2009 A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 7 A TLANTA •S ISTER •C I T I E S C OMMISSION 2009 Annual Report ANCIENT OLYMPIA GREECE BRUSSELS BELGIUM BUCHAREST ROMANIA COTONOU BENIN DAEGU KOREA FUKUOKA JAPAN LAGOS NIGERIA MONTEGO BAY JAMAICA NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE GREAT BRITAIN NUREMBERG GERMANY PORT-OF-SPAIN TRINIDAD RA'ANANA ISRAEL RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL SALCEDO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SALZBURG AUSTRIA TAIPEI TAIWAN TBILISI REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA TOULOUSE FRANCE a t l a n t a • s i s t e r • C i t i e s C OMMISSION 2009 Annual Report The Honorable Kasim Reed INTRODUCTION 2 To Mayor, City of Atlanta The Honorable Ceasar Mitchell Commission Reports 3 President, Atlanta City Council Committee Reports 4 Teri Simmons From Chair Atlanta Sister Cities Commission I am pleased to submit to you the 2009 Annual Report of the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission (ASCC). In addition to the activi- ties of the various committees, ASCC has met monthly to carry out its role and function in rela- tion to Atlanta's Sister Cities program. We were pleased to serve the City of Atlanta and its international community during 2009 and look forward to the continued growth and expansion of the Sister Cities program under your administration. 2 0 Page 1 0 9 a t l a n t a • s i s t e r • C i t i e s C OMMISSION 2009Introduction Annual Report The Atlanta Sister Cities Commission Atlanta's Sister City Committees The Atlanta Sister Cities Commission (ASCC) was chartered by the City of Atlanta and codified in Atlanta City Ordinance No. 1979-71. The Name of City Date of Chair/Representative organization is managed by a Chair, elected by the ASCC member- Affiliation ship. The appointee must be ratified by a majority of the Atlanta City Ancient Olympia – Greece 1994 Margo Alexander, Ph.D. Council. Teri Simmons was elected as Chair, and Wilma Kruger as Vice Chair, in 2009. Brussels - Belgium 1983 Mr. Vince Pedicino The full 'board' of the Commission comprises the Chair, three ad- Bucharest - Romania 1994 Mr. Nick Modares ditional Mayoral appointees and two members appointed by the City Cotonou – Benin 1995 Charleise Young, Ph.D. Council. In addition, the chairpersons of each Sister City Committee, or Daegu - Korea 1981 Mr. John Lee their designee, serve on the Commission. Fukuoka 2005 Ms. Sumiko Renfroe The Mayor's appointed members in 2009 were Cedric Suzman, DBA Lagos – Nigeria 1974 Augustine O. Esogbue, Ph.D. and Samuel Bacote. Montego Bay - Jamaica 1972 Mr. Vin Martin, Atty Elections are held annually to select a Vice Chair, a Secretary and a Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 1977 Mr. David Smith - Great Britain Treasurer. Each elected officer serves a one-year term. Elected officials of the Commission are restricted to two consecutive terms in office. Nuremberg - Germany 1998 Mr. Shean Atkins Port-of-Spain - Trinidad 1987 Ms. Norma Kendall - Hamlet Officers include: Rio de Janeiro - Brazil 1972 Mrs. Wilma Kruger Ra'anana - Israel 2000 Arnold Heller, Ph.D. Secretary Charleise Young, Ph.D Salcedo 1996 Mr. Victor Ramirez Treasurer Victor Ramirez - Dominican Republic Salzburg - Austria 1967 Open Taipei - Taiwan 1974 Mr. Charles Liu/Mr. David Yu Other standing committees of the Commission are listed opposite. Tbilisi - Republic of Georgia 1988 Mr. John Hall Staff Toulouse – France 1974 Mrs. Betty Davis The Commission is supported by members of the Mayor's Office staff who participate in monthly and special meetings, help shape the Commission's policy and act as liaison with the Mayor. In 2009, Greg Atlanta Sister Cities Commission - Standing Committees Pridgeon, Chief of Staff to Mayor Franklin, Atlanta City Hall, and Noah Downer supported the Commission. Committee Chair ASCC maintains a web site with annual reports, information on each Executive Committee Ms. Teri Simmons of the sister cities and details of the process of becoming a sister city. Fund Raising Committee Cedric Suzman, DBA Nominating Committee Vin Martin, Atty www.atlantaga.gov/International/SisterCities.aspx Economic Development Mr. David Smith Education Charleise Young, Ph.D. Public Relations Mr. David Smith New Cities Augustine O. Esogbue, Ph.D. Page 2 2 0 0 9 A t l a n t a • S i s t e r • C i t i e s C OMMISSION 2009Commission Reports Annual Report Economic Development Sub-Committee v Participating delegates included representatives from sister cities Nürnberg, Germany; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Ra’anana, Israel; Salcedo, Dominican Republic; and Taipei, Taiwan and representatives from Ningbo, China; Porto Alegre, Brazil; Ahmedabad, India; and Kingston, Jamaica. v The forum highlighted the benefits of public transit and green space programs worldwide and helped communicate the City of Atlanta’s environmental initiatives, such as Sustainable Atlanta and the Beltine project, which the delegates had the option of touring. v A Welcome Dinner in the Atrium of Atlanta City Hall enabled delegates and their Atlanta hosts