SIsteR

LOCAL NEWS & EVENTS

Uzbek Visitors & Dinner -- We will be hosting visitors from Uzbekistan on October 9-17, 2004. This visit has been arranged through the Library of Congress Open World project and will include four journalists and a facilitator/translator. Betsy Alderman, Dept. of Communication at UTC, and Bill Prince are coordinating the itinerary for the group’s visit which will focus on mass media in the U.S. and elections and politics. Rob McDonald will be assisting the group as they visit with staff members of the Chattanooga Times-Free Press and of television and radio stations in Chattanooga. They will meet with communications classes at UTC, with the Echo staff, and with UTC Chancellor Fred Obear. Home stays are also planned for the visitors.

On Saturday, October 16, 2004, at 6:00 P.M., a dinner will be held to honor our Uzbek guests. All Sister Cities members are invited to the dinner which will be held at the UTC Faculty Club at 801 Oak Street, just east of the UTC campus. The menu will include Citrus Chicken, London Broil, two vegetables, two salads, dessert and coffee/tea. The cost is $17.50 per person. Please RSVP by October 13 to Vivian Hershey at 825-1040 or at vivianhershey@hotmail.com.

Dessert & Travel Highlights from Nizhnii Tagil & Giv’atayim – Sister Cities of Chattanooga will meet at 7:30 P.M. November 6, 2004 at the Jewish Cultural Center on North Terrace Road. The program will include slides of Marge and Ron Pasch’s trip to Nizhnii Tagil and Councilman Ron Littlefield’s trip to Giv’atayim. Dessert will be served. There is no cost for the meeting, and if you have friends you think might enjoy becoming members of Sister Cities, this would be a good time to invite them to visit with us! If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Vivian Hershey, 825-1040, or to vivianhershey@hotmail.com by November 4, 2004.

New Brochure -- A new brochure promoting Sister Cities of Chattanooga is now available. See Bill Prince for copies.

ESL College Prep Classes Available -- Jane Womack, Sister Cities board member and director of the ESL Institute at UTC, has developed a ten-week program for high school graduates (between the ages of 18 and 90!) to help prepare them for college academic work. The next session begins January 24, 2005 on the UTC campus. If you know a non-native speaker who might be interested in such preparation, please contact Jane at: Jane-Womack@utc.edu or call 425-2275.

Welcome to New Members – We’re happy to have two new families as members of the Chattanooga Sister City Association. They are Ben & Roseann Briere and Vance & Charlynne Fry.

NEWS FROM OUR SISTER CITIES

HAMM – The visit to Chattanooga by three Hamm students in July and August was very successful and a delight for the host families. This fall 23 students and two teachers from Beisenkamp Gymnasium will be coming from Hamm for a school-to-school exchange with the Center for Creative Arts. The group will arrive on October 17 and stay until November 11^th. We also have an exchange student from Hamm, Ruth Kuenzel, who is attending the Center for Creative Arts this year.

WUXI – Jan Chang Edwards visited China for three weeks in September. In her hometown of Chengdu, Sichuan, she met at China headquarters of Heifer Project International to discuss their 20 year history there. Chengdu signed Sister City papers with Knoxville making use perhaps of UT's close relationship with Sichuan University. Chengdu is also the last step before reaching Lhasa, Tibet. Jan knows people who have ridden bicycles between the two cities.

Jan departed Chengdu and arrived by direct flight to Wuxi's new airport. She was met by Mr. Zhao Ming and taken to the Gangli Hotel for a two night stay. She began her first day with a visit to Jiangnan University where she presented a signed book from UTC Chancellor Fred Obear. He first visited Wuxi some ten years ago and then signed a cooperative agreement between the two universities. Jiangnan University (www.syu.edu.cn) is moving to a much larger new campus on the banks of Taihu Lake.

Later in the day, Jan dropped in on the Wuxi Chamber of Commerce where she presented a City of Chattanooga plate to their vice director. They were hosting a group from their provincial capital, Nanjing, and welcomed her to the seat of honor at the lunchtime banquet. They talked about the exchange of economic delegations.

Jan met with two individuals from Little Swan Group (www.littleswan.com), Wuxi's largest private company. They are beginning to explore global investment opportunities. With their line of efficient washing machines, stoves, dishwashers, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc., perhaps EPB could showcase these products in their new gleaming office downtown.

GIV’ATAYIM – There is still an opportunity to join the Sister Cities trip to Israel on December 7-16, 2004 (see enclosed flyer). The cost is $1898 per person roundtrip from Atlanta, and the itinerary includes Tel Aviv, Tiberias, the Dead Sea, and Jerusalem. Accommodations will include first class hotels, as well as two nights at a Kibbutz Guest House and a home stay in Giv’atayim. The ceremonial presentation of the wheelchairs being donated as part of the Wheelchairs for Peace project will take place on December 11 in Giv’atayim. For more information, contact Estelle Frank, tour coordinator: tourhostinc@comcast.net (put “Sister Cities” in the subject line) or call 954-9999. You may also contact Bill Prince: bill-prince@utc.edu or call 425-5279 (w), or 886-6780 (h).

NIZHNII TAGIL – Marge and Ron Pasch and Rob McDonald report that they had a fantastic trip to Russia during the summer, which included a home stay. They will present a slide show about their trip at the Sister Cities meeting in November.

GANGNEUNG – Plans are being made to send 20-23 of the Choo Choo Kids drama group and members of the Dance Repertory Troupe at the Center for Creative Arts to the International Junior Arts Festival in Gangneung in August, 2005. We are currently seeking funding support from local foundations.

Contribution – A special gift to Sister Cities of Chattanooga from Vance and Charlynne Fry is gratefully acknowledged.

Reminder!

Dinner for Uzbek guests: October 16, 2004 - UTC Faculty Club, 6:00 P.M.

November Meeting: November 6, 2004 - Jewish Cultural Center, 7:30 P.M.

To include information in the next newsletter and/or to receive this newsletter via e-mail, call Nancy or Tom Bibler at 267-5572 or send e-mail to biblert@bellsouth.net.