - Northern Ireland Forum
Thursday Workshops
- Art Exchanges and the Young Artists Program
- Steve Frasher - Riverside, CA
- Yuri Pantioukhin - Eugene, OR
- Joanne Schaut - Kent, WA
- Connecting with your Congressional Delegation
- Sally Burt - U.S. Representative Kay Granger's offfice
- Matthew Corso - Sister Cities International
- Chic Dambach - COLEAD
- How to Develop your Community's PR Capacity
- Kate Heilman - Chicago, IL
- Ami Neiberger-Miller - Sister Cities International
- Humanitarian Assistance: Opportunities and Programming
- Lee Burge - Tempe, AZ, Wheelchairs for Peace Committee
- Mollie Means - Grants Pass, OR
- Mary Jean Eisenhower - Operation Iraqi Children
- Rick Ferrer - Sister Cities International
- Reaching Out to Latin America
- Malcolm Butler - Partners of the Americas
- Arnildo Schildt - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Reaching Out to the Arab/Muslim World, Part 1: Introduction
- Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat, Ph.D. - Civilizations and Exchange and Cooperation Foundation
- Sister City Parks and Gardens Projects
- Edna Claunch - Rochester, NY
- Larry O'Flynn - Carter and Burgess
- Jane Neuheisel - Tempe, AZ
- Strengthening, Evaluating, and Rejuvenating your Sister City Program
- Dr. Caroline Corkey - Denver, CO
- Rol Herriges - Spokane, WA
- Sustainable Development Exchange Opportunities: Open World Leadership Program
- Vera Debuchananne - Open World Leadership Center
- Arisha Dmitriyeva - Sister Cities International
- Mara Schlimm - Academy for Educational Development
- John Randolph - Blount County Sister City Organization
- Connecting to your Mayor, City Council, and Staff
- Jose Luis Garcia - San Antonio, TX
- Chris Gavras - Fort Worth, TX
- Doris Morse - Millbrae, CA
- Effective Approaches to Establishing your First or Next Sister City
- Pat Fallin - Aspen, CO
- Amy Kohlbrecher - Sister Cities International
- Joyce Munden - Springfield, MO
- How to Develop your Community's PR Capacity
- Ami Neiberger-Miller - Sister Cities International
- Debra Nugent - Appleton, WI
- Incorporating Economic Development into your Sister City Program
- Doug Harman - Fort Worth, TX
- Robert Heuermann - St. Louis, MO
- Steve Vassallo - State Coordinator, MS
- The Nuts and Bolts of Fundraising
- Chic Dambach - Operation Respect
- Partnering with Higher Education
- Priscilla Boike - Grand Rapids, MI
- Susan Camp - Grand Rapids, MI
- Dr. Frank Flauto - Austin Community College, Austin, TX
- Reaching Out to Africa
- Martha Fujita - Lansing, MI
- Prince Kwame Kludjeson - Accra, Ghana
- Alyson Schwaber - Sister Cities International
- John Wright - St. Louis, MO
- Reaching Out to the Arab/Muslim World, Part 2: Examples of Grassroots Public Diplomacy in the Arab/Muslim World
- Toby Burke - White House, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
- Heidi Fincken - Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State
- Ray Harvey - Office of Citizen Exchanges, U.S. Department of State
- Janet Murphy - Chicago, IL
- Judy Orlinsky - Baltimore, MD
- Strengthening your Organization's Membership (for larger populations)
- William Gavitt - Southern California Sister Cities
- Paige Pearman - Louisville, KY
- Jo Anna Edgerton - Kansas City, MO
- Strengthening your Organization's Membership (for smaller populations)
- Jerry Glaser - Vandalia, OH
- Charles Marr - Omaha, NE
- Successful Sister City Websites
- Rick Ferrer - Sister Cities International
- Harrold Hayden - Synergistic Networks, Inc.
