Northern California Chapter of Sister Cities International

Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association general meeting
2023-09-19 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-08-15 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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).

“Kindness Can Change The World....And It Costs Nothing©" Photography Exhibition
2023-09-19 12:00 - 14:00 | Stockton City Hall Lobby, 425 N. El Dorado St., Stockton, CA, 95202, United States
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Stockton Sister Cities Association and Parma, Italy’s Sister City relationship we are inviting residents of Stockton, and of Provincia di Parma to participate in the “Kindness Can Change The World….And It Costs Nothing” photography project.
From May 1st-July 31st, 2023 the Stockton Sister Cities Association accepted original digital photos taken from Stocktonian’s and from residents of our Sister City the Provincia di Parma, Italy that they believe expresses the idea “Kindness Can Change The World….And It Costs Nothing”.
All submitted photos will be exhibited digitally at a “Kindness Can Change The World….And It Costs Nothing© ” photography event during the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Parma, Italy/Stockton, CA. Week in September 2023, with 20 selected photos being printed for display.
All photos submitted are the property of the Stockton Sister Cities Association.

Sonoma Sister Cities Association Board of Directors Monthly Meeting
2023-09-18 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-08-14 18:00 - 19:30 | TBA

Sonoma-Kaniv Committee Meeting
2023-09-13 18:00 - 19:45, 2023-08-09 18:00 - 19:45 | Sonoma Library Meeting Room, 755 West Napa, Sonoma, CA, 95476, United States

Santa Cruz Sister Cities Committee meeting
2023-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
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

Walnut Creek Sister Cities International Board Meeting
2023-09-11 19:00 - 20:00 | TBA

Stockton Sister Cities Association Board Meeting
2023-09-07 12:00 - 13:00, 2023-08-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Valley Brew, 157 W Adams St., Stockton, CA, 95204, United States
First Thursday of the Month

Sonoma-Penglai Committee Meeting
2023-09-04 11:00 - 12:30, 2023-08-07 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual

Origami Crane Workshop with Concord Ambassadors
2023-09-02 11:00 - 12:30 | Contra Costa County Library – Concord, 2900 Salvio Street, Concord, CA, 94519, United States
Join Concord Ambassadors friends who will teach us the basics of this Japanese paper-folding technique. Then add your creations to our collaborative origami display in the library!
This program is best for ages 9 and up.
No registration required. For accommodation, please contact the library with 72-hour notice.
Help us to make 1,000 origami paper cranes! We hope to have 1,000 cranes displayed around the library first to celebrate Peace Day (September 21st) and then the display will be used to welcome a Japanese delegation who will arrive in October 2024 to celebrate 50 years of friendship between Concord, California and Kitakami, Japan.
Stop in to see our progress and grab a kit while they’re still available! This is a community project waiting for you.
This passive program is possible thanks to the Concord Ambassadors and our Friends of the Concord Library.

Cleanup at Torii Gate at the Gardens at Lake Merritt
2023-09-02 10:00 - 16:00 | Torii Gate at The Gardens at Lake Merritt, 666 Bellevue Ave., Oakland, CA, 94610, United States
Join the Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association (OFSCA) for its clean up at Torii Gate (Gardens at Lake Merritt at Lakeside Park).

18th Annual Union City Sister City Festival
2023-08-20 12:00 | Mark Green Sports Center, 31224 Union City Boulevard, Union City, CA, 94587, United States
Please join our local and international guests enjoy our cultural performances and foods provided by Union City’s 10 sister cities.
Please join us promote peace through friendship.
Agenda:

Doors open at 12:30 p.m.
Lunch at 1 p.m.
Program at 2 p.m.

This multicultural event includes lunch, raffle and cultural presentations showcasing the best of each sister city’s culture.
Participating sister cities:

Pasay City, Philippines
Santa Rosalia, Mexico
Chiang Rai, Thailand
Jalandhar, India
Liyang, China
Asadabad, Afghanistan
Baybay City, Philippines
Mushin Lagos, Nigeria
Guro, South Korea
Khushab, Pakistan

Don’t miss this great Union City event!
Tickets are $20 for admission and lunch. Contact a Union City Friends of Sister Cities member to purchase tickets.

