War in Iraq has created divisions between some countries, but the ties formed here in Utah with "sister" cities abroad remain strong and, to the people who continue reaching out to other cultures, more important than ever.
"I see this as a critical time to build those relationships," said Jennifer Andelin, chair of the West Jordan Sister City Foundation.
West Jordan forged a bond with Votkinsk, Russia, through Sister Cities International.
SCI bills itself as a "citizen diplomacy network" that creates and strengthens unions between U.S. and international communities to foster global cooperation, starting at the local level.
At last count, Salt Lake City had six sister cities in Bolivia, China, Ireland, Japan, Philippines and Ukraine. West Valley City's sister is Nantou, Taiwan, and Tooele's is Kambarka, Russia. Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort and Park City have sister ties to Switzerland and France.
For West Jordan, it's about a free exchange of ideas, information and cultures with Votkinsk. Delegations from both cities have made several trips to each other's countries.
One project focused on studying each other's methods of providing fire and police services. Another effort took 7,000 pounds of clothes and 2,000 pounds of medical and dental supplies to Votkinsk.
West Jordan's sister city budget is only $2,000, which is used primarily for SCI dues and operation expenses. Those who travel to Votkinsk or host Russian families do so on their own dime. Andelin has paid her way to Russia four times.
"It gives people the opportunity to reach out to other people in the world, to make connections governments alone can't make," she said. "If you can improve the life of someone or a group of people who otherwise would not have the opportunity, I believe that's worth it."
With the war, Andelin has found herself more in the role of diplomat with her Russian friends, who e-mail or call and ask what she thinks of America's involvement in Iraq. Andelin's 20-year-old daughter, Kimberly, is serving in the military in Kuwait, which makes answering questions even more tricky. Russian leaders have spoken out against attacking Iraq.
Andelin concluded a long answer to Votkinsk teacher, Natalia Rebrova, by calling for continued strong ties between the two countries. She called for peace, but also for a liberated people everywhere and to rid the world of a threat from a country believed to possess weapons of mass destruction.
The benefits of having a sister city are not always immediately tangible. For Andelin, it's a process of building relationships.
Some people, though, are skeptical or critical of the purpose or impact of a sister city program. Before Dennis Nordfelt took the job as West Valley City's mayor, he thought the city was spending too much for sister city projects.
"I just could not see any measurable fruits of the effort," Nordfelt said. Staffers were gone for days to Taiwan or spending time away from city hall to host families from Nantou.
West Valley City officials are now looking at a proposal to reduce the sister city budget from up to $25,000 annually to $17,000, but with trips planned to Nantou each year through 2011. The two cities share a mayor's youth ambassador program, an international business alliance, college program and civic/cultural exchanges. There are also efforts to develop an English-as-a-second-language program to bring jobless nursing school graduates in Nantou to this country to help fill a shortage of nurses here.
Nordfelt took a trip to Taiwan in February that changed his tune. "I've never worked harder in my life." The days were filled with meetings at various businesses, making contacts that have already yielded economic benefits for both cities — and more may be on the way. Nordfelt said he also learned a lot about how Nantou handled recovery from a devastating earthquake.
War in Iraq, Nordfelt said, will not destroy the bond with Nantou. "This type of war that we're experiencing right now makes the sister city relationship even more valuable and more important."
Tooele sister city committee member Janna Roberts agreed, and a trip to Kambarka is planned, possibly for spring or summer.
Roberts recalled a conversation between a Russian fighter pilot and a sister city delegate where both agreed they have in the past been victims of their own government's propaganda.
"What that helped me to see," said Roberts, "is that when we sit down with people and get to know them and see that they're just like us, that the governments and all the politics don't mean anything anymore."
E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com