Mayor Shows He’s No Diplomat

* Re: “Tripping Out,” (Aug. 25), which gave an account of a scheduled trip by Garden Grove’s city officials to their sister city, Anyang, South Korea, for the purpose of lobbying for Korean business investments in Garden Grove. It is unfortunate that a few citizens are “rankled,” presumably over the trip’s price tag--$4,500. The city officials are to be commended for paying their own air fare, but I found Mayor [Bruce A.] Broadwater’s response to the critics disturbing. To quote the mayor: “This isn’t in any way a fun trip. If I had my way, I’d go to Spain or some fun place.” To me, casting a sister city in such a negative light seems antithetical to the spirit of the Sister Cities program.

Perhaps the mayor needs to review the basic premise of Sister Cities International, which includes far more than a single objective of consummating business deals. To quote President Eisenhower, who founded the organization in 1956, “The Sister Cities program is an important resource in the negotiations of governments in letting the people themselves give expression of their common desire for friendship, goodwill and cooperation for a better world for all.” This people-to-people approach for improving international relationships is accomplished through various programs including cultural and educational exchanges, technical and medical assistance, and of course, trade and economic development, as well.

More than 1,065 U.S. cities, representing more than 125 million Americans, linked with 1,688 foreign cities in 117 nations attest to the success of Sister Cities International, the world’s largest volunteer organization. Feelings of mutual respect and goodwill between the participants within the affiliating cities are basic to the success of the many-faceted Sister Cities program.

AMY COURY

Board of Directors

Southern California chapter

Sister Cities International

Torrance