News and Media – 2018

.

2018 Baltimore Sister Cities Year in Review Video

.

Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee Youth Ambassador Program 2019 Kick-Off Briefing

December 7th, 2018 The BXSCC held an kick-off briefing in City Hall to share information about the upcoming 2019 BXSCC Youth Ambassadors program, taking place this summer in various cities across China. The program is a 2-week high school study abroad program to develop Baltimore-area high school students’ linguistic and cultural interest in China. Food for the kick-off event was sponsored by Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A. For more information on upcoming events related to the 2019 BXSCC Youth Ambassadors program, please visit the 2019 trip page.

Baltimore at the Global Mayors’ Forum & 2018 Urban Innovation Conference

December 5th to 8th, 2018 Courtesy of the conference host city of Guangzhou, China and the Xiamen Municipal Government’s Foreign & Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (FOCAO), Baltimore was invited to participate in the Global Mayors’ Forum & 2018 Urban Innovation Conference in Guangzhou. In conjunction with the Xiamen FOCAO, the BXSCC facilitated the attendance of Baltimore’s Office of the Mayor representative Ethan Cohen at this conference where mayors and mayoral representatives from over 40 cities on 6 continents exchanged best practices on subjects such as economic development, innovations in urban governance, urban cultural inheritance & innovation for future cities, urban mobility & transportation, and urban green development.

BXSCC Hosts Delegation at Baltimore City Hall

October 31st, 2018 Courtesy of George Mason University, 18 high-ranking officials from across China, including from the municipalities of Beijing and Shanghai and the provinces of Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Shandong, & Yunnan, came to Baltimore City Hall to learn about local governments in the U.S., Baltimore’s experience with sister cities, and how such relationships can help foster economic development. BXSCC Chair Xin (Cindy) Wang and Treasurer Arella Liu led the presentations and discussion. Guest panelists included Ethan Cohen, Senior Project Coordinator, Strategic Alliances in the Office of the Mayor, Hosea Chew, Director of Administration for the Baltimore City Council as well as Larysa Salamacha, Managing Director of Business Development and Larry Collins, Director of Foreign Trade Zone # 74 at the Baltimore Development Corporation.

Guangxi and Guangdong Delegation at the World Trade Center Institute

October 26th, 2018 Courtesy of the World Trade Center Institute and the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program, three high ranking officials from the provinces of Guangxi and Guangdong visited the offices of the World Trade Center Institute in Baltimore on October 26. One area of interest was in regards to Sister City relationships – how they are established and how they become successful. BXSCC Treasurer Arella Liu and Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. liaison to the World Trade Center Institute, Nancy Taylor, led the discussion.

12th Annual National Committee on U.S.-China Relations CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections

 
Tuesday, October 9th 2018

featuring
the Honorable Condoleezza Rice,
Former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor
and
Ms. Madelyn Ross,
Executive Director of SAIS China at the Johns Hopkins University
with the national dialogue moderated by
Mr. Stephen A. Orlins
President, National Committee on U.S.-China Relations

China’s rapid development and Sino-American relations have a direct impact on the lives of nearly everyone in the United States. CHINA Town Hall is a national conversation about China that provides Americans across the United States and beyond the opportunity to discuss issues in the relationship with leading experts.

The 2018 program included a nationwide webcast featuring former Secretary Rice, catered reception, and a local address by Madelyn Ross in person. Check-in & refreshments began at 5:30pm and the nationwide program began at 6:00pm. The local address was from 7:30 to 8:15pm EDT.
 
The event sold out.
 
For more information regarding our national and local speakers, please follow the hyperlinks above.
For a printer-friendly summary of the information above, please view the event flyer​.
 
The 2018 edition of this event was sponsored by BRIC, LLC, the Exelon Asian American Resource Group, Towson University, and Venable LLP.
 
View photos from the program via Facebook.

Xiamen Photo Exhibit at the World Trade Center Baltimore

September 27th to October 18th, 2018 Photographs taken by Xiamen-based photographers were displayed in the lobby of the World Trade Center Baltimore. The exhibit received a high level of foot traffic due to the Baltimore Book Fair.

The BXSCC Hosts Chengdu Municipal Government Delegation

September 19th, 2018 Courtesy of the U.S. – China Business Training Center, 18 high-level government officials from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, China, visited Baltimore City Hall to learn about local governments in the U.S., Baltimore’s experience with sister cities, and how such relationships can help foster economic development. BXSCC Treasurer Arella Liu and Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. Vice President Fontaine Bell led the presentations and discussion. Mayor’s Office of Immigrant & Multicultural Affairs Director Catalina Rodriguez-Lima was on hand to welcome the guests. Guest panelists included Hosea Chew, Director of Administration for the Baltimore City Council, Larysa Salamacha, Managing Director of Business Development at the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), and Larry Collins, Director of Foreign Trade Zone # 74 at the BDC. View photos from the event via Facebook.

