Sister Cities state forum discusses opportunities

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Getting more Minnesota cities involved and increasing participation was among topics discussed at the Minnesota Sister Cities state conference in New Ulm on Saturday in Turner Hall.

On what was declared Sister City Day in Minnesota by Gov. Jesse Ventura, representatives of Sister Cities in Minnesota gathered to discuss and learn more about what Sister Cities programs are doing across the state.

Sister Cities International (SCI) is a non-profit citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between communities in the U.S. and international communities, in an effort to increase global cooperation at the municipal level, promote cultural understanding and stimulate economic development.

Currently there are 16 cities in Minnesota with Sister City relationships representing 37 different international communities from 20 countries.

New Ulm has two sister cities, Neu Ulm, Germany, and Ulm, Germany.

During the conference, participants received a greeting from Mayor Arnold Koelpin, and listened to remarks from New Ulm's Sister City cultural exchange program student, Juergen Klopfer from Germany, SCI International President Chuck Stokke from Menomonie, Wisc., and from Minnesota SCI coordinator, Joyce Benson, from Duluth.

"SCI is a people-of-the-people organization learning the culture of other cities around the world," Stokke said. "We focus on bringing world peace and the same goal enhances all our of hands to work together."

SCI New Ulm co-coordinator Mark Hempel shares the coordinator duties with Joe Meyer. Hempel said his job at Kraft helped him to get involved with SCI.

"I work out at Kraft and they encourage you to be a part of the community and to give something back," Hempel said. "I got approached to join SCI two years ago and I jumped at the chance, and now this year I was elected co-chair, which is something I plan to do as long as I can."

New Ulm's biggest SCI program is the student cultural exchange program. As part of the program, a student from Germany visits New Ulm for three months and a student from New Ulm visits Germany for three months.

Hempel listed some of the activities Klopfer has participated in.

"He went to the National Drag races in Brainerd, went to a Vikings game and since he never had played golf before, the New Ulm Country Club gave him some lessons," Hempel said. "We like to expose him to a variety of activities that he can take back and share with his friends."

Hempel said since SCI began in New Ulm in 1988, the people of the community have been very supportive and have always offered their homes to exchange students.

"There's never been a time when we couldn't find a host family to help us with the student exchange program," Hempel said.

Another program New Ulm SCI offers is a German Language camp usually held after Heritagefest.

"The German language camp is a week-long program that provides students with the opportunity to learn German songs and some of the language," Hempel said. "We do this so that when we are looking for a student to go to Germany they are more prepared and aren't as nervous about going."

Benson has been the Minnesota coordinator for SCI for 12 years and was part of the first delegation from Duluth to go over to Russia. She has been to Russia 13 times to visit the Duluth sister city, Petrozavodsk.

"SCI is so exciting and so rewarding. From a government aspect I've talked to our city council and have been actively involved in international relations," Benson said. "I believe in citizen diplomacy. I want to focus on stronger and more active relations to get more people involved, which is absolutely necessary in the world which we live in today."

Benson believes people should care about what happens in the rest of the world because it does affect them.

"We live in a global era -- everything that affects us affects other people," Benson said. "We have to care about each other."

Peter Olesabay serves as the president of the Minneapolis SCI program and told the audience about what a great place the United States is to live in. Olesabay came to Minneapolis from Eldoret, Kenya, as part of a student-exchange program. Eldoret is a sister city of Minneapolis.

"I very much support the mission of SCI -- helping communities build their relationships and empowering the people in America," Olesabay said. "I helped build a school over in Eldoret and students from Minneapolis helped me with that task."

Olesabay hopes more Minnesota communities will become a part of the SCI program.

"I encourage SCI to continue to find resources and to move forward," Olesabay said. "I encourage more communities to participate and to help build the peace."

Olesabay said he was raised from a humble background which inspires him to help others.

"I want to help the people and give something back to the communities and to help improve lives of the people," Olesabay said. "I want people to live in harmony and peace. The Americans help people in need and have always been there to help. The spirit of Americans to succeed helps people to improve and empower their communities."

Stokke was impressed with the community and people of New Ulm.

"It's a perfect example of what people have done with the arts and cultural activities. It's a wonderful city and the people here need to be proud."