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A resolution approving a Sister City relationship with the Governorate of Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and authorizing the Mayor to execute a Sister City Agreement.
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WHEREAS, the international Sister Cities initiative was created at President Eisenhower’s 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy with the purpose of establishing friendship and understanding between the people of the United States and other nations through person-to-person diplomacy and based on the idea that people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences; and
WHEREAS, Sister Cities of Nashville, Inc., was organized as a private, not for profit corporation in 1991 for the express purpose of promoting economic development and global understanding by assisting and encouraging the citizens of Nashville to form friendships and contacts with cities throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, the mission of Sister Cities of Nashville is to connect the people of Nashville to people of the world, promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation - one person, one community at a time; and
WHEREAS, Sister Cities of Nashville, Inc., has been officially authorized by the Metropolitan Council to administer Nashville’s Sister Cities programs; and
WHEREAS, since its founding, Sister Cities of Nashville Inc., with the support of the Metropolitan Government, has established official Sister Cities relationships with Caen, France; Belfast, Northern Oreland; Edmonton, Canada; Magdeburg, Germany; Mendoza, Argentina; Taiyuan, China; Tamworth, Australia; Kamakura, Japan; Chengdu, China; all of which relationships have been recognized officially by the Metropolitan Government; and
WHEREAS, the Governorate of Erbil sent a delegation to Nashville in May of 2022, during which visit Council members were able to meet with members of that delegation and to hear from the Governor of the Governorate of Erbil; and
WHEREAS, a delegation from Nashville, including Mayor John Cooper, Councilmembers Joy Styles and Robert Swope, former Mayor Bill Purcell, and other officials as well as members of the Board of Sister Cities of Nashville, made an official visit to Erbil to explore potential connections in areas such as health care, law, higher education, arts and culture, tourism, and governance in May of 2023; and
WHEREAS, Nashville is home to the largest Kurdish population in the country, with an estimate of more than 20,000 Kurds, who have made great contributions to our community; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Sister Cities of Nashville, Inc., has formally recommended the nomination of the Governorate of Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to be Nashville’s sister city; and
WHEREAS, The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, through the Metropolitan Council, does hereby approve this recommendation, finding that the proposed relationship will be of great benefit to the citizens of Nashville.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. That the Metropolitan Council, on behalf of the people of Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America, does hereby extend an invitation to the government and the people of the Governorate of Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to partner with Nashville, Tennessee as its Sister City for the purpose of creating greater mutual understanding and to promote a future of liberty and peace by creating a world of friendship and further authorizes the Mayor to execute a Sister City Agreement.
Section 2. That the Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a certified copy of this Resolution to Mayor John Cooper and to the Governor of the Governorate of Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Section 3. The Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.