Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC July 12, 2002 Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Patricia S. Harrison to Deliver Keynote Speech at Sister Cities International Conference in Toledo, OhioAssistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Patricia S. Harrison will be a keynote speaker at the Annual Conference of Sister Cities International (SCI), scheduled this year for Toledo, Ohio. The event will be held at Toledo’s SeaGate Centre, Friday, July 19, at 12:30 p.m. and is open for press coverage. Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that cultivates relationships between U.S. cities, counties, and states and communities around the world. SCI works with private citizens, municipal officials and business leaders to develop long-term programs to promote international relations, cultural understanding and economic development. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs awards annual grants to SCI to support these ideals. Assistant Secretary Harrison will speak during the Lou Wozar Annual Awards Luncheon where exceptional sister city programs will be recognized. She will discuss the importance of international exchange programs to the future of the United States, as well as the critical role of volunteers who work with these programs. Media interested in covering the speech may contact Alicia Rutherford, SCI Conference Coordinator, at 202-347-8635 or arutherford@sister-cities.org. Assistant Secretary Harrison will be available for interviews following her address. Media interested in interviewing Assistant Secretary of State Harrison may contact Nicole Deaner, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at 202-203-7613 or ndeaner@pd.state.gov. |