- Gerry Wenner - Shoreview, MN
- Sustainable Development Network Showcase
- The Nuts and Bolts of Youth Exchanges and Programs
- Renata Anderson - Austin, TX
- Bob Lieser - Tulsa, OK
- Elisa O'Keefe - Sister Cities International
- Cathy Render - Tulsa, OK
- Shelley Whelpton - AYUSA
Friday Workshops
TRACK I: Partners for Youth Training, Involvement, the Future
Focuses on the unique opportunities for youth to build alliances, as well as the skills needed, for future global leaders. Hear how our international counterparts work with youth.
- Panel 1: Peace Building Youth Programs
- PJ McAvoy - Northern Ireland
- Katsuhiro Takano - Nagaoka, Japan
- Panel 2: International Youth Programs
- Mary Jean Eisenhower - People-to-People
- Kevin Hill & Margaret Evans - Australian Sister Cities
- Boubker Mazoz - Casablanca, Moro
- Panel 3: Youth Speak Out on Innovative Models
- Callie Baker - Fort Worth Youth International
- Carlo Capua & Lindsay Wilson - Fort Worth Global Alumni Program
- Francesco Mainini Reggio Emilia - Italy
TRACK II: Partners for Sustainable Development
Explores a variety of successful international sustainable development organizations for local programs.
- Panel 1: Building a Better Future for All - The Sister Cities Network for Sustainable Development
- Panel 2: Model Programs for Economic and Ecological Progress
- Hernan Arauz - Botanical Research Institute of Texas
- Mdunwazi Baloyi - Minister of Trade and Investment, Embassy of South Africa
- C. Armando Enriquez Flores - Mayor of Toluca, Mexico
- Traver Gruen-Kennedy, Citrix Systems, Inc.
- Panel 3: Creating Sustainable Health Programs
- Winona Edwards - The Alcon Foundation, Inc.
- Claudia Perez Gavilan de Enriquez - Sistema Municipal para el Desarroll Integral de la Familia Toluca, Mexico
- Dr. Martin Lazar - MediSend International
- Panel 4: Preparing for Emergencies - A Joint Approach
- Mohammad Anwar - Bandung, Indonesia
- Keith Wells - Fort Worth, TX
- Michael Coen - Arvada, CO
- Major Joe Miller - National Guard Bureau, Office of International Affairs
TRACK III: Partners for Sister City Program Enrichment
Provide useful information and models to prepare local programs for the "next step" in international diplomacy and outreach.
- Panel 1: Working with the Media to Promote Peace
- Linda Campbell - Star Telegram
- Eileen Houston-Stewart - Public Information Officer, City of Fort Worth
- David Martin - Health Care News Alliance, LLC.
- Panel 2: International Perspectives of Protocol
- Yuko Kaifu - Consul General of Japan
- Ginger Irvine Barnard - Deputy Chief of Protocol, County of Los Angele & President, Protocol and Diplomacy International, Protocol Officers Association
- Dwight MacAulay - Manitoba, Canada Officer of Protocol
- Enrique Ruiz - Protocol Office for Vicente Fox
- Panel 3: The Diplomatic Corps and You
- Sigi Frias Rodriguez - Director of the Fort Worth Office of International Affairs
- Edward Walker - Honorary Consul General of Finland
- Jose Luis Garcia - Chief of Protocol, City of San Antonio
- Panel 4: Working with Local and Like-minded Organizations
- Wilkes Berry - Rotary International
- Malcolm Butler - Partners of the Americas
- Anne Hoiberg - United Nations Association, San Diego
TRACK IV: Partners for Global Outreach
Examine some of the impressive international organizations and multilateral partnerships that support citizen diplomacy.
- Panel 1: Working with International Mayors & Municipalities
- Jorge D'Garay - Associcion de Municipios de Mexico
- Susan Handley - Local Government International Bureau, London, England
- Tim Honey - Sister Cities International
- Panel 2: Try Trilaterals
- Paige Pearman - Louisville, KY
- Matthias Gebauer - Solar Association, Trier, Germany
- Johannes Hill - Environmental Advisor, City of Trier, Germany
- Sandra McCormick - World Services of La Crosse, Inc.
- Panel 3: Dialogue with our International Partners
- Panel 4: A Fresh Perspective From our Youth Leaders