In recognition of sixty years of global citizen diplomacy and peace-building efforts by communities around the world, the City of Sebastopol has declared that July 15, 2016 will be Sister Cities International Day.
The dream of connecting one city with another by bonds of friendship across international borders took shape in the wake of the devastating Second World War. After the staggering losses and immense trauma, there was a great awareness that people of all nations, in small towns and big cities alike, want peace, and want to know one another as like-minded members of an international community.
Sebastopol is immensely fortunate in having developed and deepened two rich sister city relationships over the last thirty plus years: one with Takeo, Japan, and one with Chyhyryn, Ukraine.
On this special day of recognition and in the words of the Proclamation issued by Mayor Sarah Glade Gurney, the City of Sebastopol and all of us at Sebastopol World Friends “encourage all citizens to hold the intention in their hearts to build world peace, one friend at a time.”
Now go celebrate!
