government Archives - Baltimore Sister Cities

Feb 24-25 / Stand with Ukraine

1st Year Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of and War Against Ukraine

сла́ва Украї́ні! “Glory to Ukraine!” / Heróyam sláva! “Glory to the Heroes!”

Feb 24, 2023 – Day 365 (1 Year) Anniversary of Russian Invasion of Ukraine

12 Hour Prayer Marathon — 12pm Kyiv Ukraine / 5am Eastern Time / 4am Central / 2am Pacific Time presented on zhyve.tv
9am — St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church in Baltimore — Liturgy Service Livestream on Facebook
6pm — St Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church in Baltimore — Candle Vigil Prayer Service
Baltimore’s sports stadiums will be lit in blue & yellow colors to Stand with Ukraine

Feb 25, 2023 – STAND WITH UKRAINE RALLY in Washington DC

In the morning — Free bus transportation to the DC rally from St Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church 2401 Eastern Ave. Baltimore, MD 21224 — Advance reservations required. Visit the church’s website for more information and to reserve a spot on the bus. (A $10 donation is requested from each passenger as a tip for the volunteer bus driver.)
2pm — Rally at the Lincoln Memorial. Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW, Washington DC 20002. Everyone is encouraged to bring Ukrainian flags & posters!
Followed by a March to the Russian Embassy.
5pm — Bus returns to Baltimore.

Odesa, Ukraine is a Sister City of Baltimore since 1974. Visit the Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee website at www.baltimoreodesa.org. And we urge you to support Odesa and Ukraine in its time of need — Donate to the committee’s fundraising drive for humanitarian relief here. And mark your calendars: The 47th Annual Ukrainian Festival of Baltimore takes place Sep 9 & 10, 2023.

Images for you to share on social media or print to take to the rally:

November 11, 2022 | Application Deadline for Global Gateway Program

September 2022 – November 2022

Applications Being Accepted from Overseas Companies to Maryland’s Global Gateway Program

Applications for the new Maryland Global Gateway program are now available. This program will provide incentives for the first 50 eligible companies, including:

Funding towards rent costs for six months for more than 20 business incubators and accelerators across the state
Assistance with business registration costs for foreign companies who choose to stay in Maryland
Training, mentoring, matchmaking, and networking through both state government and local incubator programs

Applications are due by November 11, 2022.

See Press Release here.

November 16, 2022 | 16th Annual CHINA Town Hall

The 16th annual CHINA Town Hall will be hosted nationwide by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) and in Baltimore by the Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee. The 2022 event will feature former (2009-2011) Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman Jr. in a national conversation on how the U.S.-China relationship affects our cities, towns, and communities.

Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

Sep. 8-11, 2022 | Xiamen China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CFIT)

The BXSCC and our partners return to China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT) this year!

Baltimore and Maryland will be represented in-person at the China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT), the largest investment and trade promotion activity in China, which takes place annually in Xiamen.

Our booth at this year’s fair is presented in partnership with the Maryland Department of Commerce and Maryland Center China, with the assistance of Baltimore Development Corp. and Visit Baltimore.

All flyers from Maryland and Baltimore will be accessible to attendees via a QR code that leads to this landing page.

Supported by Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee (BXSCC).

Sep. 24, 27 & Oct. 1, 6 | NALI Sessions

The New American Leadership Institute (NALI) is an annual four-session civics academy for emerging immigrant and refugee leaders to learn about the structure of local government, hone leadership skills, network with peers, and identify opportunities for civic participation. These sessions prepare NALI participants to act as ambassadors for their communities!

Conversational English is required to apply. To apply, please complete the N ALI application by Friday, September 9, 2022.

NALI Sessions

Session I: Leadership 101
When: Saturday September 24th, 10:00am to 2:00pm
This session will focus on training and honing the leadership skills of our emerging immigrant and refugee leaders! Our participants will have the opportunity to get familiar with different leadership styles, and how to effectively facilitate group decision making in their communities!

Session II: Navigating Local Government
When: Tuesday, September 27, 5:30pm to 8:00pm
This session will focus on educating our emerging immigrant and refugee leaders about local government and city structure. Our participants will have the opportunity to meet their elected officials and learn more about who represents them in their respective districts!

