In early February, the Sedona City Council and the Big Park Regional Coordinating Council gave Sedona’s volunteer Sister Cities Association (the SSCA) the green light to go ahead with arranging such a relationship between our community and a counterpart abroad.
A sister city relationship is a multi-faceted, long-term partnership between two communities in two countries. There currently are 1,800 such alliances in 140 countries. Most often, the communities have a lot in common, although they are geographically distant.
Recently, the SSCA had its organizational meeting and selected nine community members for its Board of Directors: Chuck Marr, Sara Crosby-Hartman, Winifred Muench and Don Groves, Dottie Webster, Carol Myers, Judy Neiman, Holli Ploog and Joy Sinnott.
Now, SSCA needs to identify their soul-mate community. They know the perfect partner is out there—probably a place with a population of similar size and make-up, a green, sustainable mindset, a thriving arts community, varied tourism enterprises, friendly people, and innovations we’d like to learn more about.
Do you know of such a place? Often, sister city ties are initiated by people who have lived, traveled or know people in a compatible community. If so, share your sister city partner nomination to: www. sedonasistercities.org. (sister city selection section) and become a “Sister City Sleuth” with other members.
The sister city relationship is expected to be strong and long-lasting– most continue over many decades. Like siblings, residents in the two towns get to know each other, learn from and care about each other, and enjoy each other’s company. Your participation in this new venture is welcome.
