Northern California Chapter of Sister Cities International

Stockton Sister Cities Association Board Meeting
2024-08-01 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-09-05 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-10-03 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Valley Brew, 157 W Adams St., Stockton, CA, 95204, United States
First Thursday of the Month

Youth Leadership Summit 2024
2024-08-04 - 2024-08-10 | Sister Cities International Headquarters, 1012 14th Street, N.W. Ste 1400, Washington, DC, 20005, United States
The 2024 Youth Leadership Summit includes sessions and activities for youth, ages 14-18, from across the globe. The Summit is designed to engage future leaders and expose them to important global challenges inspiring a new generation of citizen diplomats and volunteers who become instrumental in promoting peace, mutual respect, and prosperity. The main goal of this summit is to prepare students with leadership and professional development skills to enable their successes and growth in the global community.

Sonoma-Penglai Committee Meeting
2024-08-05 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-09-02 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-10-07 11:00 - 12:30 | CA, United States

Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities: Bell Ringing for World Peace
2024-08-06 18:00 - 18:30 | Cupertino Memorial Park, 21121 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities Inc. is hosting its fifth annual Bell Ringing Ceremony to commemorate 79 years of peace since WWII.
On August 7, 1945, at 10:13 a.m., between the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Naval Armory in Toyokawa Japan was bombed.
Cupertino is sister cities with Toyokawa.
Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities Inc. will hold a bell-ringing for World Peace event on August 6, 2024, at 6:13 p.m., to coincide with the time of the bombing in Japan.
Everyone is welcomed and is encouraged to bring a bell to ring as we renew our sister city relationships and our wish for everlasting peace.
Please arrive a few minutes early for the prompt start of a short ceremony at 6 p.m. You will be able to easily spot us from the parking lot on Alves Drive, behind the Quinlan Community Center. Please bring a small bell to ring, if you have one. Casual attire.

Sonoma-Kaniv Committee Meeting
2024-08-14 18:00 - 19:45, 2024-09-11 18:00 - 19:45, 2024-10-09 18:00 - 19:45 | Sonoma Library Meeting Room, 755 West Napa, Sonoma, CA, 95476, United States

Concord Ambassadors General Meeting
2024-08-15 18:30 - 19:30, 2024-09-19 18:30 - 19:30, 2024-10-17 18:30 - 19:30 | Concord City Hall – Garden Conference Room, 1950 Parkside Drive, Concord, CA, 94519, United States

Sonoma Sister Cities Association Board of Directors Monthly Meeting
2024-08-19 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-09-16 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-10-21 18:00 - 19:30 | TBA

Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association general meeting
2024-08-20 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-09-17 19:00 - 21:00, 2024-10-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
General meetings are typically held on the third Tuesday of the month. All are welcome to attend!
To receive the Zoom meeting link, email ofsca1962@gmail.com.
This is an open meeting using the free Zoom video/audio meeting platform. No subscription is required, and Zoom is free to download for your desktop or mobile device, can be used with your device’s built-in microphone/camera, or can be joined via telephone call (audio only).

Cupertino-Hsinchu Student Exchange Information Meeting
2024-09-09 19:00 - 20:00 | John Muir Elementary School, 6560 Hanover Drive, San Jose, CA, 95129, United States
The City of Cupertino will be welcoming student delegates,7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th graders from Hsinchu, Taiwan as a part of its annual student exchange program. The delegations, along with 3 chaperons, are scheduled to visit Cupertino from October 26th and November 3rd, 2024. These students will have the opportunity to experience American Culture, explore our community and attend local schools. During Spring Break of April 2025 we will be sending our student delegation to Hsinchu so our students have the chance to explore and learn about Taiwanese culture and education system.
To enhance each student’s cultural experience, the Cupertino-Hsinchu Sister City Association (CHSCA), with the support of the City of Cupertino, Cupertino Union School District and Fremont Union High School District, invites interested families to participate in this event as hosts to these students. One visiting student will be assigned to each home. While the exchange students will mostly attend organized activities during the week, the host families will have opportunities to arrange activities with the students during the week and weekends. Cupertino Union School District and Fremont Union High School District students who host will also have the opportunity to travel to Hsinchu, Taiwan during Spring Break of April 2025 as part of our student delegation.
Students who host Hsinchu students in October 2024 will be eligible to be an exchange student for our April 2025 trip to Hsinchu. Students who are not selected to host in October 2024 will be considered for the student exchange in April 2025 and if selected to go, will host in October 2025.
All interested families whose child holds a valid US passport, is in grades 7-12 in either CUSD or FUHSD, and resides within those district boundaries, are invited to join the 2024-2025 Host and Exchange Program Information Meeting to learn more about our student host and exchange program for the year.

Santa Cruz Sister Cities Committee meeting
2024-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Santa Cruz City Council Chambers, 809 Center Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, United States
The purpose of the Committee is to encourage the people of Santa Cruz and its Sister Cities to understand one another as individuals, as members of their community, as citizens of their country, and as part of the family of nations.
Agendas and minutes

Cupertino-Hsinchu Sister City Association board meeting
2024-10-07 18:00 - 19:00 | CA

Morgan Hill Sister Cities: Olive Oil Tasting
2024-10-12 17:00 - 20:00 | TBA
Join us for a Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting event!
Cost: $45, proceeds benefit Morgan Hill Sister Cities

Heavy hors d’oeuvres accompany the tasting
Tasting led by an expert – U.M.A.O. Certified for Olive Oil Taste Rating
BYOB, wine and beer glasses will be provided
Limited seating; reserve your space early!