2023 San Mateo Toyonaka Team Auction and Cocktail Party
2023-08-18 17:00 - 21:00 | Par 3 at Poplar Creek, 1700 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo, CA, 94401, United States
Join us for a fun evening to support the 2023 San Mateo Toyonaka Team
Agenda

5 p.m. bar opens
5-7 p.m. silent auction
7:15 p.m. live auction and raffle

Casual attire
Tickets
$50/person
Includes light appetizers, champagne toast and a chance to win many awesome auction items including an autographed Tom Brady jersey, Gotham Club Giants tickets, Warriors tickets, a Kern’s Jewelry necklace and so much more! Cash bar will be available
Buy your tickets by Aug. 9 at smsistercity.com

Online auction
Also support the online auction between 8 a.m., Aug. 11, and 8 p.m., Aug. 17

About the San Mateo Toyonaka City Baseball Exchange Program
The San Mateo sister city baseball exchange program started in 1979 and every four years, we have the privilege of sending 20 young baseball players to our Sister City in Toyonaka, Japan for a once in a lifetime experience. The team, consisting of twenty ball players, ages 10-12, chosen through a rigorous tryout process, will get to experience many facets of Japanese culture firsthand, play competitive baseball against our sister city’s All-Star teams, homestay for a week with a Japanese family, and make friends that can last a lifetime.
This year marks the 60th Anniversary of San Mateo’s relationship with Toyonaka, Japan.
We want to provide this experience to any child who can make our team, so we also try and raise 100% of the funds for the cost of the trip, to not exclude those families who may not otherwise be able to send their child.
So, help is needed to cover plane tickets, train travel, uniforms, meals, and other expenses that make this trip possible.
The San Mateo Sister City Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so your donation is tax-deductible.
Anything helps! Please donate to keep this wonderful experience alive and strong for future generations of children.
どもありがとうございます。

2023 San Mateo Toyonaka Team Golf Tournament
2023-08-18 13:00 - 16:30 | Poplar Creek Golf Course, 1700 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo, 94401
Join us for a fun event to support the 2023 San Mateo Toyonaka Team
1 p.m. shotgun start time at San Mateo’s Poplar Creek golf course!
Details:

Scramble/Best Ball format so golf talent is not required!
Prizes for longest drive, closet to pin, best outfit, etc. + other fun games/prizes
Nacho buffet and 2 drink tickets at Par Three Bar after golf

Please reserve your foursome now via completing the signup and payment online OR send a check made out to:
San Mateo Sister City Association
And mailed to:
c/o Golf Tournament
P.O. Box 729
San Mateo, California, 94401
View the event flyer
About the San Mateo Toyonaka City Baseball Exchange Program
The San Mateo sister city baseball exchange program started in 1979 and every four years, we have the privilege of sending 20 young baseball players to our Sister City in Toyonaka, Japan for a once in a lifetime experience. The team, consisting of twenty ball players, ages 10-12, chosen through a rigorous tryout process, will get to experience many facets of Japanese culture firsthand, play competitive baseball against our sister city’s All-Star teams, homestay for a week with a Japanese family, and make friends that can last a lifetime.
This year marks the 60th Anniversary of San Mateo’s relationship with Toyonaka, Japan.
We want to provide this experience to any child who can make our team, so we also try and raise 100% of the funds for the cost of the trip, to not exclude those families who may not otherwise be able to send their child.
So, help is needed to cover plane tickets, train travel, uniforms, meals, and other expenses that make this trip possible.
The San Mateo Sister City Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so your donation is tax-deductible.
Anything helps! Please donate to keep this wonderful experience alive and strong for future generations of children.
どもありがとうございます。

Concord Ambassadors General Meeting
2023-08-17 18:30 - 19:30 | Concord City Hall – Garden Conference Room, 1950 Parkside Drive, Concord, CA, 94519, United States

