Mission:
President Eisenhower officially proclaimed the establishment of the People-to-People Program (later to be known as the Sister City Program) in 1956 to promote understanding and strengthen international ties. To accomplish this goal, Sister Cities International has helped to link many U.S. cities and towns with localities abroad. These city to city affiliations provide the opportunity to build friendships, learn about other cultures, and foster international understanding.
Meetings:
Meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 809 Center Street, Santa Cruz, CA.
Membership:
The Sister Cities Committee is an eleven member city advisory body appointed by the City Council. All Commissioners are unpaid volunteers. Any citizen of the city or county of Santa Cruz who demonstrates an interest in the activities of the Committee is eligible for appointment.
Our Sister Cities:
The following are the five sister cities of Santa Cruz, California:
-
Alushta, Ukraine
- Jinotepe, Nicaragua
- Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela
- Sestri Levante, Italy
- Shingu, Japan
Current Projects:
NEW! Find us on Facebook at Facebook | Santa Cruz Sister Cities Committee
Follow us on Twitter at Twitter | Santa Cruz Sister Cities
Upcoming Projects:
Mayoral Delegation from Shingu, Japan -- October 2-7, 2010 -- A delegation of up to 15 will be visiting Santa Cruz the first week of October. The focus of the delegation will be an exchange of business ideas with local business leaders combined with a variety of social and tourism activities highlighting Santa Cruz and environs. HOST FAMILIES NEEDED -- Hosting a Sister City guest in your home is a rewarding way to learn about the people and culture of Japan while providing a personal introduction for visitors to our own culture and community. Activities are planned for delegation members during much of their visit, with some free time and some group activities with Sister City volunteers and host families. If this sparks your interest, please contact Sister Cities committee member Roxi Goin at 831-427-1715.
Recent Projects:
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum in Shingu, Japan -- August 18-23, 2010 -- This conference encompassed environmental, social/cultural, and economic factors relating to sustainable tourism. Delegates from Santa Cruz, Japan and Sri Lanka participated. Santa Cruz delegates were Dave Vincent, retired regional superintendent for California State Parks in the Santa Cruz Region; Gary Green, Marketing Director Santa Cruz Conference and Visitors Council; Jen Karno, special projects staff with the City's Economic Development Department; and Cynthia Mathews, Santa Cruz City Council member. Following are just some of the photos from the delegation. Visit our Facebook page for more!
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum, August 2010: A tour of the organic tea farm at Irogawa village. L to R: Tetsuya Toyama, director; Rohan Induka of Sri Lanka; Gary Green, Marketing Director Santa Cruz Conference and Visitors Council.
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum, August 2010: Dave Vincent learns the traditional technique of drying freshly-picked tea leaves by hand at the Ryokokeukn organic tea farm in Irogawa village, near our Sister City of Shingu. This community is dedicated to reviving traditional farming techniques.
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum, August 2010: Early morning walk, Irogawa Village. We had seen this beautiful old Shinto shrine from the road on the previous day. Since we all woke up early that morning, we decided to go for a walk before breakfast and find it. Like many Shinto shrines, it is located in an area of special natural beauty -- in this case int he forest, alongside a pretty creek. Lush, serene, timeless.
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum, August 2010: Gary Green shares an album of family photos with participants at the Kyo-iku Gakusya session. They enjoyed seeing photos of Santa Cruz and our families. (Note the Martinelli's T shirts worn by two of the young participants -- a gift from Gary, thanks to Martinelli's.)
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum, August 2010: A visit to Kyo-iku Gakusya ("Learning Together School"), a non-profit organization in the Kumanogawa region of Shingu, dedicated to teaching and promoting sustainable, traditional agriculture. Shown are two of the students with Jen Karno, special projects staff with the City's Economic Development Department, with the school director's wife and baby.
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum, August 2010: A farmer in the Kyo-iku Gakusya with Santa Cruz City Council member Cynthia Mathews.
Sustainable Community Tourism Forum, August 2010: Dave Vincent, retired regional superintendent for California State Parks in the Santa Cruz Region, presented a set of "That's My Park" magnets to the Kyo-iku Gakusya community.
Student Delegation from Shingu, Japan -- August 2-13, 2010 -- A talented group of six Shingu high school students visited Santa Cruz with a full itinerary and learned first-hand about our community through homestays with local families, participation in local events, social activities, tours and more.
Salsa Fiesta -- A Sister City Project to benefit Jinotepe, Nicaragua, Sunday, May 16, 2010, Harvey West Clubhouse -- More than $500 was raised for the Elderhome in Jinotepe at this fun and festive event featuring salsa dance instruction and music by Salsa Rueda, salsa tasting and a raffle. Salsa created by Jason Nortz, one of our Sister Cities Committee members, was voted to be the best. Here is his prize winning recipe:
MANGO SALSA created by Jason Nortz
1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 seranno pepper, sedded and diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
Blend together. Jason suggests refrigerating for a few hours so flavors blend together.
Thanks to all the volunteers at the event especially event Chair Martha Mangan, Nancy Lenz and the generous donors who provided fabulous prizes for the raffle.
