Please contact our committee to get involved with these and other exciting projects!

RECENT SUCCESS: COMPLETED A "NEIGHBORHOOD EXCHANGE" (AUGUST 2--9 , 2010)

The Neighborhood Exchange program encourages local citizens from our two Sister Cities--not necessarily business or government leaders--to exchange visits in one anothers' homes and to experience the local culture of the area. Four couples from the Witton-Gilbert village of Durham, UK just visited. We showed them local historical sites--including Duke Homestead, the American Tobacco Historic District, and Duke University; cultural sites--the Duke Nasher Museum and Museum of Life and Science; and social activities--including a Durham Bulls baseball game--with host families and local community groups. Then their hosting families will visit the UK in either 2011 or 2012. 

SISTER SCHOOLS PROJECT

This project links Central Park School for Children here with Gilesgate Primary School in Durham, UK.  Brady Surles, one of the local committee members, has been communicating with the head master at Central Park School for Children, a charter school located in downtown Durham, NC. The connection between students and staff at the two schools will involve electronic emails, internet links and webcam conferences focused on specific areas of study within the two schools. The principals of the two schools are generating support among their respective faculties for this project.  It is hoped that this project will generate some life-long links between children in the two schools.

DURHAM READS EVENT

In December several members of the Durham Committee participated in a joint project with the Downtown Rotary Club and Durham Library's "Durham Reads"; this involved a tele-conference held in Perkins Library at Duke University between local author, Paul Austin, members of the Rotary Club and medical community, and their counterparts from Durham, UK.  There was a one-hour discussion of Austin’s recent book, "Something for the Pain", in which he relates his experiences as an emergency room doctor.

Durham UK holidays

1 Jan New Year's Day.

10 Apr Good Friday.

13 Apr Easter Monday (except Scotland).

4 May Early May Bank Holiday.

25 May Spring Bank Holiday.

31 Aug Summer Bank Holiday (except Scotland).

25 Dec Christmas Day.

26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note: Public holidays are usually referred to as ‘bank holidays’ in the UK.