GFLSCI NEWS
Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International Monthly Newsletter
For more info visit our website at www.gflsci.org
July 2008 Edition
Top Stories
Haitian Opera to perform in Fort Lauderdale?
Contributed by Dr. Lissa Jean-Pierre
Cap Haitien, Haiti chair
Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International and The Broward Center for the Performing Arts are collaborating to work on a project to bring the infamous Haitian Opera to Fort Lauderdale. The opera has been very successful in other countries around the world such as in Canada where after performing for three nights in a row, the cast had to extend their stay to perform yet another show due to local popular demand. Jean Renee Delsoin produces an exhilarating performance based on “Starmania”, a modern French opera. The cast is made up of selected Haitian actors coming from impoverished areas of Haiti who have less of a chance of realizing their dreams of acting due to their social status, which makes this show even that much more satisfying. Jan Goodheart of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts feels this performance will be a hit here due to our international flair in Fort Lauderdale. GFLSCI is reaching out to the community to bring this once in a lifetime show to our city, but financial aid is needed to make this a success. If you are interested and can help please contact GFLSCI Coordinator Mr. Henrique Ikeda at 954 828-4536 or via e-mail at hikeda@gflsci.org.
GFLSCI foreign exchange student visits Rimini, Italy
Contributed by Dr. Jorge Guerra
GFLSCI Vice President-Education
Arco-Augusto in Rimini, Italy
Attached is a wonderful letter I received from Angelique, one of our foreign exchange students visiting Rimini, Italy. She and Katrina will be returning mid July along with the exchange students from Italy. We will need to plan a welcome back and a welcome to for these students shortly thereafter.
Enjoy the letter and feel good about the work that Sister Cities is doing in the lives of young people.
Thanks,
Dr. Jorge Guerra
Angélique Marcelli writes:
Ciao Jorge!
The trip is good so far. My experience there is very different from what I expected but I am enjoying it as much as I can. I love the language school. I can't speak Italian yet but I am able to understand very well. In fact, I am glad that I know French and a bit of Spanish because that's my source to understand what the family that I am staying with is saying. The father understands a bit of French and the daughter very little English, so I can tell you that my conversations with them is very interesting.
There is a lot that I want to suggest for the next students that are going to be doing this exchange. Katrina is having a very different experience than me because she hasn't encountered any difficulties since the start. On my part, I did have some but it is better now.
Maria Carla Monti is really great and she has been doing so much to make our stay a happy one. Her office is near the school and she told us that we can come anytime we want to. I go by and say hi to her after school when I am not late for my bus.
Rimini is interesting. Today I went to visit the marketplace with my teacher. We had an assignment to go identify fruits and vegetables. It was fun. Very different from the U.S.
Last week-end we went to Venice for a day. This weekend we are going to spend another one in Florence, and the next one, we are spending two days in Rome. Carla Monti is arranging a little trip for the four girls to go to my cousin Nunzio's farm in Abruzzi. They are still at the stage of planning the trip so I don't know yet.
I am looking forward to the rest of the trip. I will let you know how it all goes.
Arrivederci!
Angélique
Time for Turkey! Time to Explore Great Commercial and Cultural Exchange Opportunities with Turkey
If you were one of the fortunate people who attended the networking and cultural event to honor Turkey organized by The International Business Council of Florida in collaboration Mr. Lutfi Bakir, Business Ambassador of Turkey, then you know that this was an event not to be missed! Representing Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International was Mugla, Turkey country chair Meltem Birkegren.
This great reunion which took place on June 18th at 6:00pm at the AmTrust Bank in Fort Lauderdale gathered many great local and international businesses and welcomed with great enthusiasm the Honorable Jim Naugle, Mayor of Fort Lauderdale. Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities would like to thank The International Business Council of Florida and AmTrust Bank in Fort Lauderdale for hosting such a wonderful event and for presenting our Mr. Lufti Bakir with a certificate of recognition for promoting business and exchange between the United States of America and Turkey.
