From Oita: Project ATX6 is going to Japan

Austin-Oita Sister Cities is proud to facilitate some of Austin's finest musicians to showcase at the Yumeiro Music Festival in Oita in October 2017! 

Project ATX6 is Austin's music export and documentary film collaboration which since 2014 each year brings six carefully selected musicians from Austin on international festival stages to represent the greater whole of Austin's vibrant, diverse, and eclectic musical talent abroad. This year, two of our sister cities will host Austin's artists, Angers in France and Oita in Japan.

Read more in the Austin American Statesman.

(photo by Letitia Smith)

From Saltillo: New President elected

The partner organization of the Austin-Saltillo Sister Cities Association, the Comité Internacional Ciudades Hermanas Saltillo has elected a new president for 2017-2018: Jesus Castilla, a longtime, passionate supporter of international relations and the sister cities relationship between Austin and Saltillo. 

Read the original article announcing the presidency in Spanish or the English translation below: 

Saltillo, Couah.  – With 31 votes at a state-wide member meeting, the Saltillo International Sister Cities Committee elected Jesus Castilla Sanchez as President for 2017-2018.
 
Castilla Sanchez succeeds Juan Jose Cornejo, who concluded his tenure as head of the organization. The committee met Tuesday night at the Hampton Inn.  Notary Public Alberto Fabian Villarreal oversaw the voting process.

The following functioned as vote counters:  Jose Antonio Garcia Guerra and Jesus Jimenez Alvarez; various ex-presidents served as witnesses, including:  Lupita Escartin and Mario Ricardo.  Gabriela Strozzi and Luis Torres, of the municipal president’s (mayor’s) office, officiated over the proceedings.

The Committee’s new president recognized the excellent work done by his predecessor, Cornejo Martinez.  Mr. Martinez’ accomplishments include implementation of Saltillo Day in Austin, and Austin Day in Saltillo, which will be celebrated in the coming days, along with Saltillo’s anniversary as the capitol city of Coahuila. 

Meeting participants also included:  Jorge Tafich Martinez, secretary general of UOECES; Mirna Gonzalez, president, fire fighters’ association; business owners Miguel Whelock Aguayo, Mario Ricardo Hernandez, Franscisco Javier Grijalva; and numerous business owners and committee members.

From Oita: Call for Volunteers

The Austin-Oita Sister Cities Committee is looking for volunteers at the Oita Japan Festival #OitaATX on Saturday, August 12, from 12-4 at the Asian American Resource Center.

Volunteers receive a T-shirt and $10 in festival food tickets!

If you are volunteering, please sign up TODAY at this link.  There will be a place to indicate your T-shirt size when you register. http://signup.com/go/zSnAMww 

If you are volunteering at the festival as staff and your position is not on the registration link, please email me your T-shirt size today.

If you work at a business, please invite the people you work with.  If you have 5 or more people in a group wanting to volunteer, we are happy to list you as a sponsor for the activity you are working!

We prefer that children be 15+ to volunteer.  If they are younger, they can volunteer side-by-side with a parent overseeing their work.

(from the "call for volunteers letter" by AOSCC Chairperson Kristie Bryant, July 19. 2017)

From Oita: Promoting Sister Cities on Austin's KOOP Radio

Representatives of the Austin-Oita Sister Cities Committee Kristie, Bruce and Kamakoshi-Sensei are chatting about Austin Sister Cities and especially our city's relationship with Oita, Japan on KOOP Radio today! 

Click here and pick the The Community Pilot Show for July 18 on 91.7 Koop Radio and learn all about OitaATX Japan Festival, Austin area Japanese organizations, the history of Japanese festival and upcoming Austin-Oita projects, like the 2018 delegation!

Austin goes Saltillo - final planning meeting

The Austin-Saltillo Sister Cities Association held their last meeting before #AustinDay in Saltillo yesterday at Austin City Hall. We confirmed travel and lodging details, coordinated the gift exchange and established communication channels while outside of the U.S. A group of over 30 diverse delegates led by Council Member Pio Renteria is traveling to Saltillo, Mexico to promote international understanding, commemorate the historical relationship and to plan the next stages as sister cities. Make sure to follow the delegation on Facebook and Instagram for a unique insight into citizen-to-citizen diplomacy! 

From Lima: Members of the Peruvian National Congress in Austin

Open World Leadership Center, Global Austin and Friendship Force of Austin have invited Members of the Peruvian National Congress to Austin to meet with their American counterparts. During their visit, the Peruvian delegation will attend committee meetings and legislative sessions to learn how their counterparts interact with relevant executive agencies, advocacy groups, and constituents on the subject of Accountable Governance.

The Austin Lima Sister Cities Committee is working alongside these organizations and helping with the planning and programming. ALSC is also hosting a Welcoming Reception and Farewell Reception for the Peruvian Members of Parliament.

Visit the Austin Lima Sister Cities website and social media pages for more updates.