Volume I | July 2017
Your News & Updates
“To promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation –
one individual, one community at a time.”
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President's Message
by Victoria Schwartz
Welcome to one of the many celebrations and milestones of the La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities Association in 2017!  

It has been a year of monumental “firsts.”
 
In just over a year, we’ve produced a knock-out video about La Cañada Flintridge that has been viewed in countries all over the world; sent 11 students to two international Youth Leadership Summits; hosted visitors from France, Spain, and Germany; sent two students on a summer exchange to Spain; increased our membership to over 100; started a Youth Group representing all four local high schools; and, most importantly, signed a long term Sister City Agreement with Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain.

This newsletter is another “first.”

It is a celebration of those milestones and accomplishments, and it reminds me of all of the best things about this community.  La Cañada Flintridge has come together – students, scientists, business people, retirees, community groups, educators, elected officials – to share not only our culture, but also our hopes and our dreams.  How fortunate we are to find another community, Villanueva de la Cañada, with similar goals to build a long and lasting friendship.

My deepest gratitude goes to the many individuals who shared this dream and worked so hard this past year to see the dream take flight.  To our friends at Asociación de Hermanamientos, we are honored that Villanueva de la Cañada is, and always will be, our first Sister City!

With warm wishes,

Vicki
  • 1st Sister City for La Cañada Flintridge - Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain

  • 1st American Sister City for Villanueva de la Cañada - La Cañada Flintridge, California, USA
LCF Sister Cities Milestones
  •  Founded: April 2016
  • 1st Students to Washington D.C. for International Youth Conference: July 2016
  • 1st Annual Meeting: January 2017
  • Youth Group Formed: February 2017
  • La Cañada Flintridge City Officials sign first Sister City Agreement: with Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain: May 2017
  • State Senator Anthony Portantino travels to Villanueva de la Cañada to deliver Sister Cities Agreement: May 2017
  • Students travel to Virginia Beach for International Youth Conference: July 2017
  • First Student Exchanges with students from Spain & Germany: July 2017
  • First Delegation from Villanueva de la Cañada scheduled to visit LCF: September/October 2017
La Cañada Flintridge & Villanueva de la Cañada
Sign Sister Cities Agreement;
State Senator Portantino Represents La Cañada Flintridge at Signing Ceremony
La Cañada Flintridge, California: In a first for La Cañada Flintridge, the City has entered into a Sister Cities Agreement with a community outside Madrid, Spain, Villanueva de la Cañada.  La Cañada Flintridge resident, Victoria Schwartz, who credited her positive experience as an American teenager as the impetus to create the La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities Association, (LCFSCA) with the full support of the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, lead efforts to establish this historic and positive local effort.
 
Sister Cities International, based in Washington D.C., helps identify potential sister cities based on similar characteristics and interests between American cities and foreign communities.  Four communities were identified as potential matches for LCF by Sister Cities International – two in Germany and two in Spain.   

Over the past year, Former Mayor Jon Curtis, Mayor Pro Tem Terry Walker, and members of the LCFSCA corresponded and video-conferenced with the mayors and other city officials from each of the foreign cities.  After careful consideration, the Spanish town of Villanueva de la Cañada was chosen as La Cañada Flintridge’s first Sister City.  Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain is a community that shares much in common with La Cañada Flintridge.  It is a suburban community just outside a major metropolitan city, Madrid.  Villanueva de la Cañada is home to the European Space Astronomy Centre, which partners with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory here in La Cañada Flintridge.  Villanueva de la Cañada has two major universities and a well-educated and engaged population.  It’s Mayor, Luis Partida Brunete is an institution in the town, having served for 38 years, and is an outgoing and respected local leader.  

“I am very grateful to Former Mayor Curtis, Former Mayor Dave Spence, the leadership of La Cañada Flintridge, and the many community members who embraced the Sister Cities concept. We are excited about the educational and cultural exchanges currently being planned,” commented Victoria Schwartz, President of the LCF Sister Cities Association.  

Each year, Villanueva de la Cañada officially celebrates all of its sister cities relationships and invited La Canada Flintridge to sign our Sister Cities Partnership Agreement as part of that celebration.  La Cañada Flintridge is the first American city to be matched with Villanueva de la Cañada for this exciting partnership.  (Villanueva de la Cañada currently has “sisterhood” agreements with cities in France, England, Mexico. And Jordan.)   The signing was to take place on the date that Villanueva de la Cañada celebrated its Patron Saint James the Greater, May 13, 2017.  

The timing of the signing ceremony presented a unique problem for La Cañada Flintridge, as Mayor Mike Davitt was being installed as the President of the California Contract Cities Association the same weekend.  All five La Cañada Flintridge City Council Members were expected to be at Mayor Davitt’s installation.  

“I want to thank my predecessor Jon Curtis and Vicki Schwartz for working to make this Sister City partnership and agreement happen.  I was disappointed I could not personally attend the signing ceremony in Spain, but very pleased by the momentum and excitement of this partnership, which will last for years and benefit generations of both Spanish and California La Cañadans to come,” added Mayor Davitt.  

Not wanting to pass on the opportunity to memorialize the agreement that very special weekend, Mayor Davitt selected former Mayor and Current State Senator Anthony Portantino to represent the City at the signing ceremony in Spain.  Portantino, who was also slated to attend the contract Cities conference to support Mayor Davitt, agreed to attend on the City’s behalf.  

