Fiorella Calderoni, with the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau, speaks with Our Ventura TV host, Ed Wehan, about the sister cities of Ventura, CA and Loreto, Mexico, which was formally established in 2015.
Loreto is a small city of approximately 17,000 people that sits on the east coast of Baja California, facing the Sea of Cortez. It was the first Spanish settlement on the Baja California Peninsula and is the starting point for the historic El Camino Real corridor that follows north along the ancient route of the Spanish missions from Mission of Our Lady of Loreto to Sonoma, California. From Loreto, Father Junipero Serra, who established the Mission San Buenaventura, planned his journey north to Alta California.
A sister city relationship is one formed between two cities in different countries. The idea was first introduced by President Eisenhower in 1956, who promoted links between citizens of different countries in an effort to bring about citizen diplomacy and build global cooperation at a local level. Cities can have more than one sister city; Chicago is currently leading the pack with 28 sister cities, followed by Los Angeles with 25. A sister city is officially recognized once the highest elected official from both cities sign off on an agreement.
Sister city relationships are meant to be mutually beneficial and may address several different aspects of community development.
Arts and culture exchanges are some of the oldest international partnerships around. By sharing each other’s cultures through sister city relationships, communities can gain insight into the history, values and spirit that make up their sister city. Exchanges may take different forms including musical performances, art exhibits, peace parks and gardens, and international cultural festivals.
Producer: GeorgeAlger.com
Director: Petrina Sharp
Asst. Director: Bill O’Connor
Sponsor: NONPROFIT FIRE, Marketing and Fundraising for Nonprofits
NonProfitFire.org
Sponsor: PJ MURALS, We Paint Your World Beautiful
PJmurals.com
Sponsor: SKYWORKS MARKETING, Performance Advertising
SkyworksMarketing.com