Session III: Government Entities & Community Resources
When: Saturday, October 1, 10:00am to 2:00pm
This session will focus on educating our emerging leaders about the role of government entities (agencies) and their role in providing community resources. Our participants will become familiar with the work of city agencies working to improve the lives of individuals, children, and families in Baltimore City.

Session IV: In My Neighborhood
When: Thursday, October 6, 5:30pm- 8:00pm
This session will focus on connecting our leaders with resources in their neighborhoods. Our participants will become familiar with neighborhood planning, and how to effectively apply skillsets gained from previous conference sessions. This final session will also end with a closing ceremony from the Mayor of Baltimore!

For more information, visit this website.

July 23 | Bmore for Ukraine!

Bmore for Ukraine fundraiser event July 23, 2022. Illustration of yellow sunflowers with blue stems and leaves on a black background; logos of the sponsors

Date: Saturday, July 23, 2022 (Rain or shine)
Time: 12-6pm ET
Location: Pulaski monument in Patterson Park, Baltimore
For more info and to purchase tickets: Eventbrite page

Join the Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee for the first annual BMore for Ukraine, a celebration of communities coming together to support Ukraine in its time of need. The event will feature live music, cultural dance, raffles, and more!

All proceeds will benefit World Central Kitchen & United Help Ukraine.

Maryland, USA Delegation September 2022

Maryland state’s Department of Commerce leads a business development mission to the Netherlands in September 2022, with visits to the European Water Technology Week in Leeuwarden and to the Rotterdam/The Hague region.

About Maryland

Maryland is a state located on the east coast of the United States next to Washington, D.C. It is home of the Chesapeake Bay, the port of Baltimore, extensive river tributaries, forests, agricultural lands, ocean-front beaches and mountains.

Maryland is a leader in innovation, implementation, and manufacturing in advanced technologies related to water, also known as “blue tech”, which is one of Maryland’s emerging industries. Maryland is very concerned with climate change issues, environmental sustainability and water quality. New focus has been placed on reaching carbon reduction targets, building alternative energy sources, rebuilding its natural ecosystem (including oysters), purifying its water and reducing urban heat islands.

Maryland is your gateway to the USA

Maryland is the ideal place to expand your business to the USA, and for you to find Maryland partners to assist in addressing the environmental challenges facing us all.

Maryland has developed innovative programs and incentives to help international companies interested in developing a presence in the U.S. market, including the Maryland Global Gateway soft landing program: https://commerce.maryland.gov/softlanding

Learn more about doing business in Maryland:
https://open.maryland.gov/information-for/international-business

Meet the Maryland companies

Maryland’s September 2022 delegation to the Netherlands includes:

Early Charm — A venture builder that converts science to business. It specializes in turning brilliant scientific discoveries into companies focused on growth. With a decade of experience, its companies have grown into manufacturers of specialty products, innovators for aquaculture farms, and builders of engineered products for use in healthcare.
Website: www.earlycharm.com

Innovatreat — Innovatreat’s miniMBR is an extremely efficient pre-engineered system excelling in decentralized nutrient removal and water reuse applications. The miniMBR utilizes externally mounted, vertically-oriented tubular ultra-filter membranes for biomass separation. Its one-of-a-kind, hydraulic pattern contributes to the highest energy efficiency of any MBR available on the market today.
Website: innovatreat.com

Tetrahedron, Inc. — Provides environmental services in the USA and internationally. Its services include drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater management. Its expertise has been in conducting water quality assessments with respect to all contaminants including organics, inorganics, disinfectant by-products, explosives, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and microorganisms.
Website: tetrahedron-inc.com

Blue Sources — Provides real-time, early warning systems that detect toxic chemicals in drinking water distribution and raw water systems. Additionally, its products and services are used for monitoring wastewater effluent and EPA superfund sites discharging water. In support of water security monitoring tasks, it provides consulting, technical, and managed services.
Website: www.bluesources.com

GaiaXus — Develops water environmental monitors for citizen science, school education, and academic research. Its first system is an IoT water quality system with integrated educational content. The system measures common water quality parameters such as salinity, temperature, and turbidity and is open for collaborators to add their specialized sensors.
Website: gaiaxus.com

Ranging from off-the-shelf options to bespoke solutions, these companies provide wide ranging blue tech services including water quality testing, recycling, monitoring, education, security, management and more. Large or small, on the ground or over the web, these leaders can meet your needs.