Open World Delegation of Educators -- April 16-24, 2010 -- The Sister Cities Committee hosted a delegation of five educators from our sister city of Alushta participating in the Open World Program. The Alushta delegates included the deputy Mayor, the superintendent of schools and three principals. The delegates explored the educational system in the U.S. and how they may be able to implement new ideas back home. While in Santa Cruz, the delegation visited Pacific Collegiate School, Seymour Center at Long Marine Lab, O'Neill Sea Odyssey Outdoor School Adventure, and Santa Cruz County Building and had the opportunity to meet Congressman Sam Farr. Events sponsored by the Sister Cities Support included an Afternoon Tea on Monday, April 19 at the Darling House and a Meet and Greet no-host Barbecue at the Santa Cruz Yacht Club on Wednesday, April 21.
Student Delegation to Shingu, Japan April 1-11, 2010 -- A group of exceptional Santa Cruz students visted our Sister City of Shingu, Japan, with a full itinerary learning first-hand about Japanese culture through homestays with local families, participation in local events, social activities, tours and more. Call 831-325-1509.
Winners of the Sister Cities Committee Hans Christian Writing Contest proudly displayed their certificates after the City Council awards presentation.
Hans Christian Andersen Writing Contest, March 2010 -- The winners of this year's Hans Christian Andersen Writing Contest have been announced and the winning fables have been entered in the international competition in our sister city of Sestri Levante. Hans Christian Andersen made his home in Sestri for several years. The winners of this year's competition in three age divisions are:
Ages 6 to 10 years
1st Place - Saskia Wade, The Fairy
Ages 11 to 16 years
1st Place - Russell Huang, Sally-rella: A Modern Satire of Cinderella
2nd Place - Kent-Harris Repass, The Peacock's Earrings
3rd Place - Mira Huang, A Difference Between Senses
Ages 17 yrs and up
1st Place - Aleksey Huff, Now She Flies on Crimson Wings
2nd Place - Alan Sims, Montalvo Mystery Beast
3rd Place - Joan Reed Newman, The Artful Spider
Cielo|Sky Part II: February 12 - March 15, 2010 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands --The second part of the exchange, curated by Shelby Graham, featured the work of local Santa Cruz artists working with the theme of sky exhibiting their work in Tenerife. With this group of artists, the theme is applied environmentally, conceptually and metaphorically. The exhibition took place at the Sala de exposiciones Parque García Sanabria in the middle of a beautiful central park. Shelby Graham traveled to Tenerife to install the work and meet with cultural leaders February 8–15, 2010. Santa Cruz artists included are Elliot Anderson, Barbara Benish (visiting artist from the Czech Republic at UCSC), Andrea Borsuk, Jim Denevan, Janet Fine, Susan Friedman, Newton and Helen Mayer Harrison, Diana Hobson, Isabelle Jenniches, Victoria May, Jennifer Parker and Barney Haynes, and Charlie Sloan. For more information or to donate to this project, please call Curator Shelby Graham at 831-252-9003.
Cielo| Sky Part I: November 6 - December 6, 2009, Santa Cruz, CA -- Santa Cruz de Tenerife artists exhibited work in Santa Cruz in this art exchange with our former sister city. "Cielo | Sky" curated by Miriam Durango from Tenerife, Spain and Shelby Graham from Santa Cruz featured work focusing on our relationship both environmentally and psychologically with the sky. Activities honoring the visiting curator included a Mayor's welcome at Santa Cruz City Hall on Monday, November 2 at 3:30 pm; a downtown tour on Wednesday, November 4; and the exhibit opening at the Museum of Art and History's "First Friday," November 6 at 6 pm. Art exchange postcard
(left) Miriam Durango, curator of CIELO | SKY and Annie Morhauser of Annieglass during a downtown tour of arts businesses, public art and the Museum of Art and History.
(from left) Shelby Graham, Director/Curator Sesnon Art Gallery;
Miriam Durango, curator CIELO | SKY; Kathleen Hilger and Gabriel Harrison, co-curators of SculpTOUR -- "Oceanic Life Spiral" by Kirk McNeill
(from left) Sister Cities Committee Chair Martha Mangan, visiting curator Miriam Durango and Sister Cities Committee member Nancy Lenz tour the Museum of Art and History.
Open World Exchange - a visit by five attorneys from the Ukraine, October 26-30, 2009 -- The goal of this Library of Congress program is for participants to have a positive experience in the US that reinforces their interest and skills in promoting "the rule of law," and builds their ability to continue collaborating on positive projects when they return home. After travel and brief sightseeing (Washington DC, SF and Monterey), they pursued the substance of their program here in Santa Cruz including meeting with the Santa Cruz County Probation Department, Santa Cruz Superior Court, Public Defenders Office and the City of Santa Cruz Police Department. Public events for the delegation included a Sister Cities Committee reception and an informal barbecue at the Santa Cruz Yacht Club.
