2010
March 1
The City of Chicago welcomes several U.K. delegations, including members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Chancellor and professors from the University of Birmingham.
March 30
Chair of Birmingham Science City discussed innovation in visit to Chicago.
2009
March
Focus: Education
The Birmingham Committee welcomed a group of real estate students from Birmingham City University, lead by course leader Chris Conway. The objective of the trip was to give students exposure to international buildings to build skills in determining valuation costs overseas and how valuation is executed in other environments. The students explored a variety of buildings and had an opportunity to present findings to a real client, gaining "real world" experience.
May 7
Focus: Theatre
Performing scenes from George Bernard Shaw's "Widowers' Houses," Shaw Chicago looked at how Shaw fashioned a new kind of theatre out of the conventions of Victorian melodrama. Following the scenes, Joel Kaplan spoke about Shaw as a socially conscious playwright.
July
Admunsen High School began their Sister School relationship with Shenley Court School.
August 24
Focus: Culture
The Birmingham Committee held their second annual Sunday Brunch in the Garden. This event featured a traditional British tea time service, private English Garden tours and live entertainment.
September
Nine principals from Catholic Schools in Birmingham visited the Archdiocese in Chicago and met with CPS's magnet school cluster.
September 3
Focus: Government
The Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson, Home Secretary, visited Chicago.
September 30
Focus: Culture
Lauren Lein and
5p1t by Richard Morse represented Birmingham during the World Fashion Chicago show.
October 2
Focus: Literature
Birmingham Committee member Ellis Goodman welcomed the public to attend a discussion and signing of his recent bookBear Any Burden. This event was centered around an open question and answer session that included deep analysis into the characters and culture of the book.
November
Teachers from THE EDGE program in Birmingham visited Chicago to learn about Chicago's school system and special needs education.
2008
February 17-21
Focus: Business
Heather Law, European Project Officer from Birmingham, and Tim Manson, Marketing Birmingham visited Chicago. While in Chicago, the delegation worked with CSCIP staff and the Committee to discuss plans for the upcoming Birmingham Days. Birmingham Days will include a best practices exchange focused on workforce redevelopment/regeneration, a business forum on "green" economic opportunities and cultural events at the Chicago Sister Cities Festival on Daley Plaza.
March 1-8
Focus: Education
The British Council sponsored a visit from twenty parochial school principals from the Birmingham Catholic Primary Partnership in Birmingham, UK. The theme of the trip was "Leadership in the Twenty-First Century". The group attended presentations by Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of New Schools, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of Principal Preparation, New Leaders for New Schools and Roosevelt University. The principals also had the opportunity to shadow a Chicago parochial principal for a school day and visit various Chicago sites such as the teacher resource center at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.
June 2-6
Focus: Culture, Culinary
“Celebrate Birmingham: Big City in the Heart of England” took place in Chicago. A 20-person delegation from Birmingham, led by Councilor Summerfield, traveled to Chicago for the week-long event. Highlights include a climate change seminar, performances at the Sister Cities Festival on Daley Plaza, best practice seminars and various chef events. The Committee also welcomed chefs David Colcombe, Chef Director, Opus, and Luke Tipping, Executive Chef, Simpsons, to sample Chicago's finest restaurants, speak to Kendall College students, conduct a cooking class for journalists and conduct a dinner at the Signature Room on the 95th alongside its Executive Chef, Patrick Sheerin.
Focus: Business
The week of June 2nd through the 6th was designated as "Celebrate Birmingham: Big City in the Heart of England" week as Chicago played host to a delegation of government officials and business from Britain's second largest city. Chicago celebrated with a series of business seminars and a full day of cultural celebrations (Thursday, June 5th) dedicatied to Chicago's Sister City of Birmingham, England during Chicago Sister Cities International Festival.
July
Focus: Social Work
Chicago, Birmingham and Hamburg support the "2008 Tri-City Social Work Exchange Program."
August 24
Focus: Fundraising
The Birmingham Committee hosted the annual "Sunday Tea Time in the Garden" at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
September 25 - 27
Focus: Culinary
The Birmingham Committee welcomed John Penn, the Assistant Dean at the College of Food, University College Birmingham, to Chicago for the inaugural Chicago Gourmet culinary festival. Among other events, John worked alongside Chef Michael Pivoney, Marion Street Cheese Market, and Ciaran Gantley from the Galway Bay Hotel in Ireland, to prepare a meal at the Marion Street Cheese Market as part of a “Sister Cities Dine Around” evening. John was also among the featured chefs at the Opening Night Reception of the weekend-long gourmet food festival.
September 27 - October 4
Focus: Education
Birmingham students from "The Edge" program visit Chicago.
October 2
Focus: Literature
Birmingham Committee Member Ellis Goodman welcomed all to attend a discussion and book signing of his book, Bear Any Burden.