2018 BXSCC Ambassadors’ Trip to Shanghai and Xiamen

 
July 24th to August 6th, 2018 On July 24th, Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Vice Chair Danny Evans led a group of local high school students on a thirteen-day trip to Xiamen, Fujian and Jiading, Shanghai. The students, Aaron, Alexander, Kolby, and Mateen, were invited by the Xiamen and Jiading Offices of Foreign Affairs through BXSCC to participate in cultural and language activities in their cities.
Please see the trip page for more information.

The BXSCC Hosts ‘Friendship and Cooperation with Foreign Countries’ Delegation

July 2nd, 2018 Courtesy of the U.S. – China Business Training Center, 18 high-ranking officials from across China, including from the provinces of Beijing, Guizhou, Hainan, Jiangsu, Qinghai, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, & Zhejiang, came to Baltimore City Hall to learn about local governments in the U.S., Baltimore’s experience with sister cities, and how such relationships can help foster economic development. BXSCC Treasurer Arella Liu and Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. Vice President Fontaine Bell led the presentations and discussion. Guest panelists included Hosea Chew, Director of Administration for the Baltimore City Council, and Larry Collins, Director of Foreign Trade Zone # 74 at the Baltimore Development Corporation. View photos from the event via Facebook.

The BXSCC Celebrates Chinese-Language Education Initiatives in Baltimore

 
Wednesday, May 2nd &

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018

On May 2nd, the BXSCC visited Baltimore Polytechnic Institute to celebrate four students with outstanding achievements in studying Chinese. Congratulations to Taurus, Tarence, Gabrielle and Heydy! 加油!

On May 22nd, the BXSCC sponsored a trip for 51 Baltimore Polytechnic Institute students in the school’s Chinese language program to the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. The Chinese Embassy organized a tour of their magnificent ‘Chancery Building’  where many famous works by Chinese artists are on permanent display. Following the tour, the students engaged in a question and answer session with embassy staff about Chinese-American relations. The day ended with an authentic Chinese banquet at the ZhongShan Restaurant in Baltimore’s historic Chinatown on Park Avenue. The BXSCC has been sponsoring these trips for Baltimore high school students for the past 5 years.

Port Discovery Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration

 
Saturday, May 19th, 2018

BXSCC members brought calligraphy and paper crafts to Port Discovery Children’s Museum to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Baltimore City’s 2018 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration

 
Thursday, May 3rd, 2018 Baltimore City Hall was filled with lively music and performances on Thursday, May 3rd, in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Event attendees observed performances representing a variety of Asian cultures, while enjoying food from local restaurants. Mayor Pugh graciously stopped by as well, to share some words on the rich history and importance of the Asian-American community in Baltimore.

The event was hosted by the Baltimore Kawasaki Sister Cities, the Baltimore Changwon Sister City Committee – BCSCC, and the Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee, and sponsored by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs, MECU, the Baltimore Dept. of Housing and Community Development and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts.

I Am the Change Youth Empowerment Conference

 
Saturday, April 28th, 2018

BXSCC members attended the 2018 I Am The Change Youth Empowerment conference at Western High School to host a panel introducing local grade school students to the benefits of studying abroad.

BXSCC Announces 2018-2019 Leadership Team

 
Thursday, March 8th, 2018

The BXSCC is pleased to welcome our leadership team for the 2018-2019 term! Continuing officers on our Executive Committee include Xin (Cindy) Wang as Chair, Danny Evans as Vice Chair, Arella Liu as Treasurer, and W. Fontaine Bell as Member-at-Large. Regan Lerner has been newly elected Secretary. For the latest information on our Sub-Committees and Functional Teams, please visit our Leadership page.

Port Discovery’s Year of the Dog Chinese New Year Celebration Event

 
Saturday, February 24th, 2018

BXSCC members volunteered at Port Discovery Children’s museum on Saturday, February 24th, to celebrate Lunar New Year with personalized bookmarks, coloring pages, and lessons on how to use chopsticks.

Lunar New Year Celebration at Govans Elementary School

 
Friday, February 23rd, 2018

Members from the BXSCC visited Govans Elementary School on Friday, February 23rd to spend some time introducing students in several 3rd grade classes to Chinese culture and the Lunar New Year.

Baltimore Sister Cities General Meeting and Holiday Potluck

 
January 12th, 2018

BXSCC members joined members of Baltimore Sister Cities at our annual general meeting to vote on Bylaws amendments and other agenda items. Holiday festivities followed.