Sister City History
Sister City Program
Dothan - Sakado, Japan Sister City Program
Japanese Sister City Student Delegation Visits Dothan
Dothan - Alajuela, Costa Rica Sister City Program

 

BRINGING THE WORLD TOGETHER…
ONE FRIENDSHIP AT A TIME

 “The Sister Cities program is an important resource to the negotiations of governments in letting the people themselves give expression of their common desire for friendship, goodwill and cooperation for a better world for all.”

 President Dwight D. Eisenhower

The City of Dothan, Alabama is proud to be affiliated with two international cities – Sakado, Japan and Alajuela, Costa Rica, through the Sister Cities International (SCI) Program.  The Sister Cities Agreement is designed to create opportunities for city officials and citizens to experience and explore other cultures through long-term partnerships. 

Sister Cities create an atmosphere in which economic and community development is implemented and strengthened with other countries that have similar goals. Additionally, Sister Cities stimulate environments through which communities creatively learn, work, and solve problems together through reciprocal cultural, educational, municipal, business, professional, and technical exchanges and projects.

Sister Cities Programs promote friendship between the citizens of Dothan and both Sakado and Alajuela.  Additionally, the affiliations furthers the relationship between the nations of the United States of America and both Japan and Costa Rica.  The intention of the Sister Cities Agreements is to contribute to Peace and Prosperity of the World.

The Sister City Agreement between the City of Dothan, Alabama, and the City of Sakado, Japan, was formally entered into on January 19, 1988.  The Agreement between the City of Dothan and Alajuela, Costa Rica, was entered into on November 11, 1999.

The City of Dothan, Alabama, is a member of Sister Cities International (SCI), a national member organization for sister city, county, and state programs in the United States.  As the premier citizen diplomacy network in the United States, Sister Cities International leads the national movement for global community partnerships and volunteer action.

Sister City Program
Dothan is an active participant in Sister Cities International http://www.sister-cities.org/, a citizen based diplomacy organization. Sister Cities International was founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to involve people and organized groups at all levels of our society in personal citizen diplomacy with the hope that people-to-people relationships, fostered through sister city, county and state affiliations, would lessen the chance of future world conflicts.

Dothan is a sister city of Sakado, Japan, and Alajuela, Costa Rica. These partnerships provide the citizens of Dothan the opportunity to experience other cultures through exchange programs. Our motto is, "Bringing the world together, one friendship at a time."

Dothan - Sakado, Japan Sister City Program

The Dothan Sister City Program began in 1988 when our city decided to join with Sakado, Japan, to exchange cultural, educational and business ideas. Since that time, delegations from both cities have made the long journey to form new friendships on the other side of the globe. A meeting room in the Dothan Civic Center is named in honor of our Japanese Sister City. The Sakado Room contains artwork, gifts, and décor from our Sister City in Japan. Future plans for the Dothan-Sakado Sister City Program include on-going educational and civic exchanges, as well as the development of a Japanese Meditation Garden in the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens.

Japanese Sister City Student Delegation Visits Dothan

A delegation of middle school students from Sakado, Japan arrived in Dothan on August 16, 2002 for a weeklong visit. The delegation visited Dothan to learn about our culture and history. The students, ranging in age from 12 - 14 years old, stayed with local host families during their time in Dothan. They had a busy schedule including visits to Water World, The Wiregrass Museum of Art, the Marianna Caverns, Farley Nuclear Plant, and a tour of local middle schools.

Sakado, Japan has been a Sister City of Dothan since 1988. During this time, numerous delegations have been exchanged by the cities, creating life-long friendships. Sister Cities International officially recognizes the partnership between Dothan and Sakado. Sister Cities International (SCI) is the national membership organization for sister city, county, and state programs in the United States. Sister Cities International is the official agency which links communities from the United States with Communities worldwide. Currently, Sister Cities International represents 1,200 U.S. cities, counties and their 2,100 partners in 125 countries worldwide. As the premier citizen diplomacy network in the United States, Sister Cities International leads the national movement for global community partnerships and volunteer action.