SCI Youth Leadership Summit: Public Forum
2023-08-10 09:00 | Virtual
~Celebrating United Nations’ International Youth Day~
We are pleased to inform our global audience that we will be celebrating International Youth Day on August 10, 2023, at Noon ET this year!
Sister City programs worldwide play a crucial role in empowering young individuals to adopt a global perspective, fostering a new generation of citizen diplomats and volunteers who actively contribute to promoting peace, mutual respect, and prosperity. The Youth Leadership Summit, an integral part of our initiatives, aims to involve future leaders in addressing significant global challenges. Aligned with International Youth Day, this summit serves as a platform for our diverse global membership of all ages to engage with experts in the field, participate in student panels, and take part in the highly anticipated annual Young Artists and Authors Showcase.
Check out last year’s Youth Leadership Summit!
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information!
Feel free to contact us at with any questions, comments or concerns.

San Mateo Sister City Association: Dine Out Fundraiser
2023-08-10 | Your Local Panda Express, United States
Support the Toyonaka Baseball team on their trip to Japan this fall!
28% of sales will be donated to the San Mateo Sister City Association
When

Thursday, August 10, 2023
Place your order for pickup or delivery on Thursday, August 10!

Where

Available at Panda Express locations nationwide
www.pandaexpress.com

How

Online orders only
Apply code 916108 in the Fundraiser Code box during online checkout at www.pandaexpress.com or via App

San Jose-Okayama Sister Cities: Bells for Peace
2023-08-08 19:02, 2023-08-05 16:15 | CA
In remembrance of the 78th Anniversary of the Nuclear Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and to remind us that this should never happen again, everyone is invited to ring bells, at home, in your city, whoever you are.
Our sister cities in Japan will be ringing bells at the same moment in time, literally creating good vibrations across the Pacific.

Cupertino Sister Cities: Bell Ringing for World Peace
2023-08-06 18:13 - 18:14 | Cupertino Memorial Park, 21121 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities Inc. is hosting a Bell Ringing Ceremony to commemorate 78 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, 2023, 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.

SCI Youth Leadership Summit: Youth Chats - Youth and Climate Change
2023-08-03 08:00 | Virtual
Building upon the success of last year’s Summit, this program aims to provide a platform for students to express their ideas freely on crucial topics such as democracy and climate change. Through engaging interactive discussions and thought-provoking sessions, the Summit will empower students to voice their opinions confidently, fostering an environment of open dialogue and constructive exchange.
The first part of the Summit will consist of two “SCI Youth Chats” on July 20 and August 3, 2023. These chats will be open to students around the world and will feature leading speakers in their fields.
The second part of the Summit, “Youth Leadership Summit- Public Forum” will take place during the week of International Youth Day, on August 10, 2023 and will be open to participation from our global audience. During the program, participants will have a chance to learn more about Sister Cities International, listen to the experiences of SCI Youth Chats participants, and view unique artwork from our Young Artists and Authors Showcase.
SCI Youth Chats
July 20 and August 3

Are you a high school student who wants to meet other people from around the world?
Are you wondering how you can take action on global issues?
Have you been searching for a platform where you can share your ideas freely and improve your public speaking skills?
If your answer to these questions is yes, our new program “SCI Youth Chats” is perfect for you! Check out our past chats.

Apply now

To apply, you should be between the ages of 14-19.
After filling out the Zoom registration link, you will be notified of your acceptance status and asked to confirm your attendance to ensure an engaging conversation.
If you are accepted but not able to join the program you will need to let the SCI team know ASAP to give us enough time to adjust our preparation materials.
You can apply to as many conversations as you want.
You will receive an online certificate at the end of each Youth Chat, which is a great resume builder!

