Sister Cities of Durham, Inc.

SYNOPSIS

Documented agreements (M.O.U.) between City of Durham and the four Sister Cities:
Arusha, Tanzania;  Durham, England;  Kostroma, Russia;  Toyama, Japan.

The following lists the essentials of each agreement:

Arusha, Tanzania, copies in Swahili and English.

Agreement of July 1991, no day date entered, signed by then Mayors, Mapwela of Arusha and Jenkins of Durham, NC.

Positive and constructive relations that can be generated, plan to explore various areas of cooperation, including but not restricted to, the fields of government and administration, business, and economic development, art(s) and culture, science and technology, education, and health.

M. O. U.

An unsigned attachment entitled Memorandum of Understanding adds the following:

  1. Government
    Exchange of available information on city planning, administration, and redevelopment in which each city will explore potential exchanges of key technical and administrative personnel.

  2. Business and Economics
    Exchange information and explore projects, which involve the business communities of Arusha and Durham.  Such explorations may include various business organizations in each city which may lead to and include exchanges of trade exhibits and business seminars.

  3. Culture and Art(s)
    Desire to develop art(s) and cultural exchanges between the two cities, which may include “an artist in residence” type program utilizing the museums, libraries, and other institutions in each city.

  4. Education
    Develop a series of exchanges between primary and secondary schools, technical institutes, colleges, and universities which may include faculty, student, staff exchanges.

  5. Science and Technology
    Exchange information on a broad range of scientific and technological issues utilizing such institutions in each city.  Such informational exchanges may develop into exchanges of scientific personnel.

  6. Medicine and Health
    Exchange information between medical and health care facilities in each city to determine potential areas of mutual benefit.  This document presents areas for discussion, with possible future additions upon mutual consent.

Agreement with Durham, England

There is no formal agreement on any types of exchanges.  All that exists is a framed document signed by the Durham, England, city government.  See enclosure (3).  However, the City Clerk did furnish us a copy of Resolution No. 1993, designating Durham, England, as our sister city.  See Enclosure (4).

Agreement with Kostroma, Russia, copies in Russian and English.  
          Dated Monday, November 27, 1989
          Signed by both Mayors with Durham NC seal.
Please, note, country is USSR rather than Russia.

  1. The document lists in order, the following:
    Promoting cooperation and strengthening friendly relations between residents, their lives, jobs, cultures, educational systems various spheres of human activities.
  2. Contacts between administrative bodies, urban planning/development/transportation municipal services, health care, education, culture (KULTURA), architecture, leisure, sports.
  3. Alternate reciprocal exchanges, to last no more than 7 days, unless otherwise agreed upon, (of):
  • Official delegations
  • Mixed delegations, officials, experts, veterans, students, amateur performing groups, athletes
  • Specialized delegations to stage festivities
  • Delegations concerned with specific areas of city life

Sending:

  • News items on activities of cities
  • Exhibits graphic arts, folk crafts, children’s publications/materials/drawings, photography, etc.
  • Documentary and amateur motion pictures
  • Local press articles
  • Literature, magazines, books, other publications/material

Visiting delegates to acquaint themselves with city, country, families, media print, aural, visual, press conferences, and interviews with local press, radio, TV

  1. Active involvement of public organizations, working people, cultural, scientific, youth, union, education and other organizations.
  2. Public to be kept informed via media, local, meetings, rallies, friendship evenings etc.
  3. Durations of visits to be determined annually
  4. Costs
    1. for transportation to the host country born by visiting side,
    2. for hotels, meals, excursions, everyday services, travel by delegates within country born by host side.  

M.O.U.  with Toyama, Japan, copies in Japanese and English signed by both mayors, June 13, 1989

Specific areas of cooperation are:

  1. Government
    Information on city planning, administration, and redevelopment each city to explore other ways for useful exchanges.
  2. Business
    1. Desirability and need to reach preliminary agreement on projects involving the business communities
    2. Agree that economic exchanges and projects should be coordinated by business groups.  Facilitate and coordinate development of business between the two cities.
    3. (1) Exhibits of projects from each city in exhibition spaces in the other city
      (2) Seminars for representatives of each city on how to do business in the other city
      (3) Meetings to explore the possibility of establishing reciprocal commercial offices in each city.
  3. Science and Technology
    1. Schools and universities.  Determine whether an exchange of information in a broad number of disciplines can take place.  Aware of the sensitive nature of certain technology, great mutual benefit can be derived by exchanging scientific data.
  4. Education
    1. Explore ways for students in both cities to study the language and culture of thesister city.
    2. Explore faculty exchanges.
    3. Explore exchanging language teachers for a school year to teach at high school level.
    4. Explore feasibility of other mutual exchanges and other means of learning about educational techniques and establishment of sister schools.
  5. Medicine
    1. Establish friendly relationship between a Durham and Toyama hospital.  Exchange information, visits, seminars for medical staff and other medical professionals.  
    2. Medical communities explore medical information and instruction exchange.
  6. Cultural
    1. Exchange exhibits of painting, sculpture, ceramics, other visual arts objects.
    2. Explore exchange visits by performing artists.
  7. Personal Exchanges
    1. Promoting visits
    2. Promote direct communication between citizens
  8. Timetable
    To ensure that some projects are completed rapidly, to demonstrate commitment of each city to the new relationship, the two cities should agree to focus initially on the conclusion of letters of intent in relation to business contacts, establishment of friendship relationships between hospitals.  Both cities shall make substantial progress on these projects and commence some of the return visits by Toyama delegation to Durham.  Each city will also continue to explore ways to accomplish the other projects and be ready to discuss more specific ways to implement the other projects by the return visit of the Toyama city delegation.