Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International

"Passport to the World"

Serving Fort Lauderdale for more than 20 years, Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International, Inc. (GFLSCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between Fort Lauderdale and international communities in an effort to increase global cooperation at the municipal level. This Passport to the world promotes cultural understanding and humanitarian programming and stimulates economic development. GFLSCI leads the movement for local community development and volunteer action by motivating and empowering private citizens, municipal officials and business leaders to conduct long-term programs of mutual benefit.

• Develop municipal partnerships between U.S. cities, counties, and states and similar jurisdictions in other nations.
• Provide opportunities for city officials and citizens to experience and explore other cultures through long-term community partnerships.
• Create an atmosphere in which economic and community development can be implemented and strengthened.
• Stimulate environments through which communities will creatively learn, work, and solve problems together through reciprocal cultural, educational, municipal, professional and technical exchanges and projects.
• Collaborate with organizations in the United States and other countries which share similar goals.

Our Sister Cities

GFLSCI Receives Two of the 12 Lou Wozar Awards at the Sister Cities International Conference in Albuquerque New Mexico

Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International has been selected to receive two awards: BEST OVERALL PROGRAM and INNOVATION: YOUTH AND EDUCATION (HONEY PROJECT) at the Sister Cities International 2010 Annual Awards Program in Albuguerque, New Mexico. These awards are a tribute to the work, contributions, and dedication of volunteers and the community to help foster international cooperation and understanding over the past year.
Sister Cities International is a not-for-profit organization powered by citizen diplomats, educators, elected officials, business leaders, youth and young professionals, municipal organizations and community volunteers with a network of nearly 2,000 community-tocommunity partnerships conducting a variety of programs and exchanges. We are a
community of 136 countries and regions spreading across six continents.

Left to right: Mike Hyatt, Chairman, Board of Directors, Sister Cities International, Marianne Winfield, President, Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities, Gabriel Zahora, Chair for Mar Del Plata, Argentina, Tony Marcelli, Chair Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, Patrick Madden, President and CEO Sister Cities International.

Innovation: Youth and Education
Population 100,001 - 500,000

The HONEY Project of is Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International’s international economic development initiative that produces young social entrepreneurs working to alleviate global poverty. Its mission is to train, inspire, and empower young people to affect the world through social enterprise, The project seeks to address social issues which as youth empowerment, poverty alleviation, and the preservation of the environment by teaching youth how to be social innovators and change innovators through entrepreneurship and revenue instead of charity.

At lectern, Mary Jean Eisenhower, President and CEO of People to People International and granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the Founder of People to People and Sister Cities International in 1956. Left to right: Mike Hyatt, Chairman, Board of Directors, Sister Cities International, Marianne Winfield, President, Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities, Gabriel Zahora, Chair, Mar Del Plata, Argentina, Nuccia McCormick, Chairman Emeritus, Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities, Cris Boehler, Florida State Representative, Sister Cities International, Tony Marcelli, Chair Cap Haitian, Haiti, Patrick Madden, President and CEO Sister Cities International.

Best Overall Award Population 100,001 - 500,000
Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities

International is a non-profit citizen diplomacy network dedicated to creating and strengthening partnerships between the City of Fort Lauderdale and cities around the world in an effort to increase global cooperation on many levels. This passport to the world promotes educational, humanitarian, environmental and cultural understanding in addition to stimulating economic development.

GFLSCI has established relationships with 17 sister cities on five continents. The first sister city relations began in 1961 with the creation of an educational exchange program between Nova Southeastern University and Medellin, Colombia.

The organization is composed of 35 volunteer board members and their support is exceptional when it comes to organizing different programs and events. Our relationship with our community partners, local consulates and trade office of our sister countries, chambers of commerce and our continuous interaction without sister cities counterparts is also very important in supporting our programs.

In 2009, GFLSCI adopted Cap-Haïtien, Haiti as the Sister City of the Year and all of our committees joined forces to incorporate this sister city in their events and activities while allocating a portion of he funds raised through the year to assist Haiti -- more specifically, the "Dollar a Tree" reforestation program.

The year 2009 also marked the inauguration of Youth Ambassadors Program in our sister city Kaohsiung County where we sent two students to learn the language and culture and represent our sister the city of Fort Lauderdale in Taiwan. Likewise, the students from Taiwan experienced a wonderful educational experience where they learned English and more about our city and the Untied States.

From environmental programs in Haiti and Ghana, to student and principal exchange programs in Italy, Taiwan, and Australia, to building a school in Dominican Republic to promoting economic development and municipal exchanges with Coat Rica and Argentina, to creating a cultural art exchange in collaboration with Australia, Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities international is very proud to present our accomplishments for the year 2009, which we believe was a very successful year for our organization.

More Information

GFLSCI is an excellent way for you and your organization to establish close relations with one or more international communities. For more information on Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International and their programs, membership, and upcoming events, visit their website at www.gflsci.org, e-mail info@gflsci.org, or call 954-828-4536.

• GFLSCI Brochure
• Membership Application