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<br />CITY OF SAN LEANDRO <br /> <br />STAFF REPORT <br /> <br />APPROVED AND <br />FORW ARDED <br />TO CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />July 3, 2007 <br /> <br />Jo <br />Ci <br /> <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />John Jermanis, City Manager <br /> <br />BY: <br /> <br />Steve Hollister, Assistant City Manager <br /> <br />Kathy Ornelas, Community Relations Representative\t9-0 <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />SUB.JECT PRO.JECT/PRO.JECT DESCRIPTION: <br /> <br />RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CITY OF Y ANGCHUN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE, <br />PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AS A FRIENDSHIP CITY <br /> <br />SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION <br /> <br />It is recommended that the City of San Leandro enter into a Friendship City aftiliation with the <br />City of Yangchun, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China to create greater mutual <br />understanding and provide educational, cultural and economic development exchange <br />opportunities between the two cities and nations. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />Analysis <br />In 1956, President Eisenhower enacted the "People-to-People" program to establish greater <br />friendship and understanding between the peoples of the United States and nations throughout <br />the world. Out of this program developed the Sister City (also known as Twinning City) concept <br />which is practiced in cities throughout the country. <br /> <br />In 1962, San Leandro adopted its first Sister City, Ribeirao Preto. Brazil, under the stewardship <br />of the since disbanded San Leandro Town Affiliation Committee. In 1970, Ponta Delgada of the <br />Azores Islands of Portugal and San Leandro joined as Sister Cities. Then, in 1989 San Leandro <br />affiliated with the City of Naga in the Republic of the Philippines. Over the past 45 years, <br />cultural, educational and social exchanges have occurred between San Leandro and these Sister <br />Cities, generally prompted by support from community groups and organizations. City officials <br />have traveled to each of the Sister Cities at various times. <br /> <br />The Asian community of San Leandro has grown exponentially to now be at least twenty-five <br />percent of the population. Members of the Asian community, including members of the Asian <br />Community Cultural Association and the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce Asian Business <br />Council, have asked the City to consider affiliating with a city in China in a Friendship City <br />association. Friendship Cities are not as common as Sister Cities, but provide more flexibility in <br />the relationship and less formality. <br /> <br />It has been recommended by members of the community that the City of Yangchun in <br />Guangdong Province would be a suitable Friendship City. Mayor Hu Hai Guang of Yangchun <br />