PARK DISTRICT
LATE NITE HP
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
THINGS TO DO
   
SISTER CITIES FOUNDATION Updated February 19, 2010
 

Meeting Date:
Fourth Monday of
Each Month

Meeting Agenda

2010 Commission Work Plan

Contact Information
Chuck Meyer,
Administrative Intern

E-mail: cmeyer@cityhpil.com
Office: (847) 926-1043
Fax: (847) 432-1385

Highland Park has three Sister Cities; Ferrara, Italy, established in 1989, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, established in 2001, and Modena, Italy established in 2009. Highland Park's sister city relationships were forged through cooperation with Sister Cities International, based in Washington D.C., who helped match Highland Park with the two cities. In 2006, Highland Park also formed a friendship cities relationship with Kiryat Gat, Israel. A sister city link develops when an American community of whatever size or character links with a community in another nation. The goal for the cities involved is to learn more about each other and to develop exchanges.

As sister cities, citizens and organizations are involved in the exchanging of ideas, cultures and people. Highland Park, Puerto Vallarta, and Ferrara have participated in several exchanges since the relationships were forged. Several organizations from Highland Park have traveled to both Puerto Vallarta and Ferrara, including a contingent from a tennis organization who played in a tennis tournament, the Highland Park Strings, and student groups from Highland Park High School. Conversely, several contingents have traveled from Puerto Vallarta and Ferrara to Highland Park, including a group of 40 young people from Italy who sang and danced Italian music from the 1950s through the 1980s and a group of artists who participated in the 2005 Port Clinton Art Festival. Plans are currently underway to establish exchanges with Kiryat Gat. A group of school children from Kiryat Gat visited Highland Park in 2006 and were given a tour of the City.

The Sister Cities concept was initiated by President Eisenhower in 1956 to establish greater friendship and understanding between the United States and other nations through direct contact.

Current Membership List
Carol Wolfe, President Board Member
Richard Wolfe, Vice President/Puerto Vallarta Board Member
Luis Vasquez, Vice President/Education Board Member
Rhoda Pierce , Vice President/Israel Board Member
Bill Lipsman, Vice President/Treasurer Board Member
Larry Pasquesi, Vice President/Italy Board Member
Maria Pasquesi, Vice President/Italy Board Member
Wendy Lipsman, Vice President/ Secretary/Historian Board Member
Juan Montenegro, Vice President/Public Relations Board Member
Claire Montenegro, Vice President/Public Relations Board Member
Barb Belmont Indefinite Term
James Belmont Indefinite Term
Holly Kerr Indefinite Term
Gail Guggenheim Indefinite Term
Jim Rosenbaum Indefinite Term
Marcia Rosenbaum Indefinite Term
Mary Jo Papich Indefinite Term
Abby Block Indefinite Term
Larry Block Indefinite Term
Linda Muskin Indefinite Term
Barbara Harvey Indefinite Term
Sandy Richman Indefinite Term
Nancy Richman Indefinite Term
John Baldwin Indefinite Term
Judi Baldwin Indefinite Term
Burt Schmarak

Indefinite Term

Carole Schmarak Indefinite Term
Luis Vasquez Indefinite Term
Daniel Pierce Indefinite Term
Azza Cohen Student Representative
Michael Belsky Mayor
Terri Olian City Council Liaison
Chuck Meyer Staff Liaison