to meet in a festive environment. v With a year in planning and a target of $50,000 in sponsorship, the Atlanta Economic Development Partnership Forum shows how At the Sister Cities International Annual Conference, Belfast, Northern Ireland, July 2009, Teri Simmons the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission is supporting the economic de- accepts the award for Innovation: Sustainable Development on behalf if the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission. velopment goals of Atlanta as well as its partner cities. Participants had the opportunity to learn from the experiences of other partner Left to right: Patrick Madden, President & CEO, Sister Cities International; Margaret Jankowsky, Profes- sional Training & Coaching Consultant, Nuremberg, Germany (Atlanta’s sister city); Teri Simmons, cities during the conference, and to meet with host sister city com- Chair, Atlanta Sister Cities Commission; Mike Hyatt, Chair, Sister Cities International Board of Directors. mittee members and hold other social and business-related meet- (Photograph by Harrison photography) ings before and after the event. v Sister Cities International honored the Atlanta Sister City Commis- sion (ASCC) for an outstanding sister city program at its 53rd Annual Conference, July 29-August 1, 2009 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Top honors recognize programs throughout the U.S. doing work around the globe. v “These awards showcase the best work for cultural understanding in our network,” said Patrick Madden, President and CEO of Sister Cit- ies International. “These are the communities with Sister Cities that are blazing trails.” v In 2008, The Atlanta Sister Cities Commission, the City ofAtlanta, and CIFAL Atlanta, hosted representatives from nine countries for the Greener Cities: Public Transit and Green Space Policies workshop. The two day-long session looked at ways local governments can promote sustained long-term economic development and ease the stress on government services that rapid population growth creates, while lessening the negative effects on the surrounding natural Knowledge sharing of best practices among participants at the Sister City Economic Development Forum. environment. Attendees learned best practices of the benefits of en- vironmental improvements in land use and transportation policies. Page 3 2 0 0 9 A t l a n t a • s i s t e r • C i t i e s C OMMISSION 2009Committee Reports Annual Report Atlanta - Ancient City of Olympia Sister City Committee Chairman: Dr. Margo Alexander Co-Chairman: Mrs. Maria Mandekos Sharp v This year the Ancient Olympia Committee has been involved in many activities. v In January, the Hellenic Dance Festival was held here in Atlanta, GA. The Ancient Olympia Committee was one of the proud spon- sors of this event. Young Greek folk dancers from across the United States came to compete during the weekend. Many dancers per- formed ancient dances from the area of Olympia. The competition was a memorable event. Also, the committee was able to host the dignitaries that came from Greece to witness this event. v In February, the Honorable Panos Livadas, Secretary General of Information of the Republic of Greece, gave a presentation at the Southern Center for International Studies with title 'New Oppor- tunities in Southeast- ern Europe --- The Role of Greek Consul Vassilios Gouloussis, Maria Sharp, and Leonidas Kavakos. Greece'. Also, the Commit- v Along with the Consulate of Greece, the Center for Hellenic Stud- teehad the ies at Georgia State University, in conjunction with the Rialto Center opportunity to for the Arts and the GSU School of Music, the Committee sponsored host Honor- a photographic exhibition of the acclaimed opera singer Maria Cal- able Livadas las, titled 'Maria Callas: A Tribute.' The Exhibition Opening Reception and to meet was on Sept. 3. with him to discuss rela- tions between the two cities/ Margo Alexander, Chair. Honorable Panos Livadas and Maria Mandekos Sharp, Vice Chair. countries. v Also in March, along with the Greek Consulate the Committee hosted an intimate reception for violinist Leonidas Kavakos who had performed at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. A evening featuring this talented Greek performer and a truly memorable evening. v In May, along with the Consulate of Greece, we were happy to take part in 'All About Greek Wine' at Kyma restaurant. Twenty of Greece’s top wineries were in town to present wines from Europe’s fastest-emerging wine region. v In June, the Committee members had a special sendoff for their co-chairman, Maria Mandekos Sharp and her husband, Gunter. Dr. Vassilios Gouloussis, Margo Alexander, Honorable Panos Livadas Sharp is on a year long teaching assignment to teach at a University Page 4 in France. We wish them well. 2 0 0 9 a t l a n t a • s i s t e r • C i t i e s C OMMISSION 2009Committee Reports Annual Report Atlanta - Cotonou Sister City Committee v The Atlanta-Cotonou Sister City Committee held a reception on August 1st to commemorate the 49th Anniversary of the Indepen- dence of the Republic of Benin.