For more information

Contact the delegation’s leader:
Andrew Kreinik, Regional Manager for Europe and Australia at Maryland Department of Commerce: andrew.kreinik@maryland.gov
(or contact Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee)

Maryland Commerce’s blog post:
https://open.maryland.gov/blog/maryland-blue-tech-sector-on-full-display-at-european-water-technology-week

About the delegation trip:
https://baltimoresistercities.org/blue2022/

Venture Cafe Rotterdam September 22 networking event:
https://venturecaferotterdam.org/sessions/break-out-learn-more-about-maryland-and-opportunities-to-land-here/

Logos of the Maryland companies in delegation: Early Charm, Tetrahedron, Innovatreat, Blue Sources, GaiaXus

2021 Year in Review: Baltimore Sister Cities

Annual Report & Plan

Baltimore Sister Cities Annual Accomplishments Report for 2021 (PDF, 3mb)

Baltimore Sister Cities Annual Plan for 2022 (PDF, 1.3mb)

Some of our 2021 highlights:

Photo collage of Baltimore Sister Cities 2021 activities - the activities are described in the report.

2nd photo collage of Baltimore Sister Cities 2021 activities - the activities are described in the report.

Baltimore-Xiamen chair speaks at Baltimore Mayor’s “410 Report” event

Xin (Cindy) Wang (Chair, Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee) was one of the speakers in the 2022 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month edition of Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s “410 Report.” Other speakers included HyeSook Chung (President, Baltimore Civic Fund), Cori Dioquino (Co-Executive Director & Co-Founder, Asian Pasifika Arts Collective), and Heang Tan (Deputy Commissioner, Office of Aging). Mayor Scott and these members of our local Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community celebrated the contributions and experiences of our city’s AAPI communities. With a rich history in our city, AAPI communities continue to be a thriving source of what makes Baltimore, Baltimore. The program was originally broadcasted on Thursday, May 19, 2022, on the Mayor’s Facebook page, the CharmTV Facebook page, and the Mayor’s Instagram page.

To view a recording of this program, visit the CharmTV Facebook page.

A Tale of Two Cities: Baltimore, MD and Odesa, Ukraine

The Role of Sister Cities in International Relations

City flags of Baltimore, USA and Odesa, Ukraine

Video recording available: youtu.be/QxAFORH3MDg
Webinar was held on March 1, 2022. (Event info page: tinyurl.com/BaltimoreOdesa)

Our esteemed panelists discussed the connection between Baltimore and Odesa in light of current events at the intersection of public, private and government partnerships across the world which help promote international diplomacy.

Webinar panelists include:

Mary E. (‘Mendy’) Nitsch — Director, International Programs at the Maryland Department of Commerce, and coordinator for the State of Maryland’s Sister States program.
Lewis Madanick — Senior Program Manager for Open World Leadership Center
Eric Hontz — Deputy Regional Director for Europe and Eurasia at Center for International Private Enterprise
Ugo Poletti – Chief Editor, Odesa Journal
Moderator — Karina Mandell, Chair, Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee

Webinar organized by Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee (BOSCC).

How you can help Odesa

To support the city of Odesa, Ukraine during its time of need:
Donate to our fundraising drive, organized by Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee.

WYPR interview

Listen to recent interview on Baltimore’s WYPR radio station with Karina Mandell, Chair, Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee, talking about current events in Baltimore’s sister city of Odesa, Ukraine:
www.wypr.org/2022-02-25/baltmores-sister-odesa-ukraine

About the Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee

The Sister Cities International program was established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 to create a force for international cooperation and understanding through community involvement by promoting peace through people-to-people relationships. The Baltimore Sister Cities (BSC) Program was established in the early 1970’s by then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer. The Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee (BOSCC) was established in 1974 and is the second oldest relationship managed by Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc, a non-profit 501c3 corporation.
Visit www.baltimoreodesa.org for more information, more ways to support Odesa and Ukraine, and to volunteer for the committee.

​1st Year Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of and War Against Ukraine