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ABOUT US |
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The
City of De Pere does not stand alone in Wisconsin much less the world, we
are not an island. We interact with our neighbors and the worldwide
economy in ways that most residents can't begin to imagine. A small group
of residents, educators, and government representatives have been working
to establish membership with sister cities program for De Pere. The Sister
Cities International program is designed to promote respect,
understanding, and cooperation with others around the globe through
personal contact. Our working group has struggled with concepts of what
this community represents, where we could expect to go in the future, what
we could share directly with a sister, and what we want in return. Other
communities were asked about their interactions, we found some cities in
this state have several sisters. The level of interaction may be based on
a single point of interest by the membership of the committee and it's
participants, we want something more. Our
members have taken the basic description of this city and expanded upon
it. We analyzed ourselves in detail trying to give brief narratives that
provides an accurate glimpse on life in this community. We established
goals for the different areas of interest: education and youth, public
health and safety, economic development, communication, technology,
environment, arts and culture. Speakers were brought in to talk about
other areas of the world. In looking at different cities from around the
world, we found a great many are seeking a one-way relationship with more
prosperous partners. The group was approached by other organizations from
the Green Bay area vying to establish relationships that would enhance
business and educational opportunities for their projects. Although
we continue to seek input, the choices seem to have narrowed to less than
four 'ideal' partners. Growing, vibrant communities that have a great
potential to make interactions interesting and profitable for both of us.
Most have deeper history than us, dating back millennia when compared to
our short past. Many citizens can trace their lost heritage to the cities
we may seek relationships with. Exchanges of students are a potential and
would be expected to deepen our connections. Long-term business exchanges
with some potential partners are already occurring in the City of De Pere.
Our interaction would hopefully enhance these relationships and improve
the future economic impacts. The committee is always looking for fresh perspectives from other community members that would be interested in joining this great venture. The committee has been meeting on Thursday afternoons at 4:00 pm every other week; meetings usually last about an hour, in the Riverview room at city hall. For more information or if interested, contact City of De Pere Alderperson Kathy VanVonderen at kvanvonderen_2000@yahoo.com.
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