Baltimore Sister Cities

Feb 25 / NAMBA film screening

NAMBA: A Japanese American’s Incarceration and Life of Resilience

NAMBA film poster. Photos is from SNF Parkway website.

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2026
Time: 7pm ET (45 minute film, followed by Q&A)
Location: SNF Parkway, 5 West North Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201
Admission: Free
More information: Event webpage

NAMBA tells the American story of May, born in Seattle, Washington in 1922 to an immigrant couple from Japan. In 1942, she and her family were forced to relocate, along with more than 125,000 Japanese Americans, to one of 10 dusty incarceration camps. 20-year-old May was incarcerated in the Minidoka Relocation Center, where guards with machine guns loomed in towers overhead. While these were devastating losses, the most impactful loss was that of their freedom.

Throughout the film, May and her granddaughter, Miyako, share this complex history—the injustice and love of country—that’s rarely discussed in history books.

A Q&A with filmmaker, Emily Hanako Momohara follows the screening.

“The life and wisdom of a humble but storied local educator and activist is displayed in this touching and thoughtful short documentary. Artfully crafted as a conversation between the generations, this film shines a light on the heart, grace, and no-frills attitude of May Namba, while providing an honest and frank discussion on the impacts of Japanese American incarceration.” — Seattle Asian American Film Festival    

Sponsored by Maryland Institute College of Art, DC Chapter Japanese American Citizens League, and Asian Arts & Culture Center of Towson University.

Image is from SNF Parkway website.

2025 Year in Review: Baltimore Sister Cities

Annual Report & Plan

Baltimore Sister Cities Annual Accomplishments Report for 2025 (PDF, 4.3mb)

Baltimore Sister Cities Annual Plan for 2026 (PDF, 1.8mb)

Walking tour of historic Koreatown landmarks in Baltimore, organized by Baltimore-Changwon Sister City Committee during the 2025 Asia North festival.
Walking tour of historic Koreatown landmarks in Baltimore, organized by Baltimore-Changwon Sister City Committee during the 2025 Asia North festival.
5 musicians from Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on stage in Xiamen on October 28, 2025, performing a concert in honor of the 40th anniversary of Baltimore and Xiamen's sister city relationship. Photo by Xiamen FAO.
Musicians from Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on stage in Xiamen in October 2025. Photo by Xiamen FAO.
Enoch Pratt Free Library leadership visited 3 of Baltimore's sister city countries in 2025 (Egypt, China, and Japan). In this photo they are at the Jimei Branch of the Xiamen Library, behind a welcome sign, with staff from Xiamen Library. Photo by Xiamen FAO.
Enoch Pratt Free Library leadership visited Baltimore’s sister cities in Egypt, China, and Japan
Sia Kamara Barbara (Baltimore-Gbarnga Sister City Committee) at WE-CARE site in Liberia in 2025
Sia Kamara Barbara (Baltimore-Gbarnga Sister City Committee) at WE-CARE site in Liberia in 2025
Baltimore Scouts in Kawasaki for the 40th edition of the two-way scout exchange.
Baltimore Scouts in Kawasaki for the 40th edition of the two-way scout exchange in 2025.
Baltimore Youth Ambassadors and Xiamen students walking together in the city of Xiamen in July 2026. Photo by Xiamen FAO.
Baltimore Youth Ambassadors and Xiamen students walking together in the city of Xiamen in July 2026. Photo by Xiamen FAO.
Close up of pottery - photo from the Miller Branch (Howard County Public Library)'s webpage about their 2025 Ukrainian Pottery Exhibition
Ukrainian pottery exhibition at Howard County Public Library
Morgan State University School of Architecture + Planning students went on an architecture and urban design study trip to Rotterdam in March 20-25. Community Planners from the Baltimore Department of Planning joined the trip. In this photo, they are getting a bike tour of Rotterdam from Rotterdam city planners. Photo: Cristina Murphy.
Annual Morgan State University architecture & urban design trip to Rotterdam
Xiamen Vice Mayoral delegation at Baltimore City Hall, April 8, 2025. Photo by Xiamen FAO.
Xiamen Vice Mayoral delegation at Baltimore City Hall, April 8, 2025. Photo by Xiamen FAO.
Baltimore ultramarathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey speaking at the Swimmable Cities Summit in Rotterdam 2025. Photo via Katie Pumphrey.
Baltimore ultramarathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey featured at Swimmable Cities Summit in Rotterdam 2025.
A table with Egyptian treats at Enoch Pratt Library September 13, 2025, prepared by chef Aida Mady for a special event with a presentation from the Cohen Collection at the Johns Hopkins Archeological Museum
A table with Egyptian treats at Enoch Pratt Free Libraryprepared by chef Aida Mady for a special event related to Egyptian archeology
Our Neighbor Miss Yae is a classic Japanese film, part of the BKSCC Japan Film Program 2025. Photo of the main characters.
‘Our Neighbor Miss Yae’ is a classic Japanese film, part of 2025 Japan Film Program in Baltimore

APAHM MAY 2025

Asian American / Pacific Islander Heritage Month is the month of May. Our Asian sister city committees are involved with many events this month that celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans to the history and culture of Baltimore and Maryland:

Asia North 2025 Exhibit & Festival — May 2-31, 2025

The 7th annual Asia North community exhibition and festival celebrates Baltimore’s Charles North (a.k.a. Station North) neighborhood’s constantly evolving identities as a Koreatown, arts district, and creative center. Baltimore Sister Cities’ Asian sister city committees (Changwon, Kawasaki, Xiamen) are involved in this festival.

