Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
Need to set up your free e-Newspaper all-access account? click here.
Non-subscribers
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
Register to comment
Click here create a free account for posting comments.
Note that free accounts do not include access to premium content on this site.
I am anchor
Cultural exchange
Fountain Hills Sister Cities embarks on next partner search
Sister Cities celebrates 25 years
Photo courtesy of FHSC
Fountain Hills Sister Cities recently sat down with members of the Fountain Hills Italian Club as it begins building relationships in Italy for a potential future sister city.
Posted
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Fountain Hills Sister Cities (FHSC) has been working on the selection of its next sister city.
FHSC’s current Sister Cities are Ataco, El Salvador (2007), Dierdorf, Germany (2005) and Zamosc, Poland (2014). Kasterlee, Belgium, which became Fountain Hills’ first Sister City in 2000, chose the Emeritus status in 2022.
A sister city relationship prospers best when there is a dedicated team that cultivates the partnership well into the future, according to a press release. A Sister City partnership process is a lengthy one that involves much coordination to establish the partnership through the final sign-off between the mayors or highest-elected officers of the chosen cities.
FHSC has inquired with sister cities members and Fountain Hills residents about where they would like to see its next partnership. Answers were varied and include Asia, Canada, the Canary Islands, Central America, Croatia, Italy and Mexico.
Five Italian cities have been proposed in a survey, and FHSC has partnered with the local Italian Club to begin building relationships in Italy.
President of the Italian Club Steve Baggio and FHSC President Christine Colley along with members of both organizations will coordinate this project.
The Town of Fountain Hills has been a loyal supporter of Fountain Hills Sister Cities endeavors, helping support student exchanges with Dierdorf and Zamosc and offering humanitarian support for Ataco.