November 18
Focus: Education
Twelve principals and teachers from Birmingham visited Chicago as part of an ongoing exchange program between Chicago and Birmingham schools.
2007
Focus: Art
Film premier of Sister City Sisters – the CSCIP/Gallery 37 student exchange movie between Chicago and Birmingham – took place at the Cultural Center. The movie highlighted the experience of two students who visited Chicago and Birmingham.
November
Focus: Art
Professor Joel Kaplan, former Head of the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of Birmingham, U.K., gave a multimedia presentation examining how Oscar Wilde himself created the larger than life Myth of 'Oscar Wilde' and how the greater part of his career and artistic output was devoted to managing and exploiting this myth.
August 26
Focus: Fundraising
The Birmingham Committee hosted a successful, first annual Sunday in the Garden fundraiser, at the Chicago Botanic Garden. More than one hundred people attended and the Committee raised more than $26,000. The elegant evening was highlighted by a Pimm's reception, private tours of the English Walled Garden, children’s puppet show, and live classical music.
Focus: Art
A thirty-eight student performance group “Theatre of the Physical” from Birmingham visited Chicago and engaged in performances around the city and suburbs. As part of their visit, CPS Theater and Literary programs set up an exchange between these 38 young people and their counterparts at the Steppenwolf’s youth program, Free Street Youth Theater Project and Association House Youth Theater Project.
July 22 and October 21
Focus: Fundraising
The Birmingham Committee partnered with the Chicago Fire to provide limited tickets to two exciting and high-demand soccer games. Chicago Fire played FC Celtic in July and the LA Galaxy in October. A small portion of the ticket price supported fundraising efforts of the Birmingham Committee.
May 6-13
Focus: Business
Martin J. Field, chair of the Chicago Committee in Birmingham, visited Chicago with a delegation of five people as part of the Urban Land Institute Conference. Martin also attended a Birmingham Committee meeting and discussed preliminary plans for "Celebrate Birmingham 2008."
January 9-15
Focus: Sports and Education
Prosser Career Academy sent their Basketball team to Birmingham to participate in a cultural sports exchange. This exchange provided an opportunity for low-income students in Chicago Public Schools to visit another country and learn about their culture, while teaching the residents and students of Birmingham about their own lives in Chicago.
2006
November 10-17
Focus: Education
Visiting delegation of 16 educators from Birmingham. Best practices exchange and visitation of schools. A reception was hosted by Joe Seliga, Birmingham Committee member
June
Focus: Culinary
Chef Michael Pivoney of Marion Street Cheese Market and formerly of the Signature Room on the 95th, joined a Chicago Sister Cities International delegation to Birmingham. Highlights of the visit included a cookery presentation at House of Fraser (among Birmingham's premier department stores and a meal and cooking opportunity at Opus Restaurant.
June 21-25
Focus: Economic Development, Culture
Experience Chicago: Weeklong festival in Birmingham showcasing Chicago. Highlights include: a photo exhibit with 80 large-scale pictures from Chicago’s City Hall archive; performances by 500 clown – a troupe of three performers specializing in physical comedy; cooking demonstrations by Michael Pivonet – Head Chef at the Signature Room Restaurant; screenings of Blues Brothers and Space Jam; visual art workshops through Gallery 37, and a business breakfast hosted by Chair Ellis Goodman and Committee member Rupert Ward.
2004
May 28
Focus: Education
Eleven teachers from Birmingham visited Chicago for an educational exchange.
September
Focus: Government
Counterpart to our International Program Coordinator visited Chicago.
2003
December 12-15
Focus: Culture
The Symphonic Winds performed in Chicago.
October 22-28
Focus: Government
City planner and counterpart to our International Program Coordinator position, Michael Murray, visited Chicago and met with Councilmen, Aldermen, and many city programming planners.
2002
March 2
Focus: Culture
In fall 2001, the Birmingham Royal Ballet performed "Still Life at the Penguin Café" in England. Interpretations of this piece were performed simultaneously by three dance groups in Chicago at Gallery 37, and four dance groups in England. These performances were simulcast live to each city via video conference.
Focus: Culture
A Chicago architecture program will exhibit at Birmingham Convention Centre.
2001
Focus: Education
A “Learning City” videoconference between Chicago and Birmingham city colleges focused on continuing education and workplace development.
2000
Focus: Culture
The Birmingham Royal Ballet performed at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
1999
Focus: Economic Development Joy Okwuadigbo, Manager of the Birmingham City Council Economic Development Program, met with her counterparts in Chicago to discuss future projects.
Focus: Economic Development
The Director of Birmingham Marketing Partnership visited Chicago.
Focus: Education
Harold Washington College and City Colleges Birmingham, established a joint degree program and receive a 10-year accreditation from the North Central Association. This marks the first accredited, 10-year long program between city colleges in the world.
