Sister Cities International Newsletter 05.01.2013

Sister Cities International

 
E-Newsletter
05.01.2013
IN THIS ISSUE
 

Have You Reviewed the 2013 Membership Directory?

2013 Annual Conference: Early Bird Registration Rate Extended!

Host an International Exchange Student!

Accepting Applications for Open Positions on the Board of Directors

May 2, 2013
Fort Worth Sister Cities International: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Toluca Style
May 3, 2013
Sister Cities International of Oklahoma City: Cinco de Mayo
May 4, 2013
Sister Cities Yorktown: French Market

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Have You Reviewed the 2013 Membership Directory?

 
Attention members!

Sister Cities International is currently developing its 2013 Membership Directory and we would like your input to ensure that this year’s directory is as accurate as possible. Please CLICK HERE to download a spreadsheet listing current members and their partnerships that as of now will appear in the 2013 Membership Directory.

Please review this to ensure that your city and all of its partners are listed correctly. If your city is not listed, is missing partnerships, has partnerships listed which you are not certain should be, or if there are any spelling errors, please email
Adam Kaplan, Membership Director, at akaplan@sister-cities.org. Please note, comments and corrections received in the past two weeks have been incorporated in the above spreadsheet.

In addition to listing their U.S. partners, all Global Members may have their international sister cities listed in the directory. If you are a Global Member please send us your sister cities lists as soon as possible to ensure they are included. For more information on becoming a Global Member visit our website here.

The comment period for the directory will be open until Friday, May 10th at 5:00 p.m. EDT.

This directory is distributed to all members, in addition to members of the diplomatic community and hundreds of organizations worldwide so don’t miss out on having your international partnerships known throughout the world!
 


Early Bird Registration Rate Extended!

www.sistercitiesconference.org
$375 FULL CONFERENCE DISCOUNT REGISTRATION RATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MAY 31!

REGISTER TODAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS DISCOUNT RATE! www.SisterCitiesConference.org
An exciting line-up of expert sessions, off-site visits, receptions, and speakers awaits you in San Antonio, Texas at the 2013 Sister Cities International Annual Conference, July 12-13, 2013. 
Keynote Speakers include:
  • The Honorable Tara Sonenshine, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy (Invited)
  • The Honorable Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio
  • Carola McGiffert, Director of the “100,000 Strong” Initiative
  • The Honorable Henry Cisneros, Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development & Former Mayor of San Antonio
  • The Honorable Richard Daley, Former Mayor of Chicago (Invited)
  • The Honorable Seishi Kohyama, Mayor of Kumamoto, Japan (Invited)
  • The Honorable Kang Un-Tae, Mayor of Gwangju, South Korea
  • The Honorable Margarita Arellanes, Mayor of Monterrey, Mexico (Invited)
  • Amy Fraenkel, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
Here's a quick peek at the sister city info-sessions in the agenda!
  • Fundraising 
  • Economic Development
  • Communications
  • Exchanges and Partnerships
For the detailed agenda, CLICK HERE.
PLUS!
The 2013 Conference features concurrent specialized tracks!
URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACCORDS (UEA) SUMMIT:
      UEA                         
The 2013 San Antonio UEA Summit, in conjunction with the City of San Antonio and Sister Cities International, and in collaboration with the United Nations Environmental Programme, will provide opportunities to show the progress for the last 2 years, best practices of a sustainable city to 148 member cities from 52 countries as well as participating international organizations in the environmental field. (You must be a UEA delegate to attend the specialized UEA sessions.)
Click here for the UEA Summit Agenda.
Click here for the UEA Summit Save the Date.
PAN-PACIFIC SUMMIT (July 12)
Focusing on building stronger, sustainable pan-pacific ties.
 Click here to view the Pan-Pacific Summit flyer!

YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT (July 11-13)
Providing youth (14-18 years) with the tools to lead, network, and become informed global citizens!
 Click here to find out more! Special youth registration rate of $450 includes room and board during the entire Youth Leadership Summit. 

A DAY FOR MEXICAN DELEGATES (July 11)
Commemorating sixty years of San Antonio-Monterrey, Mexico sister city exchanges. Honorary chair of the event is the Honorable Margarita Arellanes, Mayor of Monterrey. 

This track includes a tour of Port San Antonio, a master-planned, 1900 acre aerospace, industrial complex and international logistics platform, centrally located in San Antonio. Created from the former Kelly Air Force Base, Port San Antonio is approximately equidistant from the East and the West coast of the United States and at the center of the NAFTA corridor between Mexico and Canada.
After the tour, the attendees will be treated to a Texas barbecue, hosted by Port San Antonio, with a wonderful opportunity to network with other attendees from Mexico and Texas. Please note, all the presentations by a variety of speakers including the Mayor of Monterrey, will be entirely in Spanish. 
What's more? We're introducing optional tours so attendees can enjoy the sights and sounds of the city!
  • Sister City International Gifts and Commissions Tour
  • Toyota Factory Tour
  • Downtown Historical Welcome Tour
  • Build San Antonio Green “Green Tour of Homes”
​Click here for more details on these tours.

Register today for the Annual Conference at www.SisterCitiesConference.org. We hope to see you in San Antonio for an exciting conference!
 


Host an International Exchange Student!


The U.S. Department of State invites you to make a difference by hosting an international high school exchange student in your home starting this fall. Approximately 2,000 Department of State-sponsored exchange students from over 50 countries, all of whom have undergone a competitive, merit-based selection process, will spend the 2013-14 academic year in communities across the United States.

These exchange students live with American families, attend American high schools, and participate in American culture, leadership activities, and community service. Exchange students can help bring the world into your home and community.

They seek host families from all over the United States. Learn more or submit an interest form at
hosting.state.gov and please share this announcement with others. You can also email them at youthprograms@state.gov.
 


Accepting Applications for Open Positions on the Board of Directors


Sister Cities International welcomes all qualified applicants to run for open positions on the Board of Directors. Elections to the Board of Directors are held each year during the Annual Conference. If you plan to run for a position at the 2013 Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX July 12-13, 2013, please carefully review all information on the elections process to ensure your eligibility.
Eleven (11) Board positions will be open during the Annual Business Meeting at the Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas on July 12, 2013. This includes:
  • 7 Board of Director positions (three-year terms, 2013-2016)
  • 1 Board of Director position (two-year term, 2013-2015)
  • 1 Board of Director position (one-year term, 2013-2014)
  • 1 Young Professional Representative to the Board of Directors (two-year term, 2013-2015, must be between 21-34 years of age)
  • 1 Youth Representative to the Board of Directors (two-year term, 2013-2015, must be 21 years of age or under)
It is the policy of Sister Cities International Board of Directors that each candidate applying for the above positions, including current directors who are running for the board and wish to have their names placed on the ballot, complete the following form and electronically submit the form and all supplemental information to the Sister Cities International office by 5:00 p.m. EDT on May 15, 2013 to mkane@sister-cities.orgMaterials received after this date will not be considered.

Please take note of all word count requests throughout the application. If an applicant exceeds the desired word count, Sister Cities International will edit your application to meet the requirements.

Please email completed applications to Mary Kane, President & CEO, at
 mkane@sister-cities.org.

Application Packet must include: 
  • 2013 Board Application (click to download)
  • Electronic Photograph or Headshot (300 dpi or higher)
  • Official letter from a representative of a dues paying Sister Cities International member organization or an elected official, endorsing candidacy
For more information on the 2013 Elections process, please CLICK HERE.