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October 2024, Newsletter
Letter from the Director
Happy October everyone. We’ve got a busy one!!
We just said good-bye to an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) group on Women Leaders for Peace & Security, wow, was that an inspiring bunch! Next, we’ve got two more groups coming: “Amplifying Indigenous Voices in Climate Change” and “Climate Crisis - Working Together for Future Generations”, we’ll have some hosting opportunities for those (please see below). Then, we may get another delegation at the last minute, so will reach out for hosting needs if available.
Also, for those who are interested, our partner, ABQ Sister Cities Foundation has put out a request for nominations for their national Youth Ambassadors program, see below.
Members, please note your calendar for a Global Ties ABQ sponsored AMP Concert and cocktail party at the Fusion performance space on Thursday, October 3(we’ve sent out emails but also see below).
Lastly, on a personal note, some of you might be aware that I lived and worked in Tanzania in early 2021. While there, I befriended a young man, Tariq Kipemba, who had worked with the organization I volunteered with. Just prior to my departure, he was brutally attacked by a disgruntled colleague who hired someone to throw battery acid in his face. Tariq was severely burned and blinded. Through the help of many friends, I was able to get him to Nairobi, where an innovative procedure was performed to partially restored his vision in one eye. Since then, he has been rebuilding his life in Moshi (the Kilimanjaro area of Tanzania) and, in particular, a tourism business.
He would like to offer any reader of this newsletter a 10% discount on any of his tours: Trekking in Kilimanjaro or one of numerous Serengeti safaris. Believe me, if you never been to Ngorongoro Crater, you need to go! A true Garden of Eden and near to Olduvai Gorge, the birthplace of humanity.
Here I am, standing at the edge before descending, one of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever been! And here’s some friends I met on the floor (no zoom here, I was that close!). Please read more about Tariq’s tours and take advantage of this amazing opportunity to discover Tanzania (see below)!!
A big thank you to our latest benefactor Peter Ives!!
And thank you all for being Citizen Diplomats,
Melora
We’re thrilled to announce our first sponsors!
A big, huge, global thank you to our amazing “Diplomat” sponsors: Lobo Development, NM Philharmonic, and David Cambell, Atty at Law, for their generous support. Your contributions are vital to the success of our programs, and we’re incredibly grateful for your partnership in our mission.
September 30: Women Leaders, Promoting Peace and Security
This group, representing 12 women from various South American countries, met with Sgt. Trish Hoffman of the Albuquerque Police Department, who discussed her work in domestic violence training and the program she created to educate women on awareness, safety, and self-defense. Additionally, she highlighted efforts to promote leadership roles for women within the police force. The Southwest Women’s Law Center presented on legal advocacy aimed at advancing the status of women in New Mexico, focusing on eliminating gender bias, lifting women out of poverty, and ensuring reproductive rights. Lastly, the group participated in a workshop by Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO), which focused on community organizing and coalition building through Indigenous values-based leadership.
October 3: Amplifying Indigenous Voices in Climate and Conservation Policy
This group represented from Nepal and sought to achieve the following objectives:
Enhance participants' understanding of the global climate and conservation policy landscape, focusing on the role of Indigenous communities in policy development and implementation.
Strengthen participants' s advocacy, policy analysis, community organizing, leadership, and partnership-building skills
Facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences among indigenous communities in Nepal and with U.S. counterparts, promoting collaboration and networking.
Members! Home hosting opportunity for this group. We are looking for someone to host 4 visitors Saturday the 6th.
Sister Cities International Recruiting Youth Ambassadors
for USA Pavilion at Expo 2025
Details Here | Sister Cities International is leading the recruitment of Youth Ambassadors who will serve as guides and cultural ambassadors at the USA Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan. These individuals will serve as the faces of the United States to millions of Expo visitors, providing a human connection to the United States and its territories and reflecting its geographic and cultural diversity. We encourage you to share this opportunity with your networks.
For information about the trips available, click the PDF link below to learn more! Reminder that any reader of this newsletter a 10% discount on any of his tours: Trekking in Kilimanjaro or one of numerous Serengeti safaris.
Letter from the Director 
