Sister Cities International Leadership Leads Delegation to India

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 28, 2015)  – Members of Sister Cities International’s leadership recently concluded a successful visit to India. During a two-week multi-city tour headed by Chairman Bill Boerum and President and CEO Mary D. Kane, the delegation met Mayors, municipal leaders, and officials from the U.S. embassy and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. The visit focused on strengthening and growing the number of U.S.-India sister city and state partnerships.

In addition to the Chairman and President, the delegation also included SCI Global Envoys Thelma Press and Nancy Huppert and Honorary Board member Kevin Hill. During the visit, the delegation met with the Mayor of Agra, Hon. Indrajeet Arya to discuss a possible trilateral partnership between Tempe, US – Cusco, Peru – Agra, India. The delegation also discussed outreach to U.S. cities and establishing new sister city relationships with the Mayor of Jaipur, Hon. Nirmal Nahata. President and CEO Mary D. Kane said, “President Obama’s recent visit to India highlighted the growing strong strategic partnership between our two countries. During my meeting with the U.S. embassy and the Indian Ministry, we discussed the strong economic ties that can occur when cities form sister city partnerships.”

The delegation also visited Goa, Manipal, Nagpur, and Mumbai where they toured local hospitals and universities. A meeting with the All India Institute of Local Self-Government in Nagpur focused on creating strategies to expand U.S.-India subnational ties. 

There are currently 21 U.S.-India partnerships in the Sister Cities International network with the most recent pairing being Montgomery County and Hyderabad. Sister Cities International looks forward to growing this network of mutually beneficial partnerships.

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About Sister Cities International

Founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for over 525 individual sister cities, counties, and states across the United States with relationships in over 2,000 communities in 140 countries. This sister city network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers who work tirelessly to promote peace and understanding through programs and projects focusing on arts and culture, youth and education, economic and sustainable development, and humanitarian assistance.

Facebook: Sister Cities International; Twitter: @SisterCitieslnt; Website: www.sistercities.org

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