Raleigh Sister Cities’ strong efforts at fostering international cooperation and friendship are being noticed. Recently, the program was nominated for the Sister City of the Year by the government leaders of China. The awards ceremony will be held in March of 2014 in Washington, D.C.
Raleigh Sister Cities is being nominated for best overall United States-Chinese Sister City Relationship. Chairman of the China Country Committee for Raleigh Sister Cities James Montague also was nominated for the individual award for outstanding contribution to U.S. – Chinese Sister Cities.
The City of Raleigh and the City of Xiangyang recently have had several international exchanges in education, business, and government. The two Sister City programs have established relationships between schools in their respective cities. In June, Mayor Pro Tem Eugene Weeks travelled to Xiangyang and several other cities in China to meet with government leaders for discussions.
In January, Mr. Montague and Secretary of Raleigh Sister Cities Wonza Montague travelled with Chinese government officials to Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss a current hospital that is being developed. The hospital is being constructed in conjunction with the Osogbo, Nigeria-Asheville, N.C. Sister Cities program. The Montagues also will return to Xiangyang later this month to discuss future projects. The two will leave China for Nigeria to commission the hospital.
