Baltimore Sister Cities wins Innovation Award

Baltimore Sister Cities International wins Sister Cities International’s 2016 Innovation Award for Economic Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 29, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT Anastasia Dellaccio Adellaccio@sistercities.org 202.347.8637

WASHINGTON, DC – Baltimore Sister Cities International (BSCI) has won Sister Cities International’s (SCI) 2016 Innovation Award for Economic Development for a city with a population greater than 500,000. The 2016 Sister Cities International Innovation Award for Economic Development recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding community and individual sister city programs that promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation.

The Baltimore-Xiamen Sister Cities (BXSC) celebrated their 30 th Anniversary by hosting a three-day, 20 person delegation from Xiamen. This delegation promoted the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) and was led by Xiamen Vice Mayor Li Dongliang. During their stay in Baltimore, Xiamen signed a Memorandum of Understanding with City Hall that reaffirmed their sister city relationship and a Letter of Intent between Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and Xiamen Information School to work together towards a summer exchange program with the Xiamen Summer Camp. The Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City relationship has been their most active city in business development and education exchanges.

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SCI’s Annual Awards are awarded in several categories including Best Overall, Innovation (Arts and Culture, Economic Development, Humanitarian Assistance, and Youth and Education), and Volunteer of the Year. Award winners will be honored at the Lou Wozar Diplomatic Awards Dinner on Saturday, July 16 during SCI’s 60th Anniversary Celebration in Washington, DC.

SCI’s 60 th anniversary celebration will include an Annual Conference and Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, DC July 13-16, 2016. The celebration will bring together hundreds of the most influential global leaders in diplomacy, foreign affairs, policy, business, and innovation. Elected and municipal officials, business leaders, youth delegates, and citizen diplomats will discuss this year’s theme “Peace through People,” building on President Eisenhower’s initial vision of creating a more peaceful world by building global relationships.

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Press releases on SCI website:

• Innovation_Economic Development_Baltimore.pdf
• Sister Cities International Announces Winners of 2016 Annual Awards for Innovation in Economic Development

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About Sister Cities International

Founded as a Presidential Initiative by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for 570 member communities with 2,300 partnerships in 150 countries on six continents. The sister city network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers who work tirelessly to promote the organizations’ mission of creating world peace and understanding through economic development, youth and education, arts and culture, and humanitarian assistance.