REPORT TO
THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
City of
Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
Calendar
Year Activities 2000
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Owensboro Sister Cities, Inc. encourages global understanding between
our community and other world communities. The Owensboro Sister Cities Program
will assist government entities with the proper reception of foreign visitors
and dignitaries by serving as the community’s Office of Protocol; pursue an
ongoing mission to inform and educate our community concerning our area’s
international cultural and business ties and their effects on our community;
initiate exchange programs in education, business, professional groups, and the
arts; assist government and its agencies in promoting our community’s cultural
heritage through our Sister City(ies) relationship; encourage development and
expansion of international trade relationships and assist with foreign trade
missions; assist community organizations in direct relationships with similar
organizations in our Sister City(ies) and elsewhere in the world, where
possible.
Introduction
Our
program grows in breadth and strength each year. While the work has been very
rewarding, the program is endangered by its success. During 2000 we had eight
exchange visit components and a planning visit encompassing the involvement of
forty-four people. There is every reason to believe these exchanges between
Owensboro and Olomouc will continue to grow in number and participants. We will
need continued financial, logistical and manpower help if the program is to grow
further.
Please
take the time to review the report and reflect on its ability to project the
City of Owensboro positively in the international community. We believe that we
have the most active of the seven U.S. - Czech Sister City relationships and
that the breadth of our program will speak well for Owensboro with any
international contacts.
The
Owensboro Sister Cities program, making connections across the breadth of our
two Sister City communities touched the lives of several hundreds of people
involved in our exchange activities. The program does an exceptional job of
carrying out its charged purpose. While this program is dependent on support
from the City of Owensboro, as an official international link with the Sister
City of Olomouc, the overwhelming financial support for the program comes from
individuals and donations from those institutions participating in the programs.
Our
thanks goes to our area colleges: Kentucky Wesleyan for scholarship support
allowing Robin Joska to continue his study in Owensboro, Brescia for funding
their students travel costs to Olomouc, Western Kentucky University in Owensboro
for encouraging student and main campus summer study support, and Owensboro
Community College for granting reassigned time which allowed direction of this
community partnership program. We also thank the families who opened their homes
and to the motels for assistance in housing our international visitors, to the
three area school systems for support of our exchange of students and teachers.
There are just too many to mention but the program draws on that which the
community is known, a shared caring to make visitors feel welcomed.
We
are very appreciative of the City of Owensboro, Owensboro Community College and
the KCTCS support for our efforts.
The program represents a wonderful community partnership combining the efforts
of many community institutions, businesses and individuals. There can be little
doubt for the need to educate our Kentucky citizens concerning our place in the
global community. Whether for citizenship, student growth or workforce
development there is an ever greater demand for providing an international
component for the communities we serve.
As
representatives of the citizens of Owensboro we request your continued
encouragement and active financial support for Owensboro Sister Cities.
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