Mayor Cynthia Mathews (center) and Councilwoman Katherine Beiers (left) with Ukrainian delegates participating in the Open World Exchange in Santa Cruz.
A surplus garbage truck donated by the City of Santa Cruz is received in our sister city of Jinotepe, Nicaragua. The truck is the first and only for Jinotepe!
Incoming student delegation to Santa Cruz, August 17-22, 2009 -- a one week visit by a group of talented 8 -10th graders from our Sister City of Shingu, Japan. The group of 13 students and 3 chaperones enjoyed a wonderful itinerary including the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and more.
Shingu Business Delegation and Japanese Cultural Fair, June 17-20, 2009 -- This year the Shingu-Santa Cruz sister city relationship celebrated 35 years! Coinciding with the anniversary, a Shingu business delegation (focused on marketing and tourism) visited Santa Cruz in June. Their brief and action-packed visit included business meetings with leaders from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, O'Neill Sea Odyssey, the City of Santa Cruz Redevelopment Department, NextSpace, New Leaf Markets and the CVC. The delegation took center stage at the Japanese Cultural Fair on Saturday, June 20, along with Consul General Nagamine as a plaque was presented by Mayor Mathews commemorating the 35-year relationship. Sister Cities Support hosted a lunch for the delegates and the Consul General during the festival. Background on delegation. Link to JCF web site.
Shingu Sister Cities Chair, Iwasawa-san's acceptance of plaque from Mayor Mathews (at right) commemorating the 35th anniversary of Shingu-Santa Cruz relationship at the Japanese Cultural Fair, June 20, 2009. In the background from left: Shingu delegates Yoko Konishi, Toshiro Suzuki, Michiyo Fukumoto, Masaomi Ooi, Consul General Nagamine and event MC Doug Grude.
Outgoing student delegation to Shingu, April 1-10, 2009 -- a one week visit by a group of talented 8 -10th graders to our Sister City of Shingu, Japan. The group of 14 students and 3 chaperones enjoyed a wonderful itinerary of official events, exciting river raft adventures, cultural performances and more. An incoming group of Shingu students will be visiting Santa Cruz August 17-23, 2009.
Hans Christian Andersen Writing Contest, March 2009 -- The winners of this year's Hans Christian Andersen Writing Contest were announced March 10, 2009 at the Santa Cruz City Council meeting and received award certificates from Mayor Mathews and gift certificates from Bookshop Santa Cruz. The winning fables have been entered in the international competition in our sister city of Sestri Levante. (Hans Christian Andersen made his home in Sestri for several years.) The winners of this year's competition in three age divisions are:
Ages 6 to 10 years
1st Place - Mira Huang, Willow's Good Decision
2nd Place - Kim Adam, The Knight who Slated the Dragon
3rd Place - Kim Luong, The Crown is Missing
Ages 11 to 16 years
1st Place - Jack Schultz, The Fox and the Dragonfly
2nd Place - Russell Huang, The Mouse's Big Mistake
3rd Place - Mary Snook, Kinata and the Dragon
Ages 17 yrs and up
1st Place - Jane Adams Stillinger, Mark My Words
2nd Place - Joan Reed Newman, The Rock and the Pebble
3rd Place - Sylvia Patience, The Ogre and the Soccer Ball
PDF of winning stories
Isabel Gilman (left) of the Sestri Levante Subcommittee with winners of the Sister Cities Committee Hans Christian Andersen Writing Contest.
Hans Christian Andersen Writing Contest winners with City Council after accepting their awards.
Sister Cities Skype Party, March 7, 2009 -- In anticipation of the Santa Cruz Student Delegation to Shingu, Japan, April 1 -10, 2009 the Sister Cities Committee hosted a Skype Party -- an opportunity for the Santa Cruz student delegates to meet their host families and friends in Japan online via Skype.
Santa Cruz Mayor Mathews greeted Shingu Mayor Sato online at the Sister Cities Committee Skype event on March 7, 2009.
Rafael Gallards, 14 and Melissa Nix, Shingu Subcommittee Chair, share a laugh with Mayor Sato on Skype.
Santa Cruz Student Delegation and friends at Skype event
Alushta Music School Band visit to Santa Cruz, November 30 - December 11, 2008 -- a two week visit of the youth orchestra from our Sister City of Alushta, Ukraine. This very talented group of 21 students and 9 adults had a full itinerary including performances, connections with the Santa Cruz City Band, Community Music School and Santa Cruz High Band, sightseeing, social activities, and home stays for all participants.
Activities:
The Santa Cruz Sister Cities Committee is actively involved in strengthening these relationships through a variety of activities:
- Humanitarian projects abroad
- Youth programs/exchanges
- Visitor exchanges
- Cultural and business exchanges
- School affiliations/pen pals (adult & children)
- Hospitality Committee for greeting foreign visitors
- Local projects benefiting Santa Cruz
- Friendship garden on the mall in downtown Santa Cruz
Staff Contact:
Lisa McGinnis
323 Church Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-420-5277
Email
Additional Information:
Commission Openings
Bylaws of the Sister Cities Committee
Meeting Information