City proclaims international sister cities day, set to welcome Japanese delegation

July 15, 2016 – The City of Thunder Bay and its Sister City Advisory Committee are proud to be the first international sister city to make a proclamation for International Sister Cities Day on July 15, 2016. 

Sister Cities International (SCI) is celebrating 60 years of global citizen and civic diplomatic action, and helping support a future where the world’s cities and citizens can come together in common ground. SCI was founded as a Presidential initiative by American President Dwight D. Eisenhower on Sept. 11, 1956, at the White House Conference on citizen diplomacy.

SCI currently has 570 member cities, counties and districts with relationships with 2,300 communities in 150 countries, spanning six continents.

“The City of Thunder Bay is proud to be a driving part of this global network with partnerships spanning the globe including our Sister Cities in Duluth and Little Canada, Minnesota, USA, Seinajoki, Finland; and Gifu City, Japan,” said Councillor Joe Virdiramo, on behalf of the Sister Cities Advisory Committee. “These relationships have important cultural and economic impact and build partnerships in our communities.”

The City of Thunder Bay will be welcoming an eight-member Mayoral delegation from Gifu City, Japan next week along with a 14-member Kimono Dance Group who will perform at special cultural dinner at Fort William Historical Park, and in Toronto.

The Delegation will be touring Lakehead University and Thunder Bay’s Waterfront. Officials from both communities will attend a Making Connections Luncheon at Mariners Hall that will feature presentations on Thunder Bay’s progressive Climate Adaptation Strategy, Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute and the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association.

Several members of Thunder Bay’s Sister Cities Advisory Committee will be attending Little Canada’s Canadian Days representing our community in Minnesota over the August long weekend, an annual tradition going back many decades.