Birmingham Sister Cities

Birmingham Sister Cities (officially the Birmingham Sister City Commission) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which administers the American Sister Cities Program on behalf of the City of Birmingham.

The American Sister Cities program was initiated as a citizen diplomacy project in 1956 by President Dwight Eisenhower. Called the "People to People" program, it was originally organized as part of the National League of Cities, but since 1967 has been an independent organization, Sister Cities International (SCI), "a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between U.S. and international communities in an effort to increase global cooperation at the municipal level, to promote cultural understanding and to stimulate economic development".

SCI leads the movement for local community development and volunteer action by motivating and empowering private citizens, municipal officials and business leaders to conduct long-term programs of mutual benefit. SCI guidelines permit only one "sister city" per country, leading to the second designation of "Friendship Cities".

The Birmingham Sister City Commission was founded as a public commission by city ordinance on April 23, 1982. It's powers and duties were enumerated as:

1. To further economic cooperation and cultural exchange on the basis of mutual friendship and amity between the City of Birmingham and cities hereafter designated as its sister cities by the city council of the City of Birmingham
2. To develop, compile, coordinate and exchange information with the officials and citizens of all such designated sister cities.
3. To plan, develop and carry out mutual economic and cultural activities with the officials and citizens of all such designated sister cities.
4. To encourage and cultivate mutual understanding of the respective economic, social and cultural problems existing within and between the City of Birmingham and its designated sister cities.
5. To appoint committees and subcommittees and delegate responsibility and authority thereto.

The Birmingham Sister City Commission was subsequently incorporated as a non-proift by Nicholas Scielzo and Scotty Colson on October 20, 1994.

In 2005, under the leadership of Birmingham Sister Cities chair Ruth Lamonte, Birmingham signed an unusual "trilateral" partnership agreement with Rosh Ha’Ayin, Israel and Al-Karak, Jordan. The city had a long-standing relationship with Rosh Ha’Ayin through the Kimerling family and ongoing "Project Renewal" and "Partnership 2000" programs. Birmingham mayor Bernard Kincaid, Al-Karak Mayor Mohammed Maita, and Rosh Ha’Ayin Mayor Moshe Sinai signed the agreement on November 9 at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

In 2012 the Birmingham Sister City Commission was honored as the "Best Overall Program" for cities between 100,000 and 300,000 by Sister City International. It received the award again in 2016. In 2017 Birmingham Sister Cities coordinated fund-raising and planning efforts to build a library and community center in the village of Apaaso, Ghaana. Birmingham's Sister City of Winneba, Ghana participated in the effort. Paul Amamoo chaired the Ghana Committee which coordinated the project.

In 2024 the commission partnered with Miles College and Birmingham City Schools to sponsor 15 high school students for the International Dual Enrollment Academy (IDEA) program, which includes travel to Japan.

The City of Birmingham displays the flags of the home countries of its sister cities at East Lake Park.

