the 2022 Sister Cities International Innovation in Business,

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International has won

Trade, and Professional Exchange award !

Thank you for all the hard work and support...

Paramedics Exchange Program - São Sebastião, Brazil !! June 11th - 17th.

Fort Lauderdale and Cap-Haitien, Haiti celebrated 20 years of becoming Sister Cities. Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities’ Cap-Haitien, Haiti Committee chaired by Naomie Labaty, and co-chaired by Angie Bell and Maritza Guerrier, presented the Pitit Okap Awards at the Tower Club in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This event celebrates 20 years of sister cities relations between our two cities and fostered new relationships between our citizens. The Pitit Okap Awards were presented to four bright, natives of Cap-Haitien, Haiti who inspire us with their dedication to promote Haitian culture and history. These persons are Samuel Dameus, Rose Lumane St-Jean, Maybeline Despagne, and Christopher Laroche (Freedom). This was an opportunity to bring together business professionals, artists, government officials and creatives from South Florida’s diverse communities. Other special guests included Keynote Speaker Bocchit Edmond, Ambassador of Haiti to the USA and special guest, Miss Universe Haiti, Pascale Belony and Cap-Haitien Vice Mayor Patrick Almonor.

On November 9, 2021

March 1st, 2022

Capt. Gabriel Zahora of the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department & Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities (GFLSCI) Board

organized the working visit of the Colombian Fire Inspectors.

After visiting Fort Lauderdale City Hall, GFLSCI Medellin, Colombia Chairman Fernando Gill hosted the visitors

at Las Orquideas Restaurant with Colombian Consul General Pedro Valencia, Vice Consul Jhon Ospina,

and Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities Board Members Joey Crawford and Russell Weaver.

Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International

“The Sister Cities program is an important resource in the negotiations of governments

in letting the people themselves give expression of their common desire for friendship, goodwill

and cooperation for a better world for all.”

- President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Agogo is a small town located in the Ashanti region in the central part of Ghana. The name of the city was originally derived from the name of a multiple bell used in samba baterias. Much of the economy from the region is dependent on cocoa as well as the gold-mining industry. A place that has gained a lot of renomation is the Agogo Hospital which falls under the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. It has been conducting research on the growth and survival rate of low weight babies in the country of Ghana.

Belo Horizonte, a Portuguese name meaning “beautiful horizon”, is the third largest metropolitan area and fifth largest city in Brazil; capital of Minas Gerais state, Belo Horizonte is a place of intense economical and cultural activity. It has a great infrastructure for national and international events.

Cap-Haitien is a city approaching to one million people on the north coast of Haiti. It is the capital of the North department. Due to its proximity to wide Caribbean beaches to its northwest, Cap-Haitien has traditionally been a resort and vacation destination for many vacationers.

Fort Lauderdale, March 22, 2011 – The City of Fort Lauderdale officially established its 17th sister-city relationship with the City of Duisburg, Germany on Friday, March 18th, 2011 at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler and Duisburg Lord Mayor Adolf Sauerland signed the proclamation twinning the two cities at 5:00 p.m.

Gold Coast City is located in the South-east corner of Queensland, Australia. Second most populous city in the state and the seventh most populous city in the country, this city is renowned for its sunny subtropical climate, world-class beaches, waterfront properties, wide array of tourist attractions and long, high-rise-dominated skyline.

Haifa is the main city of northern Israel and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 280,000. Situated in a broad natural bay between the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the Carmel Mountain, the city’s terraced landscape offers a rich variety of breathtaking panoramas. The industrial region of Haifa is north of the city, near the Wadi Kishon.

A city in Taiwan, Republic of China with abundant natural landscapes, resources, and a pleasant climate.

Kaohsiung is located in southwest Taiwan. Central Mountains, Jade Mountains, and Ali Mountains are to the northeast; Jia-Nan Plain is north, Taiwan Strait is west; while Kao Ping River and Pingtung County are southeast of Kaohsiung.