More information and applications

Youth and Democracy Chat – July 20, 2023, 11 a.m. ET
Youth and Climate Change Chat – August 3, 2023, 11 a.m. ET

Sister Cities International: Board of Directors Meeting
2023-07-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
SCI Members and SCI Leadership Teams are invited to attend various scheduled meetings on July 27-28 – in person or virtually.
Board of Directors Meeting
Friday, July 28, 2023
1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Zoom link

Sister Cities International Annual Business Meeting
2023-07-28 07:00 - 10:00 | Virtual
Be it virtually or in-person, we are excited to invite you to the Sister Cities International Annual Business Meeting on Friday, July 28, 2023, at 10 a.m. Eastern time!
The Annual Business Meeting is open to all SCI Members and SCI Leadership Teams. It will include reports from the Board Secretary, Board Chair, and President & CEO and will announce the 2023 Board of Directors election results and the 2023 Annual Awards winners.
We hope that you will join us for this important SCI Annual Business Meeting either in person in Durham or virtually through Zoom!
Annual Business Meeting Registration

To attend the Annual Business Meeting in person, you must register. Online registration has ended for in-person attendance, but registration will be available at our event venues in Durham.
To attend the Annual Business Meeting virtually, you must register via Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions to join the meeting at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, July 28, 2023.

Other meetings
The Zoom links for other meetings are shown below NOTE: the SCI Academy will only be available for in-person attendees and cannot be streamed virtually.

State Representatives and Country/Region Representatives Meeting
Thursday, July 27, 2023
8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Zoom link

Board Meeting
Thursday, July 27, 2023
1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Zoom link

NOTE: The Zoom links for Thursday morning’s State/Region/Country Reps meeting AND the afternoon Board meeting are purposely the same link.

Morgan Hill Sister Cities meeting
2023-07-27 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.

Agent Orange Symposium - A Discussion Regarding Veterans' Healthcare
2023-07-27 17:30 - 19:00 | Marines’ Memorial Club, 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA, 94102, United States
Agent Orange and other toxins have been associated with many illnesses and deaths over the past years. The lingering effects have impacted military veterans, their families, and others. Related issues will be discussed by two eminent professional experts who dedicated much time and research to the impact of military weapons on soldiers and civilians in war zones.
Recent legislation enacted by the US Congress and signed by the President will be discussed. Known as the PACT Act it is an extremely important piece of legislation that affects Veteran’s healthcare that not only impacts those who served in Vietnam but also, those who served in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia Guam, Samoa the Johnston Atoll, and other places. Both speakers have a wealth of knowledge regarding the PACT ACT and will be able to answer questions after their presentations.
Speakers
Robert L. Owen, MD
Professor Emeritus- Medicine, Epidemiology & Bio-statistics – U.C. San Francisco, School of Medicine
Dr. Owen has been the Environmental Health Physician responsible for Agent Orange Database examinations at the San Francisco VA Medical Center for most of his medical career and was privileged to travel to Vietnam with the San Francisco-Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee in 2011 to visit residual Agent Orange contamination sites in Vietnam. Dr. Owen’s UCSF and VAMC clinical work includes gastroenterology, general internal medicine, intestinal infectious diseases, HIV infection and AIDS, travel medicine, and especially the medical effects of military occupational environmental exposures in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Vietnam (Agent Orange) and Ionizing Radiation exposed veterans.
Paul Cox
Marine Veteran, Board Member of Veterans for Peace and Sword to Plowshares. American Legion Member.
Paul Cox joined the Marine Corps in 1968 and served 18 months in Viet Nam He is now a retired civil engineer. He has worked for peace, justice, and an end to war, with a particular emphasis on healing damage from two ongoing legacies of the Vietnam War – Agent Orange and unexploded ordnance. Presently he serves on the board of Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign, a national project of Veterans for Peace. He is also a board member of Swords to Plowshares Veterans Rights Organization and served as Board Chair from 2009 to 2012.
Space is limited
Registration opens at 5:30 p.m. Event begins at 6 p.m.
Presented by The Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel in association with the San Francisco – Ho Chi Minh City Sister City Committee.
The Committee is a non-political educational people to people program. It is organized under the laws of the state of California, and is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation by the Internal Revenue Service. FEIN: 94-3198119

Sister Cities International: Board Meeting
2023-07-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
SCI Members and SCI Leadership Teams are invited to attend various scheduled meetings on July 27-28 – in person or virtually.
Board Meeting
Thursday, July 27, 2023
1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Zoom link