"The Sister Cities program is an important resource to the negotiations of governments in letting the people themselves give expression of their common desire for friendship, goodwill and cooperation for a better world for all."

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dothan - Alajuela, Costa Rica Sister City Program

Alajuelan Civic Delegation Takes Mural Tour
 

Dothan - Alajuela Sister City History
Dothan decided that a Spanish speaking nation would be a good choice for our next pairing. Factors in that decision included the steadily increasing Hispanic population around the Wiregrass Area and the fact that Spanish is the foreign language taught in our local high schools. Dothan City Commissioner Matt Bullard previously lived in Costa Rica and suggested that Dothan find a Sister City in that nation. Using Commissioner Bullard's contacts in Costa Rica, Dothan learned that Alajuela was looking for a Sister City in the United States.

Dothan - Alajuela Agreement Signing Visits
In January 1999, a delegation of City Officials and news media traveled to Alajuela to begin the process of becoming Sister Cities by signing the first half of the Dothan-Alajuela Sister Cities International agreement. The three day trip included a visit to the yearly fiesta, tours of factories, the countryside and a volcano, as well as the formal signing ceremony held during the Alajuela commission meeting.

Once our delegation returned, it was time to start preparing for the Costa Rican Delegation's visit to Dothan. The Sister City Committee decided that the Alajuela delegation should come to Dothan for the second half of the official signing ceremony during the National Peanut Festival in November 1999.

The Dothan community jumped in whole-heartedly to ensure our guests received the finest in Southern Hospitality. Groups who participated in the visit by the Costa Ricans included the Dothan Sister City Committee, Dothan City Government, Dothan City Schools, Fort Rucker, Southeast Alabama Medical Center, the National Peanut Festival Board, the 2nd Congressional District, the Downtown Group, Troy State University Dothan, The Dothan Area Girl Scouts, Wiregrass Commons Mall, Wal-Mart Supercenter, The Wiregrass Museum of Art and Landmark Park (a living history museum). The local media was also very active covering the delegation's visit. Representatives from the Dothan Eagle, WTVY News 4, WDHN 18 and US 100 radio were all active in planning and covering the delegation's visit.

The Costa Rican delegation was in Dothan for six days. They enjoyed touring, shopping, dining and dancing. They also learned about Dothan's culture, history, infrastructure and technology. The visit culminated with a formal signing ceremony at the Dothan Opera House to complete the union as Sister Cities.

Dothan - Alajuela Program Progresses
During the exchanges of the first year of the Dothan - Alajuela program, many friendships were formed and plans were made to continue the exchange program. A group of art students from Dothan High School spent their Spring Break 2000 in Costa Rica  to further their art studies. Local civic groups are also forming partnerships in Costa Rica. Inspired by the success of the Sister City partnership with Alajuela, the Wiregrass Chapter of Habitat for Humanity has selected Costa Rica as their foreign tithing partner. They have already raised enough money to build their first house in Costa Rica and are awaiting approval from the Costa Rican Habitat for Humanity officials to schedule a build in Alajuela. Several church groups have volunteered to go to Costa Rica to help with the build once it is scheduled.

School is Named in Honor of Dothan
 

April 2000, a delegation consisting of City of Dothan representatives and Dothan Sister City Committee members traveled to Alajuela for a dedication ceremony of a new middle school to by named in honor of Dothan. The visit was timed to coincide with the weeklong festival of freedom dedicated to Costa Rican Hero, Juan Santa-Maria who was from Alajuela.

In The Clouds Of Volcano Poas
 

The four day visit was packed with good food, dancing and a grandstand view of parades in a place of honor with the President of Costa Rica. Dothan's delegation was interviewed on Costa Rica's national television broadcasts as they learned to "Salsa". As national celebrities, it was difficult to make the transition back to anonymity in the States. During the visit, we planned the next exchange for the Costa Ricans to come back to Dothan.

There is strong community interest and support for the Alajuela program. It has a very bright future.