GFLSCI's Meeting with the Mayor of Rimini in Italy and The Minister of Tourism
On a recent visit to Italy this June, GFLSCI founder, Nuccia McCormick and Vice-President of Membership, Coni Porter Uzelac had the wonderful opportunity to meet with the Mayor and the Minister of Tourism for the City of Rimini to promote cultural exchange between Fort Lauderdale and our Sister City, Rimini. During their visit, Nuccia McCormick was presented with a replica of one of the tiles from one of Rimini's most important archeological complex called "The Surgeon's House". Built during the 2nd half of the 2nd Century AD, the "The Surgeon's House", was a two-story residential building of the roman period situated on the Adriatic seacoast. Remarkably well preserved mosaics and furnishings along with a collection of a 150 surgical instruments were discovered, hence, why the building was named "The Surgeon's House". To find out more about this fascinating sight along with other great Rimini attractions, visit their official tourism board website at www.riminiturismo.it
Nuccia McCormick (GFLSCI Chairman Emeritus), Milan and Coni Uzelac (GFLSCI Vice President Membeship) at a dinner with the Mayor of Rimini, the Mayor's wife and the Minister of Tourism
Nuccia McCormick receiving a replica of a tile from "The Surgeon's House"
Nuccia McCormick, Milan and Coni Uzelac, and the Minister of Tourism of Rimini at the Rimini City Hall
GFLSCI Environmental chair Dan Warren visits Africa
Environment Chair Report June 2008
Contributed by Dan Warren
May 19 to June 14 Environment Chair Dan Warren worked and traveled in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo representing Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities, Citrix and One Village Planet. Dan was accompanied by his daughter Danielle.
Dan was able to attend final day of the Africa Sister Cities Summit in Accra, Ghana and visit with Sherman Banks past President of Sister Cities International, Prince Kwaame ,current President of Africa Sister Cities and other dignitaries. Dan attended the debriefing and report to the Ashanti King in Kumasi. The event was a big success with many African nations represented.
Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities has initiated several projects in Agogo. These projects have been supported by Citrix and One Village Planet. It was recently announced that Citrix has been awarded a major award by Micro Soft in recognition for their efforts in Agogo Ghana. This award will be given in Houston in early July. Nana Akuoko Sarpong , Citrix and its partnership with Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities will be recognized. All of us in Fort Lauderdale should take great pride in this award.
We can proudly report that the projects initiated by Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities in Agogo continue to have a great impact in the community.
- The IT center is operating daily with increased local business and school participation.
- The Honey Project is increasing production and membership.
- The Fish farm achieved its first harvest and an additional pond was constructed.
- The tree seedling nursery was expanded.
- A water management project began with the construction of two dams to retain water for the coming dry season.
It should be noted that these projects have been initiated by Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities and our partners. We can take pride in initiating projects like these, however it should also be noted that community projects need continued support to become sustainable. Without capacity building, stakeholder education and continued financial support, projects in developing countries like Ghana and Haiti cannot attain sustainability. Dan would like to encourage all Board Members to make every effort to involve our local financial community in supporting all of the many worldwide projects initiated by Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities. Our organization does a great work in the many projects that all of our Board members initiate and conduct. We as a group do a relatively poor job in seeking recognition and financial support from our community.
It is Dan’s opinion that we all need to do a better job in seeking out those Kodak moments that can help promote our organization but at the same time we need to seek long term partnerships in the financial community. Dan would like to encourage all Board members to continue work together to make 2008 a great year. Finally Dan would like to recognize Co- chair Steve Holmes for his efforts to develop our domestic programs soon to be announced.
Sincerely,
Dan Warren Environment Chair
New GFLSCI Medical committee formed
GFLSCI Medical chair
Contributed by Shobha Gupta, Ph. D.
First meeting of the Medical committee took place on the 24th June with great success. Two initiatives were discussed:
1. Medical tourism
2. Nursing training and deployment.
Medical tourism is an area which can be developed as a potential for international community relations as well as business opportunity for both U.S. and participating country. There is a need for U.S. residents to travel to other countries which are able to offer timely and cost effective treatment in certain special medical areas where as residents of several other countries travel to the U.S. for getting medical treatment in specialized areas. Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities organization provides a great potential for enabling connections between the U.S. and partner countries to promote Medical tourism for mutual benefit.
Local hospitals in general have shortage of nursing staff and at the same time several countries partnering Sister Cities organization either have surplus nurses or have economic need to provide training to nurses and deploy them in the hospitals abroad. In both situations, there is a great potential to help in simplification of the process. Local educational institutions may play a key role in extending graduation or certification programs for mutual benefit of participating countries.
Education committee will be supporting the Medical chair to facilitate a panel discussion on Medical tourism scheduled to be held in September 2008. The panel will consist of a cross functional team of experts from the county.
If you are interested in getting involved with the GFLSCI medical committee please e-mail our Coordinator Mr. Henrique Ikeda at hikeda@gflsci.org
Dr. Shobha Gupta
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