La Romana is the third-largest city in the Dominican Republic, and one of the biggest in the Caribbean, with a population estimated in 2005 at 240,000. The city is a hub for a growing tourist industry with several nearby local resorts, such as the beachfront Bayahibe, Punta Cana and Casa de Campo. La Romana is not a typical Dominican town; instead, it is a company city, with the Central Romana Corporation owning the majority of the town. It is

Margarita Island is the largest island of the Nueva Esparta State in Venezuela, and is situated in the Caribbean Sea, off the northeastern coast of the country. Its primary industries are tourism, fishing and construction. The population currently is about 420,000. The biggest city on Margarita Island is Porlamar, known for its commercial center; it flourishes with shops and good restaurants.

Mar del Plata is a city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the Buenos Aires Province that has one of the major fishing ports and the biggest seaside beach resort in Argentina. As part of the Argentine recreational coast, tourism is one of Mar del Plata’s main economic activities, that`s why this city offers sophisticated tourist infrastructure to cater to the industry and as such, casinos, theatres and other tourist attractions.

Medellin is an extremely attractive town which serves as the industrial and commercial center for the surrounding region of Antioquia; with roughly two million inhabitants, is Colombia the second largest city. The city is knows as the “City of the Eternal Spring” due to its mild climate all year long. It is widely regarded in Colombia as a clean, well-organized and economically vibrant community.

The city of Mugla is the seat of Mugla province which stretches along Turkey`s Aegean coast in the southwest of the country. The Mugla Province has a population of over 715,000. The economy of Mugla relies mainly on tourism from the coastline and agriculture, forestry and marble quarries from the inland. Due to the recent growth of the Mugla University, which has a student population of 16,000, Mugla has found many new visitors as well as a reinvested interest in researching its architectural heritage.

Panama City has a total metro population of over 1,060,000. It is the capital of Panama which is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. Panama City is the political, administrative and cultural center of the country. The city has numerous tourist attractions including world-class hotels and restaurants. Of particular interest to tourists are various sites located in the Casco Viejo. Panama City has also become a desired location to retire to for many American Citizens due to its low tax incentives.

Quepos is located in the Puntarenas Province in Costa Rica. The city is popular among tourists for its numerous bars and restaurants as well as a vivacious nightlife. The city also attracts tourists because of the beaches and the rainforests. The best time to visit Puerto Quepos is from December to April with a special notice for February when the Festival del Mar, a month long party that features concerts, sporting events, parades and a street carnival with dancers from across the country, is held.

Rimini, is located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and is capital city of the Rimini Province. It is located on the Adriatic Sea near the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient Ariminus) and Ausa (Aprusa). Coast navigation and fishing are traditional industries and, together with Riccione, it is probably the most famous seaside resort on the Adriatic Riviera, among Italians. Rimini is famous for its budding clubbing scene, and is known as the “Ibiza of the Adriatic”. Some of Rimini`s popular tourist sites have deep historical roots.

Sao Sebastiao is a Brazilian city, located on the southeast coast of Brazil, in the state of Sao Paulo. The population in 2006 is 75,886, its density is 188.1/km² and the area is 403 km². The Tropic of Capricorn lies 25 km north. The municipality existed since 1636 and formed a part of the old hereditary capacity of Santo Amaro.

Venice is located in northern Italy, and has a population of 271,663 (census estimate January 1, 2004). The city stretches across numerous small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. Together with Padua (Padova), the city is included in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area (population 1,600,000). Venice’s nicknames include “Queen of the Adriatic”, “City of Water”, “City of Bridges”, and “The City of Light”.

Constanta is situated in the South-East of Romania, it is one of the most resourceful cities in the country: the biggest port on the Black Sea and one of the major European ports, an important university center, as well as a touristic city with remarkable history and the most up-to-date, voguish and populated tourist resort of the Romanian riviera – Mamaia Resort.

Thessaloniki Greece (or Salonica), the capital of Macedonia Prefecture, is the second largest city in Greece, after Athens. In fact, the town is honorarily called co-capital, for its historical and administrative importance. The history of the town started in ancient times and due to its strategic location, it played an important economic and political role in the wider region of the Balkans.

Information from greeka.

OUR SISTER CITIES