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We have an active program and group of volunteers. We are
always looking for people with an interest in working on our
relationships. We serve the greater Birmingham Community.
The City of Birmingham began its Sister City Commission on
April 23,1982, when we established a Sister City relationship
with Hitachi, Japan. The program is affiliated with Sister
Cities International. The commission has as its purpose and
goal to cultivate economic,social and cultural cooperation
between the people of Birmingham and the people of selected
cities around the world. Sister Cities is a people-to-people
exchange program designed to enrich the cultural, educational,
social and economic life of communities around the world.
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Sister city, county and state affiliations between the United
States and other nations began shortly after World War II
and developed into a national initiative when President Dwight
D. Eisenhower proposed the "People-to-People" program
at a White House conference in 1956. Originally a part of
the National League of Cities, Sister Cities International
(SCI) became a separate, nonprofit corporation in 1967 due
to tremendous growth and popularity.
President Eisenhower's intention was to involve individuals
and organized groups at all levels of society in citizen diplomacy,
with the hope that personal relationships, fostered through
sister city, county and state affiliations, would lessen the
chance of future world conflicts.
We invite you to become part of Birmingham Sister Cities
as we make the global village a little more friendly one person
and cit at a time!
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