OUR PARTNERS

Sister Cities International was created at President Eisenhower's 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy. Eisenhower envisioned an organization promoting peace and prosperity by creating bonds between people from different cities around the world.

Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for more than 500 Sister Cities, counties, and states across the United States with relationships in 140 countries. This network unites volunteers focusing on arts and culture, youth and education,economic development, and humanitarian assistance. Montgomery resident and former Maryland Secretary of State Mary Kane serves as president of Sister Cities International. For more information, log onto www.sister-cities.org

For more information on Sister Cities International, visit their website: www.sister-cities.org

Montgomery College's Global Humanities Institute was created in 2012 with the support of a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The NEH Bridging Cultures initiative aims to "engage the power of the humanities to promote understanding and mutual respect for people with diverse histories, cultures and perspectives within the United States and abroad." The grant enables Montgomery College to focus on how it teaches the humanities in ways that reflect the complexities of our global society. The College has created an interdisciplinary course on Global Humanities and is working to provide learning opportunities for all within and beyond the classroom while facilitating education abroad for faculty. Gaining expertise beyond the classroom will better prepare students and faculty for the global marketplace of the 21st century.

Conveniently for our Sister Cities program, the Institute is focus on creating partnerships in China, India and El Salvador. College representatives have been a valuable presence on all four of the county's "Sister City missions.

The Global Humanities Institute and Arts Departments of Montgomery College organized a collaborative art exhibit with Xi'an University and the University of El Salvador that was on display from October 23 through November 14, 2014 at the Cultural Arts Center of Montgomery College's Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. The exhibit, entitle "Identity: Contemporary Interpretations of History, Place and Culture," featured artists from Xi'an University and the University of El Salvador. Forma Morazán Governor Miguel Ventura joined Vilma Herrara, Counselor for Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of El Salvador at the October 23 opening reception. Xi'an University professors visited Montgomery County in December of 2014.

For additional information about Montgomery College's Global Humanities Institute, please log onto http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/globalhumanities or contact program director Rita Kranidis at rita.kranidis@montgomerycollege.edu

Rockville Sister Cities

2017 will be the sixtieth anniversary of the Sister City relationship between Rockville and Pinneberg, Germany. The initiators were former mayors Henry Glissmann and Dickran Hovsepian. On October 13, 1957, the Rockville Mayor and Council approved a resolution establishing a Sister City relationship with Pinneberg. The Pinneberg Mayor and Council reciprocated on November 8, 1957. In 1958, the City of Pinneberg sent 210 rose bushes to the City of Rockville, and they were planted in the Rockville Friendship Garden at the Rockville Civic Center. Rockville established the "Pinneberg Avenue" in Twinbrook and Pinneberg named a street "Rockvillestrasse."

Rockville Sister City Corporation (RSCC), formed as a community nonprofit in 1986, organizes exchanges for people interested in business, arts, culture, health, science education, sports, music and tourism. Through the years, visits from Pinneberg have included public safety officials and student, music and sports groups.

In September 2009, the City of Rockville established a Friendship City Relationship with Jiaxing, Zhejiang Provence, China. There have been several exchanges including a visit to Rockville by six representatives of Jiaxing in December of 2014.

For more information, please visit www.rockvillesistercities.org or contact President Drew Powell at rockvillesistercities@gmail.com.

The annual World of Montgomery Festival celebrates Montgomery County’s spectacular diversity with food, entertainment, and cultural enrichment from around the world. The KID Museum, in collaboration with our Sister City partners, provides an authentic introduction to China, El Salvador, Ethiopia, and India. If you want your child to experience what it means to be a 21st century global citizen, this is the place to be October 18 from 12-5pm. The festival is funded by the generous sponsors of the Fund for Montgomery. View the flyer for more information.

For additional information about Montgomery County’s annual World of Montgomery Festival, please log onto www.worldofmontgomery.com.