Contact: Amy Whelan to purchase tickets and receive event location details

55th Annual Otsukimi Moon Viewing Festival
2024-10-13 17:30 - 20:30 | Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave., Oakland, CA, 94610, United States
Join Oaklanders under the moonlight for a traditional Japanese celebration of the Harvest Moon.
The Harvest moon is a symbol of blessing and abundance for many cultures. Similar to tea parties, these moon viewing parties are occasions for sharing food and stories while enjoying what is considered the most beautiful moon of the year.
Annually, several hundred people gather at Lake Merritt’s Lakeside Park Garden Center for the annual Otsukimi Moon Viewing Festival. After an indoor program that typically includes martial arts demonstrations and Japanese drums, festival-goers walk to the lake to join astronomers and observe the powerful October new moon.
The Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association, whose mission is to promote “cultural awareness, understanding, and friendship” between Oakland and Fukuoka, Japan, organizes the annual festival.
Program
5:30 p.m. Bonsai Garden & Bento Dinner

Open House by the Golden State Bonsai Collection North 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Japanese “Bento” box dinners (sushi & skewered meats/fish) created by Musashi of Berkeley.
Vegetarian Bento available upon request*.
Come see our 60th anniversary mosaic mural (dedicated in 2022), 10 Japanese stone lanterns dedicated in honor of our 50th anniversary in 2012, and the magnificent Torii Gate (dedicated in 2002 in the Memory of the late Oakland Council Member Frank Ogawa 1917-1994).

6:30 p.m. Entertainment

Asian Pacific Children’s Convention Student Ambassadors
Las Lomas High School Japanese language class
Diablo Taiko (Japanese drums)

7:30 p.m. Moon Viewing

Telescopic Viewing of the Moon and other celestial points of interest provided by the Eastbay Astronomical Society

The Harvest moon is a symbol of blessing and abundance for many cultures. Similar to tea parties, these moon viewing parties are occasions for sharing food and stories while enjoying what is considered the most beautiful moon of the year.

President Eisenhower's 134th Birthday
2024-10-14 | CA
In honor of President Eisenhower’s 134th Birthday on Oct. 14, 2024, we are lighting the candle on this fundraiser. We will take the week to celebrate and honor his legacy. Give a gift to a young person following in Ike’s footsteps.
Sister Cities International, which Ike founded in 1956, provides leadership and citizen diplomacy training to young people, ages 14-18, through its Youth Leadership Summit. Your “birthday” gift can help cover the cost of this once in a lifetime experience for a student wanting to learn about leadership and diplomacy.
Donate today!

SCI Fall Leadership Meetings
2024-10-15 - 2024-10-17 | The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, CA, 90802, United States
SCI Fall 2024 Leadership Meetings
Oct. 15-17, 2024
Long Beach and Los Angeles, California
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024
2 p.m. Optional choice of prearranged tours in Long Beach, California. Cost will vary between $20 and $40.

Tour of the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Includes a private welcome at the aquarium and a self-guided tour.

Tour of Long Beach City College.

Campus tour led by Presidential Student Ambassadors. First Lady of Long Beach, Dr. Nina Richardson will address the group.

Tour of The Museum of Latin American Art and The Pacific Islands Ethnic Art Museum

Admission to both museums is included.

5:30-7:30 p.m.: “Meet Me at the Mary” Reception on the Queen Mary.
Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024
8:30 a.m.: Mayor of Long Beach Breakfast Reception at Port of Long Beach.
10-11:30 a.m.: Strategic Plan Activity for SCI Board Members.
11:45 a.m.: Board buses for an Afternoon Tour and Film at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Los Angeles, California Boxed lunches and bottled drinks to be brought on the buses.
12:45 p.m.: Arrival at JANM.
1-4:20 p.m.: Afternoon Tour and Film at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM).

1 p.m.: Welcome remarks
1:30 p.m.: Self-guided tour with Docents to answer questions.
2:30 p.m.: Groups walk across the Norman Y. Mineta Plaza to the Tateuchi Democracy Forum theater for film and Q&A (to be livestreamed). No food or beverages allowed.
2:40 p.m.: Film and livestream Begins.
3:20 p.m.: Panel Discussion with Ann Burroughs, President and CEO of JANM and Harvey Yamagata, JANM Board Member

4:20 p.m.: JANM event ends.

Option 1 at 4:45 p.m.: Participants going directly to the Conrad Hotel evening fundraiser event will depart on a bus.
The evening fundraising event at the Conrad, Los Angeles (hosted by Jessey and Cherie Lee) is separately ticketed. For more information visit, click here
Option 2 at 4:45 p.m.: Participants not going directly to the Conrad Hotel depart on a bus for Long Beach.
Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024
9-11:00 a.m.: SCI Board Meeting – Aboard the Queen Mary.
11:30 a.m.: Optional Long Beach Port Tour (max. 30 people)

2024 4th Quarter NorCal Chapter Board meeting
2024-10-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Santa Clara Central Park Library, 2635 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, 95051, United States

Best Practices: Business, Trade, and Professional Exchange Virtual Roundtable
2024-10-24 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
This event will spotlight the 2023 Sister Cities International Innovation in Business, Trade, and Professional Exchange Award recipients, showcasing the remarkable programs that earned them their awards. You’ll hear directly from San Antonio Sister Cities, Birmingham Sister Cities, Hot Springs Sister Cities, and Aspen Sister Cities about their successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
The event will feature presentations from these award-winning programs, followed by an interactive Q&A session. This is a great opportunity to gain practical insights and strengthen collaboration within the sister cities network.
Register online via Zoom

Morgan Hill Sister Cities meeting
2024-10-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Centennial Recreation Center – Senior Center, 171 W Edmundson Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA, 95037, United States
Join us anytime! Meetings always welcome the general public.
Sister Cities is an all-volunteer, membership organization formed in 2002.
We currently host relationships with six international cities in Italy, Turkey, Mexico, Japan and Ireland.