“What an honor it was to be chosen by Mayor Davitt and the City Council to represent our community.  The good people of Villanueva de la Cañada received me with a wonderful friendly spirit and the signing ceremony was one of the highlights of my service to La Cañada Flintridge.  People there are excited to expand on this agreement with student and cultural exchanges.  It was an amazing experience,” concluded Portantino.  

Mayor Davitt has invited Villanueva de la Cañada’s Mayor Luis Partida to visit our community and hold a similar signing ceremony here.  We expect to host Mayor Partida and his delegation in LCF in the coming year.  For more information about La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities, please visit www.lcfsistercities.org
Youth Spotlight
Sister Cities Youth Group News Tamar Tujian, Youth Group Advisor

The LCF Sister Cities Youth Group is more than 30 members strong and includes students from all four La Cañada Flintridge high schools.  They selected their leadership team in May, but already have big plans for the coming year.

Congratulations to the 2017-2018 Youth Group Executive Board:

  • President: Naomi Stephen - La Cañada High School
  • VP: Stefan Markarian - La Cañada High School
  • Membership: Stephanie Kiang La Cañada High School
  • Secretary: Cinthya Hernandez - Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy
  • Social/Event Coordinator: Kelly Steele - La Cañada High School
  • Financial Secretary: Catherine Condit - Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy


Proudly representing the LCF Sister Cities Association in Memorial Day festivities for the first time, the Youth Group had an entry in the parade.  As they rode down Foothill Boulevard, they announced our first Sister City – Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain.

The students are busily preparing for our first international student exchange this summer.  Activities being planned for the students include a Fourth of July BBQ,  a ceramics class at the Community Center, going to a Dodgers game, a beach day, a visit to the Reagan Library, and a picnic at Music-in-the-Park.

Congratulations to the following students, selected to represent the City of La Cañada Flintridge at the Sister Cities International Youth Leadership Summit in July:

  • Soraya Cordero – Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy
  • Amr Eissa – St. Francis High School
  • David Kim – Flintridge Preparatory School
  • Stefan Markarian – La Cañada High School
  • Fatima Shirazi – La Cañada High School


Congratulations to our first Student Ambassadors, chosen to represent La Cañada Flintridge this summer in Spain:

  • Jack Applebaum – La Cañada High School
  • Catherine Condit – Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy

Thank you to our six wonderful student delegates, who represented the City in Washington D.C. and at numerous community events over the past year:

  • Amr Eissa - Saint Francis High School
  • Courtney Johnson - Flintridge Preparatory
  • Lenny Pieroni - Saint Francis High School
  • Kelly Steele - La Cañada High School
  • Luke Stefan - La Cañada High School
  • Naomi Stephen - La Cañada High School
Special Thank You to our Global Leaders, Ambassadors & Diplomats
  Flintridge Preparatory School
Linda & Pete Segal
Anonymous Donor
Victoria & Brad Schwartz


Todd & Vanessa Greco
Heather & Paul Haaga
Gita & Harpal Singh
Descanso Gardens
La Cañada Flintridge Community Center
St. Francis High School
Recognizing Community Partners who have Provided Invaluable Support in our Inaugural 2016-2017 Year
LCF CUSTOM TRAVEL
WORLDWIDE LUXURY TRAVEL PLANNING SINCE 1980

https://www.betsyasherhall.com/

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La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities
Photo Journal
Exchange Students Arrive from Spain and Germany
Welcome to our Exchange Students 2017
Left to right (above): Welcome arrival at LAX  with
Host Mom Chien Fang Applebaum, Catherine Condit, Eva from Spain, Jack Applebaum, Daniel from Spain, Host Mom Helen Condit
•••••
Photos of Presentation to the LCF City Council
July 5, 2017
Exchange Students Eva and Daniel from Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain and Conni from Dusseldorf, Germany present gifts to the City Council

More information coming in the next news update!

 La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities

1st Annual Meeting

January 18, 2017

La Cañada Flintridge Country Club

Executive Board
President – Vicki Schwartz
VP – International (Science and Technology) Programs – Peter Lauenstein
VP – International Cultural Exchanges and Programs – Gabriel Mendham Chuck
Secretary – Katherine Loevinger
Treasurer –Diane Moldafsky, CPA
Youth Advisor - Tamar Tujian
Communications - Pam Knapp
Pat Anderson
Don Voss

Honorary Chair
Mayor Michael T. Davitt

Honorary Founding Board Members
Steve Del Guercio
Bruce Seuylemezian
Dave Spence

Leadership Team:
Carl Alameda
Mark Alexander
Jim Cartnal
Art Chmielewski
Jon Curtis
Manuel de la Torre Juarez
Elysa Del Guercio
Stephanie Fossan
Denise Gunter
Tracie Heileson
Midge Kimble
June Lam
Celina Lew
Julie Markowitz
Ian McFeat
Leslie Miller
Ellen Multari
Gina Ricci
Tracy Rodriguez
Linda Roth
Melissa Sadler
Gita Singh
Wendy Sinnette
Melanie Sos
Mary Van Amringe
Terry Walker
 LCFSisterCities@gmail.com | www.lcfsistercities.org