Award provides funding for trilateral exchanges between Canada, Mexico, and U.S. sister cities over the summer of 2011 and 2012.

Washington, DC: Sister Cities International is the recipient of a U.S. Department of State award to administer the Youth Ambassador’s Program: North America. This program will bring high school students and educators from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico together for a three-week exchange during the summer of 2011 and 2012. Cities were chosen based on existing trilateral relationships with their North American partners.

Each summer, three U.S. cities will be chosen to host the U.S.-based exchange. 2011 cities will be Phoenix, AZ; Scottsdale, AZ; and Mesa, AZ. Their Canadian sister cities are Calgary, Alberta; Burnaby, BC; and Kingston, Ontario respectively. 2012 participating cities will be Modesto, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and Culver City, CA. Their Canadian sister cities are Vernon, BC; Vancouver, BC; and Lethbridge, Alberta respectively.

Harold Pereverseff, President of the Lethbridge Twinning Society in Lethbridge, Alberta has been recruited by Sister Cities International as the country coordinator for Canada. His responsibilities entail networking with the various participant cities in Canada and to assist in the selection of students that will be referred to Sister Cities for final approval along with monitoring and reporting of the recruitment and travel plans for the selected students/chaperones. Harold will be working to strengthen the institutional partnerships between Sister Cities International and the various Canadian twinning organizations.

Harold Pereverseff – 403-381-0038 Cell: 403-330-6119 e-mail: hcbmkwaq@telusplanet.net

The Youth Ambassadors Program: North America
This grant award is an extension of an exchange program of the U.S. Department of State that illustrates the U.S. policy priority of engaging youth across North America. As a way of continuing the conversation of cooperation and mutual understanding across the continent and the hemisphere, this program will include high school students and adults who work with youth. The educational program will focus on poverty and the environment, showing local and national examples of how cities and countries are working to alleviate the negative effects of both issues. Students will spend time in their U.S. sister cities and Washington, D.C., participating in small group workshops, cultural activities, and homestays. All participants will be tasked with identifying the poverty and environmental issues in their community and implementing an outreach project to address one of these issues once they return home.

About Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International facilitates nearly 2,000 partnerships in 136 counties on six continents between 600 communities in the Unites States with similar municipalities abroad. Sister Cities International represent citizen diplomats who work tirelessly to promote the organizations’ mission of creating world peace and cultural understanding through economic and sustainable development programs, youth and education projects, arts and culture, as well as humanitarian assistance.

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) promotes international mutual understanding through a wide range of academic, cultural, professional, and sports exchange programs. ECA exchanges engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and emerging leaders in many fields in the United States and in more than 160 countries. Alumni of ECA exchanges comprise over one million people around the world, including more than 51 Nobel Laureates and more than 340 current or former heads of state and government. More information on their programs can be found at http://exchanges.state.gov/.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jennelle Root, 202.347.863 x4003. More information about Sister Cities International can be found at www.sister-cities.org. Facebook: Sister Cities International. Twitter: @SisterCityIntl.