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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.2 Informational Report on the Sister City Program 2 Agenda Item 8.2 Ile STAFF REPORT DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL CALIFORNIA DATE: February 21, 2023 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Linda Smith, City Manager SU B.ECT: Informational Report on the Sister City Program Prepared by: John Stefanski,Assistant to the City Manager EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will receive a report on the Sister City program. STAFF RECOMMENDATION : Receive the report and provide direction, as necessary. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. DESCRIPTION : This item is in response to a November 1, 2022, Item 9 request for information regarding reinvigorating the sister city program. Background Sister Cities International defines sister city relationships as formal long-term partnerships between two communities in two countries. These partnerships often seek to enhance trade, business, educational, and cultural exchanges between the two communities. Sister cities are typically identified by finding commonalities between each city regarding their histories, economies, or other characteristics. In 1987, the City of Dublin became a member of the Dublin Sister City Association (DSCA), an organization that focused on developing and maintaining a sister city relationship with Bray, Ireland.While the City has partnered with Bray, County Wicklow', Ireland for over the last 35 years,there is no formal sister city agreement between the two. Nothing precludes a City and a County from forming a"sister community"relationship. Page 1 of 5 226 In 2000, the City Council established a Council Subcommittee to investigate expanding the Sister City Program and finding opportunities for trade with an additional sister city. In September 2006, at the request of the DSCA,the City formalized a sister city relationship with the City of Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province,the People's Republic of China on September 29, 2006. This agreement expired in 2011. The City has been a member of the Sister City International (SCI) organization since 2000. SCI is a non-profit organization which serves as the national membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, and states across the United States. The organization serves as a resource for developing and strengthening sister city relationships. Each year the Mayor appoints a member of the City Council to the Sister City International Committee; for 2023 it is Councilmember Josey with Councilmember Hu as an alternate. Sister City Program Structures Sister city relationships are often developed through the work of volunteers in a community. These individuals usually work collectively under informal associations or non-profit organizations (e.g., DSCA) with the mission of establishing sister city relationships. Similarly, other community institutions like chambers of commerce or visitor bureaus may develop subcommittees to develop sister city relationships. In both cases, a city will usually have an elected representative who is involved and represents the city's interests. Most cities rely on non-profit organizations and community volunteers to manage their sister city programs.Alternatively, a City may establish a formal commission whose work plan entails developing and maintaining sister city relationships and programs. Locally,the Cities of Millbrae and Milpitas have such commissions. Similarly,the City of Menlo Park established a city committee to develop a sister city program.After five years of this work, the committee transitioned to a non- profit organization which manages their sister city program today. Sister City Programs Sister city relationships vary according to the mutual interests of the two communities and can yield a variety of exchanges and programs which foster institutional and individual relationships. Sister Cities International lists the following as potential programs achieved through sister city relationships: 1. Arts and Culture Exchanges a. The two communities come together to share different forms of music, art exhibits, gardens, and cultural events with the goal of experiencing and exploring each other's culture as an international community. 2. Youth and Education Exchanges a. These include student exchanges,virtual exchange programs, and sports tournaments. 3. Business and Trade Exchanges a. These exchanges seek to develop relationships between local businesses in each community, potentially opening new markets and opportunities for partnerships. 4. Community Development Exchanges Page 2 of 5 227 a. These types of programs can include city to city information and best practice sharing, donations of surplus property (i.e., fire trucks), fund raising for natural disasters, and donation drives to support schools. Revitalizing a Sister City Program In recent years,the City's population has grown, incorporating a variety of races and ethnicities which comprise the Dublin community. These changing dynamics present an opportunity for entering new sister city relationships and revitalizing the DSCA. Sister Cities International provides best practices for establishing as well as revitalizing a Sister City Program.According to SCI, it is essential that there are at least 8-10 community volunteers who are willing to commit the time, effort, and resources to develop a long-term relationship with a sister city. These individuals, in concert with the City, must identify the program goals, objectives, roles, and responsibilities for a local sister city program. Locally,the DCSA could serve as the mechanism for organizing community volunteers to help with this revitalization work. Forming New Sister City Relationships The process of forming new sister city relationship requires time (upwards of two years) and commitment from the local sister city organization.After identifying the program goals and objectives,the organization should identify a framework for identifying potential sister cities. SCI recommends that communities look for cities with similarities, such as population size, geographic qualities, economies and industries, academic and cultural institutions, and pre-existing relationships or historical connections. SCI can help facilitate this process by serving as a clearing house for potential sister cities through their"City Connection Marketplace"which helps with making the connections. Once a potential sister city is identified,the local organization can work to develop lines of communications to establish an initial relationship.With an initial relationship,the local organization can work with the potential Sister City to scope and develop a workplan and goals for the relationships. The parties may wish to test the relationship through pilot projects under a less formal "Friendship City"Agreement. Following this, should the parties decide to proceed with a formal relationship, the entities develop a partnership agreement to formalize the sister city relationship and begin the process of implementing various programs and exchanges outlined in the workplan. Local Sister City Examples According to Sister Cities International, 79 California cities have with sister city relationships with 