HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - AIPCA Meeting Minutes from April 20, 2023Ames International Partner Cities Association
April 20,2023
Meeting Minutes
Attending:Calli Sandahl,Cindy Hicks,Michael Abrams,Katrina Williams,Marina Kraeva,Valarie
Staulbaumer
1.Call to order:5:40 pm
2.Approval of March minutes
a.Motion to approve Marina,seconded Cindy,approved by all
3.Guest Speaker -Mohamad Alsayedsulaiman
a.Interested in starting a partnership with Ames and Homs,Syria.
b.Would like to establish relationships online with students (4th grade to junior
high).Possible exchange in the future when things cool down in Syria.
c.https://drive.google.com/file/d/14a1ZQ jg4y37gK3bySzkoblZ9vapLe8UU/view?us
p=drivesdk –That link shows an activity by Homs Spring in cooperation with
school in northern Syria by teacher member of Homs
d.Opportunities to share culture between students and build a partnership
between our towns.
e.Feels a bit more like just cultural exchange,less sister-city partnership.Cindy will
research and see if there’s a good person to put them in contact with.
4.Kosovo Mayor Visit
a.Will be here May 2.
i.Meeting with Mayor Haila and Chamber of Commerce will be set up.
Driving tour of Ames.
b.Cindy will send information about reception opportunity if we’re invited.
c.Cindy will reach out to Ankeny Mayor to speak with the board on their
relationship with Kosovo.
5.Koshu Visit Updates
a.Cindy to set up a Zoom meeting with all the travelers to discuss agenda /final
plans /etc.
b.Reach out to Cindy to receive your reimbursement check for flight.
c.Unable to get an educator to join the trip (asked over 7 people!!).
i.Katrina is able and willing to jump on a virtual exchange at any point
during the visit.
d.Gifts
i.May marks the beginning of Asian Pacific Islander month.Katrina will
have students create cards we can bring to Japan with us,will have them
completed by June 3.
ii.Cindy will have a nice clock gift for mayor to gift to mark the passage of
time of 30 years as a sister city.
iii.Cindy inherited a box of “Iowa gifts”and will look through the items to
determine if we have enough gifts for the trip.
e.All attendees need to register their visit and fill out forms before the trip.
f.Trips Ideas
i.Interest in health care,social issues (gun control,homelessness,etc.),
religion,etc.
ii.What can we learn from them that we can share with people here in
Ames to build our relationship?
6.Middle School Virtual Exchange
a.Koshu would like to do another exchange.Katrina has found a teacher to help
spearhead that.Cindy to start an introduction with Ellie and Japan to move
things forward.
b.Koshu would like to do an in-person exchange in 2024.
7.Other
a.Treasurer Updates
i.Jen Malone will meet with a potential treasurer (Christy Carr)for the
board and will give an overview on what the job entails.Cindy to follow
up when more details are available.
b.Next meeting May 18 at 5:30.
8.Adjourn -6:52 pm