Our next meet and greet will be at Salute' on May 21. Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell and City Manager Barwin will be there. Details below. Hope to see you there. Thanks to Tom Halbert, Alice Phillips, Gayle Maxey and everyone who helped make our Florida State Conference a great success. And thanks to Pauline Mitchell and Betty Greenspan and all those who worked with our young authors who wrote plays that were performed by FST. Very nice.
Our new web site is up and running. It is integrated with our Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Please check it out.
sarasotasistercities.org We have a great pictorial history of Sarasota Sister Cities on our Pinterest page. Thanks to Gayle Maxey and Tom Halbert for all their time devoted to this effort. sarasotasistercities.us
Ray Young is putting together a great conference on sustainability this fall. If you are interested in helping please contact Ray.
The US Consulate in Merida is hosting a Sister Cities Photo exhibit in Merida. Details below. Our social media addresses are listed below:
Sister Cities members are doing great work, much of which is not known by members. Please send us an email letting us know about your efforts, and we will post to the blog. And photos are worth a thousand words.
I look forward to working with you over the next year.
From: "Olivares, Tricia | Merida" <OlivaresT@state.gov> Subject: U.S. Consulate General in Merida Invites you to Sister Cities Photo Exhibition opening ceremony Date: May 15, 2013 To: Eleanor Williams
Dear Eleanor,You are cordially invited to the official opening of the photo exhibition “Celebrating ties between Sarasota FL, Ashville NC and Yucatan” where we display Eric Hilton amazing photos. Celebrating ties between Sarasota, FL, Asheville N.C. and Yucatan reveals landscapes and cultural ties between the Sister Cities of Sarasota FL with Merida, Yucatan and Asheville NC with Valladolid, Yucatan, featuring images by photographers Byron Augustin and Eric Hilton.
The event will take place onat the U.S. Consulate, Merida Visa Waiting room.
Sarasta Mayor Suzanne Atwell meets with the Young Playwrights group.
Sarasota Sister Cities viewed a number of plays written by students, including students from our Sister Cities of Tel Mond, Israel, Vladimir, Russia, and Dunfermline, Scotland. The young playwrights from Tel Mond and Dunfermline were in Sarasota and signed autographs. The cast and creative director provided outstanding performances.
Young Playrights from left to right
Aleksandra Radmoska, Kara MhairiClare McAuley, Ori Segev
Aleksandra and Kara are from St Columba's High School, Scotland. Their teacher is Miss McDonald. They are in the eighth grade. The Play they wrote was entitled, "The Bonnie Old Visit at Sterling Castle".
Ori Segov is from the Shelanu School, Tami Philosph, in Israel. He is in the sixth grade. His play was entitled "The Promise".
Camy Robbins escorted the young playwrights around Sarasota
Ori and Bill Wallace
Ori, Camy, Kara, and Aleksandra
Dear All,
What an incredible Team effort the FST visit was!!
Thank you so very much for helping Sister Cities and ME (!) make this another successful visit. Clearly it could not have been done without everyone's participation and volunteering their time and efforts. Each and everyone of you in your own way contributed to our visitors leaving with memories of a lifetime. This is volunteering at it's best
As they say, "You're only as good as your next event", so I'm counting on you for next year to help me MAKE MEMORIES OF A LIFETIME!
Thank you again for being such perfect Citizen Diplomats.-
Kind regards,
Pauline Mitchell
Sister City Coordinator For the Young Playwrights Festival
_______________
Pauline Mitchell and her team did a great job making this effort a outstanding success. Our thanks to everyone involved.
Beth Ruyle Hullinger
President, Sarasota Sister Cities
Betty Greenspan and Kara
From Left to Right Back: Miss Tami Philosoph, Ori Segev, Miss McDonald, Ellie Stoll Front: Betty Greenspan, Camy Robbins, Aleksandra Radmoska, Kara Mhairi Clare McAuley,
A short Dunfermline Review of the Florida Studio Theatre Young Playwrights visit to Sarasota May 10 – May 14, 2013,
by Pauline Mitchell, City Director, Sarasota Sister Cities – Dunfermline, Scotland.
How much fun can be had in five days?
The photographs taken speak for themselves, and the smiles on our visiting delegation’s faces will always remind us that inter cultural exchanges are a wonderful way of making lasting friendships.
Showing off “The best of Sarasota” in a few days is hard but possible judging from a jam-packed program for two happy Young Playwright winners from Dunfermline, Scotland and their Educator. Kara McAuley and Aleksandra Radomska, two 13-year old talented students from St. Columba High School, and their English teacher Ms. Elspeth McDonald had a most memorable visit.
The highlight was the Florida Studio Theatre Young Playwrights Festival on Saturday May 11. That day their dream came true when their winning play was performed on stage by actors of FST, as well as the plays of all other winners. During their stay they visited a.o. Ringling Museum, Mote Marine Aquarium, Embracing Our Differences exhibit by the Bay, Circus Sarasota and attended a Play at the Asolo Theatre in Sarasota, the interior of which used to be the old Opera House of Dunfermline. A visit to the Sunshine state would not be complete without a swim in the warm Gulf waters followed by a Barbecue and participating in the excitement of Siesta Key’s Drumming Circle on the beach.