Opening Reception and Celebration: Friday, May 2 , 5-9pm ET
Closing Event: May 31, 5-9pm ET
Locations: 16 W. North Ave., Motor House, The Club Car, Currency Studio, Mobtown Ballroom & Cafe

Exhibitions and Festival: May 2 – May 31
Exceeds Expectations exhibition: 16 W. North Ave., Motor House, The Club Car, Currency Studio, Mobtown Ballroom & Cafe
Veiled Forms exhibition: Bogus Gallery, 1511 Guilford Ave. Opening reception: May 9, 6-10pm. Special “Night in Kawasaki” event: May 17, 3-6pm.
Festival events: Various locations throughout the Station North Arts District. Events include:
Historic Koreatown & Landmarks Walking Tour + Meet the Authors, Ginger and Frances Park  May 3, 2-4:30pm
K-Pop Dance Party May 29, 7pm At Mobtown Ballroom & Café
Short films by Asian American filmmakers May 30, 6pm at Parkway Theatre

More information and the list of events: www.towson.edu/campus/artsculture/centers/asianarts/collection-resources/asia-north/

Co-produced by Towson University Asian Arts & Culture Center and the Central Baltimore Partnership. with participation from Baltimore-Changwon, Baltimore-Kawasaki, and Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committees.

Xiamen Sister Cities exhibition at Enoch Pratt Library — April-May 2025

Location: Enoch Pratt Library Central Branch, 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Exhibition is on the 2nd floor: in the elevator lobby and towards the end of the hall.

This exhibition features images from Baltimore’s Sister City of Xiamen, as well as information about Baltimore Sister Cities and Asian American / Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

‘HAUNTED KOREAS Dreaming Unification Protest Peace’ Exhibition — until May 17

Artists: Mina Cheon with Kim Il Soon
Location: Asian Arts Gallery & Center for the Arts Atrium, Towson University, 1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204
On view: Monday – Saturday 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free (donations are welcome)

View the most extensive collection of global activist artist Mina Cheon’s series of “Unification Dream” paintings, a new perspective on the flags of a unified Korea. Each of these paintings, born from the artist’s stream of unconsciousness, is a powerful peace protest, shedding light on the intricacies of communication, love, and a shared vision of a harmonious future for North and South Korea. The call for unification within the Koreas is a concerted effort to desire peace on earth, because to dream for global peace is about healing and reconciliation of tempered worlds divided.

More information

Hosted by the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University. Promoted by Baltimore-Changwon Sister City Committee.

80 Years Later: The Atomic Bomb, Maryland, and Nuclear Abolition

The Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall in the city of Hiroshima, Japan right after the bombing on Aug 6, 1945. This building is now the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome).


Date/time: Sunday, August 10, 2025 at 1-3 pm
Location: SNF Parkway Theater, 5 W. North Ave., Baltimore, MD
Admission: Free; advance registration required
More info & to register: www.bkscc.org/news-events/80-years-later

80 years ago, on August 6th and August 9th, 1945, the US government dropped the first and only nuclear weapons ever used in warfare on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This teach-in will remember these events through a series of short films featuring:

  • Marylanders who had a direct part in the bombing and aftermath
  • An interview with one of the most famous genbaku hibakusha (people affected by an atomic bomb)
  • An animated depiction of what nuclear war would mean in 2025
  • Local and worldwide efforts to prevent nuclear war and achieve nuclear abolition

With the help of knowledgeable panelists, we will consider whether these weapons can be eliminated, and learn what role we the people, the media and elected officials can play. Panelists include:

  • Leslie Sussan, author of “Choosing Life” about her father who filmed victims of the bombings which were confiscated as described in Atomic Cover-up, a film we will see during this event
  • Kei Ito, a MICA graduate whose art is informed by his relationship with his grandfather, a Hiroshima survivor and a leader of Nihon Hidankyo, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient in 2024
  • Linda Pentz Gunter, cofounder of Beyond Nuclear, journalist, and author of the forthcoming book “No to Nuclear: Why Nuclear Power Destroys Lives, Derails Climate Progress and Provokes War”

This event is free but pre-registration is required. Register via this link: https://www.mobilize.us/backfromthebrink/event/814062/
 
Sponsors: Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, Prevent Nuclear War Maryland, Towson University Asian Arts and Culture Center, Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee (BKSCC), Pax Christi Baltimore, Baltimore Chapter of World Beyond War, Maryland Peace Action, and WG on War and Militarism, Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Quakers.

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logo-baltimoreBaltimore sister city committees operate under the auspices of the City of Baltimore’s Office of the Mayor.

 

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Previous mayor’s Dec 2015 press release about Baltimore Sister Cities becoming a 501(c)(3).

 

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