Sister Cities

• Hitachi, Japan (agreement signed April 23, 1982): Birmingham sends two college graduates to teach in Hitachi schools each year. A bronze replica of Vulcan by Branko Medenica is displayed in the city park in Hitachi. Birmingham accepted a pair of large stone lanterns displayed at the Japanese Garden at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
• Székesfehérvár, Hungary (agreement signed July 15, 1994): Birmingham-Southern College sends students to teach English at Kodalyani College in Székesfehérvár. The Ambassador of Hungary has visited Birmingham and a Salute to Hungary was held by the Birmingham Festival of Arts in 2001.
• Anshan, China (agreement signed November 5, 1996): Anshan, an iron and steel center, sponsored an 18-month visit by their deputy director for economic and foreign affairs during which numerous business relationships were forged. Cultural and educational exchanges have also taken place with Anshan.
• Vinnytsia, Ukraine: (agreement signed April 23, 2003) Links between Children's Hospital and Ukraine's pediatric health system have been initiated. Scotty Colson serves as honorary consul from Alabama.
• Guédiawaye, Senegal (agreement signed February 8, 2005) Birmingham donated computers, books and medical supplies to Guédiawaye. Numerous local leaders made a visit to Senegal after the agreement was signed.
• Plzeň, Czech Republic (agreement signed May 6, 2005): UAB and the Institute of Art and Design of the University of West Bohemia sponsor a student exchange program. The Birmingham Festival of Arts held a Salute to the Czech Republic in 2007 with Plzeň official visiting.
• Al Karak, Jordan (agreement signed November 9, 2005)
• Rosh Ha'ayin, Israel (agreement signed November 9, 2005) a pen-pal program was created with students from N. E. Miles Jewish Day School, including a visit to Israel.
• Winneba, Ghana (agreement signed February 2, 2009) builds on a relationship started through Tabernacle Baptist Church.
• Liverpool, England (agreement signed October 21, 2015)
• Kingston, Jamaica (agreement signed February 15, 2017)
• Maebashi, Japan (friendship agreement signed 1998, sister city agreement signed July 3, 2017) is the home of temple-builder Kazunori Tago who worked with Doug Moore to construct the Toshinan tea-house at Birmingham's Japanese Gardens. Maebashi has a display about Samuel Ullman in their poetry museum, and has sponsored an art exhibition in Birmingham.

Friendship Cities

• Chaoyang district, Beijing, China (agreement signed August 5, 1998)
• Cobán, Guatemala (through Partners for the Americas)
• Krasnodon, Ukraine
• Apaaso, Ghaana, signed a compact with Birmingham on September 29, 2017.
• Wales (agreement signed September 15, 2023)

Other relationships

• Cobán, Guatemala joined with Birmingham in a "Ciudad Compañera" pact on August 15, 1972.
• Hubei Province, China as a "Sister Province" to Alabama.
• Pomiglian D'Arco, Italy was a sister city, but the exchange was suspended for lack of communication.
• Gweru, Zimbabwe: The director of the Gweru Public Health Department visited Birmingham to study AIDS education programs. The relationship has been suspended due to political turmoil.
• Sasebo, Japan. Former Birmingham resident Katie Parsons, a native of Sasebo, included forging a sister-city agreement between her two homes among her dying wishes.

Leadership

Executive directors

• Scotty Colson, 2005–2018
  • Kali McNutt (interim), July 2018–March 2020
• Corlette Stewart Burns, October 2020–
  • Jessica Findley Valentin (interim)

Board of directors

• Blair Minyard, chair
• Jennifer Gowers, vice-chair
• Shia Hendricks, secretary
• Scotty Colson, treasurer
• Sonja Smith
• Drew Jackson
• Gwen Amamoo
• Blaine Brownell
• Marty Conners
• Stan Erdreich
• Vince Gawronski
• Christopher Hamlin
• Stephanie Hunter
• Indya Johnson
• Byron Perkins
• Montiqua Mathers Pettway
• Leda Summer
• Damon Treadwell

References

• "Birmingham signs sister city agreement with Israeli, Jordanian towns" (November 14, 2005) Southern Jewish Life
• Natta, Andre (May 3, 2012) "Sister Cities Commission recognized as Best Overall Program" The Terminal
• Gamlin, Rachael (July 1, 2016) "Birmingham Sister Cities wins prestigious national award." Birmingham Business Journal
• Worthy, Ariel (December 27, 2017) "How a Birmingham committee united to build a library in Ghana." The Birmingham Times
• Rebman, Stephanie (October 1, 2020) "Birmingham Sister Cities names Corlette Stewart Burns its first executive director." Birmingham Business Journal
• "Birmingham Sister Cities announces new roster of board members" (January 4, 2022) Birminghamal.gov
• Ruppert, Tristan (March 2, 2022) "Birmingham Sister Cities Commission working to help Ukrainian city Vinnytsia". WBRC.com
• "Educators, Birmingham Leaders Ink Deal to Send 15 City Students to Japan for Global Studies." (April 9, 2024) The Birmingham Times

External link

• Birmingham Sister Cities website