IARP Participates in Minneapolis’ Aquatennial Sister Cities Celebration

Songs of Hope Children’s Choir, a group of youth from around the world, started the celebration, attended by over 1,000 people, with song and dance from the participants’ home countries, including China, Israel, Colombia, Ghana, and Iraq. IARP’s Executive Director, Kathy McKay, introduced Songs of Hope, highlighting the importance of Sister City partnerships and celebrating Minneapolis’ newest Sister City, Najaf, Iraq.

IARP also partnered with volunteers from Target to provide activities for children. Activities focused on the Najaf-Minneapolis Sister City relationship and included: writing letters to Iraqi children, sending a video message to Iraq, and making cards for Iraqi cancer patients.

A delegation of 25 Iraqi Young Leaders was present at the event, very real evidence of the vitality of the Najaf-Minneapolis Sister City relationship. They proudly celebrated the partnership and explored Minneapolis’s other Sister Cities.

Minneapolis has nine Sister Cities in addition to Najaf, Iraq. They are: Harbin, China; Tours, France; Uppsala, Sweden; Santiago, Chile; Novosibirsk, Russia; Ibaraki, Japan; Kuopio, Finland; Cuernavaca, Mexico; and Eldoret, Kenya.