Monday, as for all local kids, was a school day at Riverview High school where they fitted right in making friends with their appointed school “buddies”. A Farewell Dinner Party awaited them that evening when they shared more special moments with the Actors that performed their plays. Beth Duda, Director of Education and Adam Ratner, lead Teaching Artist & Young Playwright Coordinator invited them on stage for a conversation about their play and so it became clear they won in more ways by endearing themselves to all of us with their grace and wit.
On the last day there was enough time for a visit and close encounter with some of Sarasota Jungle Gardens residents. What a thrill to pet a Macau parrot or to feed the flamingos. Even holding a pet python did not intimidate them but it stood to reason that alligator wrestling was best left to local Floridians, or maybe something to think about for their next trip as winners of the FST Young Playwright Festival.
At the airport, ready for their journey home, there were farewell hugs, promises to write and we all felt a little richer for having gained so much in friendship. Last thing I saw were big smiles from ear to ear. Mission accomplished: a perfect example of how to foster world peace in a people-to-people program by Sarasota Sister Cities.
Although our Young Playwrights from Vladmir, Russia could not be with us, their plays were performed and were very well received.
A Battle With Fear by Sonia Razumowskia Humanitarian Linguistic Gymnasium #23 Ms. Tatyana Semenova - 8th Grade
Thoughts Aloud by Kirill Kolosov Humanitarian Linguistic Gymnasium #23 Ms. Tatyana Semenova - 8th Grade
UNDER SIX
Winning Plays by Young Playwrights
March 19 thru May 24
In the Gompertz Theatre
Overview
Play titles such as; "Rebecca's Sunday Secret," "Frenchie," "Tuna Trouble" and "Ernie's Day at the Beach" represent the imagination and creativity of students who have submitted plays to Florida Studio Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival, the culmination of the award-winning WRITE A PLAY Program. Each day these plays are performed, by actors in a professional setting for students in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Tickets are also available to the general public.
Join Sister Cities International, elected officials, engaged citizens, community and business leaders to discuss the power of multi-sector partnerships in building, “Sustainable Cities. Sustainable Relationships.”
Celebrate the international relationships of San Antonio during a reception hosted by Mayor Julian Castro.
Learn how to raise more funds by effectively telling your story.
Hear experts from the U.S. Department of State and leading programs about new opportunities for exchanges in the renewable energy and economic development sectors.
Diversify your membership and help build the next generation of citizen diplomats with new recruiting techniques.
Invite high school youth from your community to attend a special youth conference program on international diplomacy.
Recognize leaders in the network during the Lou Wozar Annual Awards Gala on Saturday evening.
THANK YOU TO THE 57TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE HONORARY HOST COMMITTEE:
The Honorable Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio
The Honorable Llyod Doggett, U.S. House of Representatives (TX-35)
The Honorable Henry Cuellar, U.S. House of Representatives (TX-28)
The Honorable Trey Martinez Fischer, Texas House of Representatives (116th District)
The Honorable Henry Cisneros, Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development & Former Mayor of San Antonio
The Honorable Lila Cockrell, Mayor Emeritus of San Antonio
The Honorable Mayor Phil Hardberger, Former Mayor of San Antonio
SPEAKERS:
Keynote Speakers include:
Carola McGiffert, Director of the “100,000 Strong” Initiative
The Honorable Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio
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
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
$375 FULL CONFERENCE EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION RATE NOW AVAILABLE! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!
AGENDA:
This year, the conference features an exciting line-up of expert sessions, off-site visits, receptions, and speakers awaits you in San Antonio!
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 also features concurrent specialized tracks!
URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACCORDS (UEA) SUMMIT:
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. Click here for the UEA Summit Agenda. Click here for the UEA Summit Save the Date.
In April, the National Civic League selected Sarasota County as one of 20 nationwide community finalists for the prestigious 2013 All-America City Awards. What a community effort it has been so far!
Sarasota County's application highlighted three community-driven efforts, including:
- Our first-of a-kind public-private partnership with the National Cemetery Administration to create Patriot Plaza at Sarasota National Cemetery and the community-driven Legacy of Valor campaign to honor veterans and their families
- The "whole community" approach to leveraging our county's unique age demographic (the oldest county in the U.S.) as an asset to create the Institute for the Ages, a global test-bed for aging innovations
- The great example of libraries as transformational centers of community as illustrated by the North Sarasota Library
On June 14-16 our community delegation will convene in Denver, Colo., to present and share about our community impact programs (in 10 whirlwind minutes!)
As the title of this post suggests, we'll be convening in Denver in very good company. The other finalist 19 communities include:
Our next meet and greet will be at Salute' on May 21. Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell and City Manager Barwin will be there.
Join Sister Cities International, elected officials, engaged citizens, community and business leaders to discuss the power of multi-sector partnerships in building, “Sustainable Cities. Sustainable Relationships.” 
