FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Minneapolis to host Sister Cities Internationals 2015 Annual Conference

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 16, 2014) -- Sister Cities International has selected the City of Minneapolis, Minn., to host its 2015 Annual Conference, hosted every year for close to six decades now, brings together citizen diplomats from United States and the world. Participants attend interactive seminars, network and develop strategies to strengthen and expand their sister city programs. The event will be held July 16-18 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.

Mary D. Kane, president and CEO of Sister Cities International said, Our Annual Conferences bring together hundreds of citizen diplomats, mayors and local elected officials, city managers, business executives, educators, nonprofit, youth, and community leaders from across the United States and around the world. Were excited to host them in the exciting city of Minneapolis.

"We are proud of our 11 sister city relationships and we look forward to welcoming the attendees of Sister Cities Internationals 59^th Annual Conference, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said. "Minneapolis rich history with the sister cities is evident by the dedicated members of each committee locally and the relationships formed throughout the world.

Minneapolis sister city program has won Sister Cities Internationals Annual Award in both 2012 and 2013 for Innovation in Humanitarian Assistance and Arts and Culture programming. "Minneapolis is honored to host the Sister Cities International 2015 Annual Conference," said Melvin Tennant, president and CEO, Meet Minneapolis, Convention & Visitors Association. "The thriving sister city partnerships showcase the global character of our city."

Minneapolis 11 sister cities are: Cuernavaca, Mexico; Eldoret, Kenya; Harbin, China; Ibaraki City, Japan; Kuopio, Finland; Najaf, Iraq; Novosibirsk, Russia; Santiago, Chile; Tours, France; Uppsala, Sweden; and Winnipeg, Canada.

# # #

ABOUT SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL

Founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for over 500 individual sister cities, counties, and states across the United States with relationships in 2,000 communities in 140 countries. This sister city network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers who work tirelessly to promote peace and understanding through programs and projects focusing on arts and culture, youth and education, economic and sustainable development, and humanitarian assistance.

Facebook: Sister Cities International; Twitter: @SisterCitieslnt; Website: www.sister-cities.org

ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS

Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to maximize the economic benefit of the greater Minneapolis area.

Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of the Destination Marketing Association International.

Find out more:

Online: http://go.minneapolis.org

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/meetminneapolis?ref=ts

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/meetminneapolis

On Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/meetminneapolis/