Columbia Association seeking Haiti sister city committee members
Volunteers are needed for Columbia Association’s (CA) Cap-Haitien (Haiti) Sister City Committee. CA’s Board of Directors voted in January to move forward with establishing a sister city relationship with the community of Cap-Haitien, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the northern coast of Haiti with a population of about 190,000 people.
Once an agreement is signed, then Cap-Haitien would become the fourth sibling in a global family, joining Columbia’s other sister cities: Cergy-Pontoise, France (a relationship formalized in 1977); Tres Cantos, Spain (1990); and Tema, Ghana (2014).
Columbia and Howard County are home to a large Haitian diaspora who have an interest in advancing the understanding of Haiti and its culture. A Sister Cities relationship with Cap-Haitien aligns with Columbia’s emphasis on cultural diversity and inclusiveness. For more information, please contact Laura Smit, program manager for CA’s International Exchange and Multicultural Programs, by calling 410-715-3162 or sending an email to International@
While the committee proceeds with establishing the relationship, the Columbia-based Build Haiti Foundation also will be accepting applications from high school students, college students and professionals who would like to travel to Haiti from July 6 through July 15 for its Global Leadership Program. For more information, contact Bob Anantua of the Build Haiti Foundation at BAnantua@
CA’s International Exchange and Multicultural Programs foster international understanding and celebrate the diverse cultures of Columbia. The goals of the International Exchange Program include developing new exchanges with Columbia’s three sister cities and creating new Sister City relationships in other cities and nations. CA also develops multicultural programs for the community such as the World Languages Café, Culture Fests and the International Book Club. For more information, go to columbiaassociation.org/
About Columbia Association
Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at columbiaassociation.org.
