Envisioning a world outside your own neighborhood can be quite daunting if you’ve never ventured beyond the borders of the United States. Sister Cities International was established in 1956 during a White House summit on citizen diplomacy led by President Eisenhower. Its aim was to cultivate connections between people from diverse communities around the world. In 1994, Noblesville Mayor Mary Sue Rowland took the initiative to create Noblesville Sister Cities, and by 1996 the committee had established its first sister city partnership with Nova Prata, Brazil.
“It takes some time to find a suitable sister city,” says Jackie Chatterton, interim president. “They try to pair up cities with some commonalities. That could be the size of your city, demographics, geographical type of location, or a history of agriculture.”
In 2006 Henry Cole worked tirelessly to add Cittadella, Italy, to the agreement, making it a trilateral pairing. The three cities collaborate on various fronts including governance, commerce, community advancement, cultural interchange, youth involvement, and fostering relationships. Each July the cities take turns hosting students, chaperones and local representatives for a two-week visit.
“In today’s digital age, the students find each other on social media well before the trip, so they know a little bit about each other before the trip,” Chatterton says. “They chat in advance about what sports they play or what they’re studying in school.”
Eight students (two from each visiting city) are selected to stay with host families in the host city. These families also accommodate chaperones and officials accompanying the students. Chatterton says over the years, the group has found this the most immersive way to fully experience the local culture and build incredible relationships with people that will last a lifetime.
“The delegates or dignitaries usually schedule and participate in meetings with local business and city officials during the trip,” Chatterton says. “During those two weeks, we keep the students very busy with trips to Morse Reservoir, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana Statehouse and Conner Prairie, to name a few.”
Following a brief pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy hosted the event in 2023. Brazil will host this summer, with Noblesville set to entertain in 2025. As a volunteer and donation-driven committee, hosting becomes a costly endeavor.
“The group ends up being about 30-plus people,” Chatterton says. “The only cost to the student is their passport and their airfare, so we must find ways to pay for entertainment, meals and transportation. We’re always working to find ways to partner with organizations to help offset those costs.”
Noblesville Sister Cities operates independently from Noblesville Schools, making the trip generally more affordable than school-sponsored clubs. Chatterton says their primary challenge is spreading the word about the group. Prospective students must be 16 years old by July 1, live in Noblesville, and have not started their freshman year of college.
For more information about Noblesville Sister Cities, joining the committee, hosting a student or sponsorship opportunities, visit noblesvillesistercities.my.canva.site.
About Noblesville Sister Cities
Founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, Sister Cities International is a nonpartisan nonprofit serving as the national membership organization for 545 U.S. sister cities, counties and states, with 2,121 partnerships in 145 countries on six continents. This network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers.
Noblesville is proud to be a part of this national organization by bridging the gap between students and leaders in Noblesville and our two sister cities in Cittadella, Italy, and Nova Prata, Brazil. Through what is called a tri-lateral agreement, our cities get to share in three cultures. Each year we rotate who hosts. Over the course of a 10- to 12-day exchange each summer, students and dignitaries are engaged in home stays, a variety of activities, and tours of significant places around the area. By the end, friendships have been created and connections have been made. The beauty and hope of this organization is to spark relationships that could one day bring about peace. The connections created during each exchange last a lifetime, and it’s amazing to know that you have people who will support you and welcome you with open arms who live thousands of miles from where you work or attend school.
As a private organization through the city, we are a nonprofit that hosts and sends students and leaders with little cost to them, compared to what a normal trip of this caliber would cost. Students typically pay for their airfare and that is all. When they arrive in the host country, expenses are covered with the exception of things like souvenirs. When we host, however, we are responsible for the expenses of the whole group. This includes meals, activities and tours. They are special guests and we want to make them feel at home in our country.
We invite you to join us by taking a “Seat at the Table” as we plan future foreign student exchanges between our three linked cities. You can help in many ways: financially, on our planning committee, or by hosting an exchange student or dignitary.
For more information, please visit noblesvillesistercities.my.canva.site.