356 total cities worldwide. Locally,Alameda County and the Cities of Alameda, Berkeley, Danville, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton, and Union City have some form of a Sister City Program. Their sister city programs are each managed by some form of a non-profit association. The Town of Danville has established a"Friendship City Policy"which outlines the criteria for considering a Friendship City. It also stipulates that a "Danville-based non-profit sponsor must coordinate the activities and engagements needed to maintain a sustainable partnership with the proposed Friendship" and that no Town funds are used for travel, lodging, meals, or gifts relating Page 3 of 5 228 to a Friendship City Partnership. Danville has a Friendship City agreement with New Ross, County Wexford Ireland which was established in 2018 and the relationship is managed through the Eugene O'Neill Foundation, Tao House. The City of Livermore has three sister city relationships. The Livermore Yotsukaido (Japan) Sister City Organization was established in 1988 and coordinates a middle school student exchange program. They have also hosted fundraising dinners and cultural programs. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory originally sponsored Livermore's Sister City Relationship with Snezhinsk, Russia, however this relationship has stalled due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Their third sister city relationship with Quetzeltenango, Guatemala has not been active in recent years. The City has no direct involvement with these sister city associations, nor provides any funding to support their activities. The City of Pleasanton has two Sister City affiliations,which are both managed by local non-profit organizations, like the Pleasanton Tulancingo (Mexico) Sister City Association. This Sister City Program consists of hosting annual events and fundraisers like their Cinco De Mayo festival; sending delegations to visit each other's city; and coordinating their High School Exchange program. The Pleasanton-Livermore Fire Department has also donated surplus fire trucks to the Tulancingo. Pleasanton's other sister cites include Blairgowrie, Scotland and Fergus, Ontario whose relationship is managed by the Pleasanton-Blairgowrie-Fergus Sister Organization. This group plans several annual events including dinners, fundraisers, and has historically provided scholarships to students pursuing Scottish studies. The City of Pleasanton does not provide funding nor participate in the management of their local sister city associations. Elected Officials from the City will, however, participate in various events when invited. Conclusions With the DSCA,the local infrastructure is in place to revitalize local sister city program activities. Through the proactive recruitment of additional interested community members by DSCA,the association could explore potential new sister city relationships which reflect the City's diversity. This approach would align with SCI best practice. Alternatively,the City could pursue incubating a sister city program within the workplan of the Heritage and Cultural Arts commission. Similar to Menlo Park, this commission could work to structure a sister city program with the near-term goal of transitioning such activities to a non- profit association. These activities would require an additional dedication of staff time that would need to come at the expense of some other current programming. STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. Page 4 of 5 229 NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH : The City Council Agenda was posted. ATTACHMENTS: None. Page 5 of 5 230 DUBLIN CALIFORNIA Item 8 . 2 Informational Report: Sister Cities February 21 , 2023 What's a Sister City? • Formal partnerships between two communities in two countries. • Partnerships see to enhance trade, business, educational, and cultural exchanges. • Sister City International (SCI) is a non-profit organization that serves as the national membership organization and resource for these relationships. ri _ - - 232 Program Elements • Relationships vary according to the mutual interests of the two communities. • SCI lists the following as Sister City potential exchange programs: E ' IEIE! 233 Sister City Program Structures • Often developed through the work of community volunteers through: - Informal Associations — Non-Profit Organizations — Community institutions (e.g., chambers of commerce) • Elected rep. will typically be involved in these efforts to represent the City's interests. • Most cities rely on non-profits and volunteers to manage their sister city relationships. ri _ - - 234 Sister City Program Structures, 2 • A city may establish a formal commission to manage sister city programs. — Millbrae and Milpitas do this. • Menlo Park established a city committee to develop a sister city program — Transitioned to a non-profit after five years. 235 Sister Cities in Dublin • In 1987 the City became a member of the Dublin Sister City Association. • DCSA focuses on developing and maintaining a sister city relationship with Bray Ireland. — 35-year informal relationship—no formal agreement between the two. • In 2006, City formalized a sister city relationship with Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, PRC. — Agreement expired in 2011 . 236 Revitalizing a Sister City Program • Dublin's past growth and changing demographic dynamics present an opportunity to renew or pursue new sister city relationships and revitalizing the DSCA. • SCI recommendations for revitalizing sister city programs: — Essential to have at least 8-10 community volunteers who are willing to commit the time, effort, and resources to develop a long-term relationship. — Together, in concert with the City, this group must identify the program goals objectives, roles, and responsibilities for a local sister city program. 31 Forming New Sister Relationships • Process can take upwards of 2-years. • Requires commitment from local a sister city organization who: - Identifies relationship goals and objectives — Develops framework for identifying a sister city • Once a potential sister city is identified: — Establish an initial relationship with the City — Develop workplan and goals — Test relationship through pilot projects — Formalize through a partnership agreement and implement work plan 238 Local Sister City Examples • 79 California cities have with sister city relationships with 356 total cities worldwide. • Alameda County and the Cities of Alameda, Berkeley, Danville, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton, and Union City have some form of a Sister City Program. — Each of these are managed by some form of a non- profit association. 239 Conclusions 1 . With DSCA, local infrastructure is in place to revitalize local sister city program. — Proactively recruit community members to explore new sister city relationships. 2. City could incubate a sister city program through the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission. — Work to structure a program with the goal of transitioning activities to a non-profit organization. — Require additional dedication of staff time at the expense of other current programming. ri _ - - 240 DUBLIN CALIFORNIA Questions and Comments .? John Stefanski Assistant to the City Manager