Annual Luncheon Celebrates
Sarasota Sister Cities Impact
As
I sat at my table during the Sister Cities Association of Sarasota “Celebrate
60 Luncheon”, I was struck by the various languages I heard. I was
sitting with the Switzerland contingent, all speaking Swiss-German. At
the table to the left of me, I could hear Italian and at the table to the right
of me, the conversation was in French. Clearly, this group’s focus on
relationship building through interaction is working.
At the table in front of me sat seven Past-Presidents, representing two thirds of the Sarasota organization’s history. Wells Purmont (1976-1986), Hope Burns (1994-2001), Linda Rosenbluth (2001-2005), William Wallace (2005-2008), Carla Rayman (2008-2011), John Halbert (2011-2013), and Beth Ruyle-Hullinger (2013-2016) were congratulated for their service by Dr. Raymond Young, V.P. of Education and acknowledged their service. Under their leadership, cities in Russia, France, Israel, Canada, Scotland, Italy, China, Mexico, and Switzerland were all welcomed into the Sarasota family.
Dr.
Young then provided a history of SCAS events that have made an impact on our
Community including the creation of a Tree Walk on City Island that
commemorates all of Sarasota’s Sister Cities, the delivery of actual
architecture from theaters in Italy and Scotland to Sarasota, A Sister City
“Write-a-Play” youth competition, as well as numerous other business and
municipal visits to and from Sarasota.
Throughout
its history, through its mission and actions SCAS has reinforced its mission to
develop respect, understanding and cooperation through citizen diplomacy.
Working outside the government, in what President Dwight D Eisenhower called
“People-to-people diplomacy” in 1957 when he established the Sister City
Program which to date encompasses over 130 countries worldwide.
As the luncheon
adjourned and members were mingling, the various languages gave way to the one
we all had in common with words of praise, appreciation, and friendship for
those who all believe in peace and understanding.