Sister Cities promotes cultural awareness

Mentioning the Spokane Sister Cities Association often draws this response, “Are they still around?”

Yes, they are, and they believe their mission is more important than ever.

When the association was established in 1961, the world seemed a much larger place. There was no Internet, and messaging meant leaving a message on an answering machine.

“Person-to-person, city-to-city contact is more relevant today due to the globalization of the economy,” said member Chuck Rehberg.

The 14-member board of directors serves as a liason between the city of Spokane and the four sister city societies.

Their recent monthly meeting in the City Council briefing room focused on what they see as one of their greatest challenges: getting the word out about the association.

Spokane has four sister city relationships: Nishinomiya, Japan; Jilin City, China; Limerick, Ireland; and Jecheon, Korea. Board member Mary Carr would love to establish a sister city in Russia.

“We have such a large Russian and Ukrainian community in Spokane,” she said.

The four societies have their own boards and are open to new members.

They try to plan visits to their cities and host visiting delegations here in Spokane.

The societies promote awareness of other cultures by organizing music, film and art festivals.

While no coffee was served, board member Kerry Lynch Geraghty passed around some Christmas cookies at their December meeting. She enthused about dragon boat racing, which she considers the sister cities’ newest legacy to Spokane.

In July 2005 Spokane hosted the International Convention of Sister Cities.

Dragon boat racing on the Spokane River made its debut thanks to the efforts of the association.

A dragon boat is a 41-foot-long canoe-style boat decorated fore and aft with a dragon’s head and tail. Twenty paddlers sit two-by-two in the boat.

A helmsman stands in the back to guide the boat. A drummer in front sets the pace for the paddlers.

The Parks Foundation has since taken over the yearly event.

Geraghty said, “This is our Bloomsday and Hoopfest!”

Board member Joan Jamison pointed out other lasting contributions of sister city relationships.

“Mukogawa Fort Wright and the Japanese gardens in Manito are direct legacies of our relationship with Nishinomiya,” Jamison said.

Understanding other cultures has important ramifications, according to Carr.

“If people understood each other one on one, we might not be in a war right now,” she said.

“If we really understood other cultures, we’d be less likely to turn guns on each other.”