WASHINGTON, DC – Tempe, Arizona Sister Cities has been named as one of three recipients of the U.S. State Department’s annual 2020 Citizen Diplomacy award. Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, the organization was selected out of a record 22 nomination this year. Awards are presented to one winner and two runner up positions.
“Sister Cities has been one of our nominating partners since day one. Tempe Sister Cities stood out for their creative youth programs and teacher exchanges,” said a State Department spokesperson.
The Citizen Diplomacy Award was created to celebrate the significant, beneficial contributions of U.S. citizens and organizations to furthering U.S. foreign policy objectives and strengthening relationships around the world.
“It is with genuine appreciation that Tempe Sister City accepts runner up for the 2020 Citizen Diplomacy Award. It is gratifying to know that our hard work and efforts ‘in bringing the world together, one friendship at a time’ has been noticed and appreciated. We are very honored and thrilled to receive this award – our sincere thanks for this important recognition”, said Dean R. Gambino, 1st Vice President of Tempe Sister Cities.
In the past, the annual award ceremony was held in the State Department’s Harry S. Truman building in Washington, D.C. This year, however, the ceremony will take place on September 30th, 2pm-3pm EDT. The award ceremony will be streamed live on the State Department
Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/EngageStateDept and will also be shared on the Sister Cities International Facebook page.
For more information, please contact Irina Karmanova (Bureau of Global Public Affairs) at [email protected]. To find out more about the U.S. Department of State’s Citizen Diplomacy Award, visit https://www.state.gov/citizen-diplomacy-award.
About Sister Cities International
Founded as a Presidential Initiative by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for 400 member communities with over 1,800 partnerships in more than 138 countries on six continents. The sister city network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomat volunteers who work tirelessly to promote the organizations’ mission of creating world peace and understanding through programs and projects focusing on arts and culture, youth and education, business and trade, and community development.
Facebook: Sister Cities International; Twitter: @SisterCitieslnt; Website: www.sistercities.org