RESOLUTION 926
A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING ERFURT, GERMANY AS A SISTER CITY TO THE CITY OF SHAWNEE, KANSAS.
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City of Shawnee, Kansas to join with other communities to promote better understanding of other peoples and different religion, to participate in educational and youth exchanges, and to develop and share municipal technical and professional knowledge; and
WHEREAS, it is hoped that such exchanges will develop more personal visits between citizens from both communities, enable our city to establish an open dialogue to find unique solutions to improving the quality of urban life and help us to better understand our own community by interpreting our way of life to people of another culture; and
WHEREAS, the City of Shawnee, Kansas is one of the earliest towns in Kansas, officially founded in 1856, located at the intersection of early roads leading to the Santa Fe Trail, which can trace its early roots to an Indian settlement known as Gum Springs and has since grown from a small farming community into a rapidly expanding Kansas City suburb; and
WHEREAS, the City of Erfurt, Germany, known as the City of Flowers, is an ancient European city with a rich cultural heritage which can trace its beginnings back over 1250 years to a time when it was a center of prosperity during the Middle Ages, and like Shawnee, is also situated at an important crossroads of old trade routes; and
WHEREAS, the Sister City Program was launched as a national concept in this Nation's Capitol in 1956 as a means of providing meaningful exchanges between Americans and the people of other lands; and
WHEREAS, the Sister City Program is committed to the goal of enhancing international understanding and cooperation, and encouraging relationships between communities in the United States and communities in other countries; and
WHEREAS, the City of Shawnee has formally stated its support of the Sister City Program and its goals and stated the city's intent to establish sister city affiliations:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SHAWNEE, KANSAS:
That the City of Shawnee, Kansas, hereby officially acknowledges its affiliation with Erfurt, Germany, as a sister city, joining together to enhance mutual understanding and to share cultural heritages.
ADOPTED by the City Council this 8th day of June, 1993.
APPROVED AND SIGNED by the Mayor this 8th day of June, 1993.
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Jim Allen, Mayor