Report To The City. Official delegates of the trip to Haikou promoting Scottsdale give their individual summary reviews on Scottsdale Channel 11. The program is aired at 2:00, 6:00 and 9:00 pm on Wednesdays and Sundays until mid-February. Scottsdale Mayor Lane is the master of ceremonies of the report which covers education exchanges, sports tourism, cultural exchanges, economic development, medical technology exchanges and visitor’s promotion. Visits by people met in Haikou are already beginning to visit Scottsdale.

Photo: Scottsdale Booth in Haikou Sports Tourism EXPO

Scottsdale Sister Cities continues to provide programs that complement the classroom education of our city’s students by giving them real life experiences.

Twelve Mandarin language students prepared Pen Pal letters which were hand delivered to students at three Haikou high schools in November. The Haikou students who received the letters immediately prepared reply letters which were returned to the Scottsdale students. The teachers in Haikou commented upon the high quality Mandarin writing skills of the local students and invited an expansion of pen pal exchanges during the rest of the year.

In January, a delegation to Alamos took a treasure box, individual art pieces and pen pal letters (in Spanish) from Pueblo Elementary to Escula Bartolome (elementary school). The delegation then returned to Scottsdale with similar items for the students at Pueblo. While visiting the school, fourth grade students in both schools skyped one another, practicing their new language skills, Alamos students speaking in English and Scottsdale students speaking in Spanish.

Mayor Jim Lane led a delegation of twelve to Alamos January 19 – 22, 2012 to attend the opening of the Festival Cultural Alfonso Ortiz Tirado. This marked Mayor Lane’s visit to four of Scottsdale’s sister cities while in office, believed to be a record. Two high school students who had participated in a 2011 exchange to Alamos accompanied the delegation. They enjoyed keeping their friendships with their host brothers and families and were excellent youth ambassadors for their schools, Coronado and Desert Mountain.

Alamos and Scottsdale Students with Frances Burruel, Mayor Lane and Max Rumbaugh

Visits to the local elementary school and high school were led by Councilwoman Klapp. Discussions were held with the local high school principal on the 2012 exchange which will take place March 2-9. Also ideas were explored on a film festival that rotates between Scottsdale and Alamos. The trip concluded with a reception hosted by SSCA for Alamos Mayor Navarro, the Alamos sister city president, Alamos community leaders, and American’s living in Alamos.

Alamos 4^th Graders Skype to Their Friends at Pueblo Elementary

A Festive Moroccan Evening in celebration of Scottsdale’s Sister City Relationship with Marrakech, Morocco. The two mayors have now signed the agreement to establish a sister city relationship after seven years of exploratory discussions, visits, high school pen pal exchanges, and culture box exchanges. The celebration will take place on Saturday, March 24, 2012, from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM in a tented pavilion at the Old Windmill Plaza, 10271 N. Scottsdale Road. The event purpose is to raise the necessary funds to bring four bright, underprivileged, high school exchange students and their teacher to visit Scottsdale local high schools, and three student-doctor interns to visit Scottsdale Healthcare Hospital and the Mayo Clinic. This mutually beneficial occasion will afford the students/teacher and doctor-interns an opportunity to gain experience from our resourceful city, as we promote local tourism and celebrate both the similarities and diversity of our cultures.

The event drew 45 people who heard of the recent trips to Cairns by two Scottsdale students and SSCA Vice President George Hartz. This was followed by a discussion on future events student and teacher exchanges, artistic and cultural exchanges and visits by groups to and from Scottsdale & Cairns. Watch our website and Facebook page to become involved.

Mark your calendar. March 19, 2012 in the Scottsdale City Hall Kiva. Registration/Reception at 5:30 pm and program begins at 6:00 pm. According to the event chair, Martha Green the program will include a opening welcome by Mayor Lane followed by discussion on the activities and plans with each of our sister cities: Alamos, Cairns, Haikou, Kingston, Interlaken, and Marrakech.

Be sure and visit this exhibit: Scottsdale Center for the Arts I, South Gallery, 7380 East Second Street, Scottsdale. Juried submissions of Art and Writing are on exhibit through February 12. Gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00p.m. Monday thru Saturday; and 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Sunday. This Year’s Theme is “Youth as the Catalyst for Change.” You will be inspired when you visit the exhibit.