Focus: Government
Birmingham's city planner met with representatives of Morse Diesel and the City of Chicago Department of Planning & Development to discuss the Arena Central project. This project will feature the tallest building in the United Kingdom. Birmingham is using Chicago firms to assist with the project.
Focus: Government
David Prior from Birmingham City Council met with leaders of Chicago’s CAPs program to potentially use it as a model for the Birmingham Police Department.
Focus: Government
Lord Mayor Sue Anderson led a delegation to Chicago to officially acknowledge the newly formed relationship between the city colleges.
Focus: Medical & Social Service
The Committee, with the National Association of Social Workers, hosted a group of 15 social workers from Birmingham and Hamburg, as part of a three-year, trilateral exchange.
1998
Focus: Government
Commissioner of Environment Henry Henderson represented Chicago at Birmingham's Sister Cities Summit which took place during the G-8 Summit.
Focus: Culture
The Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performed at Orchestra Hall.
Focus: Culture Chorus 2000 of Birmingham performed at the Chicago Cultural Center and the University of Chicago.
Focus: Culture
The Global Threads concert featured youth choirs from Birmingham and South Africa.
Focus: Economic Development
A delegation from Black Business Birmingham (BBB) attended Chicago Minority Business Fair and hosted a breakfast for BBB with Chicago business leaders.
Focus: Economic Development
The Birmingham Committee coordinated program on the monetary union with the British-American Chamber of Commerce.
Focus: Education
The Birmingham Committee coordinated the Conference on School Reform, a three-day seminar, in conjunction with Chicago Public Schools, University of Chicago and the British Consulate General which included 30 high level educators and administrators from Birmingham and 150 from Chicago. The British Ambassador to the United States was a featured speaker.
Focus: Education
The Birmingham Committee supported the collaboration between Harold Washington College and Birmingham City Colleges.
Focus: Government
The Birmingham Director of International Affairs visited Chicago.
1997
Focus: Economic Development
The British-American Chamber of Commerce for the Midwest hosted the British-American Business Council Fall Conference in Chicago. During the conference, there was a breakfast address by Mayor Richard M. Daley and a luncheon address by Secretary of Commerce, William Daley.
Focus: Culture
Mr. Tom McNamee, journalist with the Chicago Sun-Times, visited Birmingham as part of an exchange project with a journalist from the Birmingham Post. The International Press Center - Chicago enlisted CSCIP for assistance with the exchange. Mr. McNamee's article praised Birmingham as a sister city of Chicago. British journalist Mison McConkey reciprocated with a visit to Chicago.
Focus: Education Ten education administrators came to Chicago to meet with Loyola University Chicago professors. This delegation also included the manager from the Birmingham City Council.
1996
Focus: Culture
Birmingham City 2000 led a trade mission to Chicago in which representatives of nine companies and The West Midlands Development Company met with Chicago counterparts.
1995
Focus: Economic Development
The Lord Mayor David Roy and the Lady Mayoress led a delegation composed of members of the Birmingham City Council, business executives and press representatives. The visit focused on Chicago's international marketing efforts, trade initiatives and investment opportunities. The delegation's itinerary included meetings with their Chicago counterparts and business prospects, a tourism address by Mayor Richard M. Daley at Navy Pier, visits to McCormick Place, and the Art Institute of Chicago. The Lord Mayor officially opened the City of Birmingham office in the Merchandise Mart.
Focus: Economic Development
The Illinois Bureau of Tourism led a travel and tourism delegation, including a member of the City of Chicago Office of Tourism, to the United Kingdom. Birmingham was one of the cities visited, in which the delegation promoted travel to Chicago and Illinois.
Focus: Economic Development Birmingham City 2000 led a trade mission to Chicago in which representatives of nine companies and The West Midlands Development Company met with Chicago counterparts.
1994
Focus: Culture
Four teenage women from Birmingham participated in the Chicago Bulls 3-on-3 basketball competition.
Focus: Economic Development
Minister Lain Sproat M.P., British Department of National Heritage; Lady Cobham; chair of the Heart of England Tourist Board, and Bob Moore; chief executive of Birmingham Chamber discussed tourism, arts and sports exchanges with representatives of the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, the Chicago Landmarks Commission, the Chicago Park District, Soldiers Field and the Field Museum.
Focus: Education
Twenty five teachers from the Titan organization, a partnership of representatives from inner city Birmingham schools working to improve the quality of education, visited classes and met with education experts in Chicago.
1993
Focus: Culture
The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery loaned a Pre-Raphaelite Painting by Edward Burne-Jones to the Art Institute of Chicago.
Focus: Economic Development
Birmingham's Lord Mayor and delegation met with the president of South Shore Bank to discuss minority owned banks and to tour the bank's redevelopment projects in the South Shore area. He also met with the president of DePaul University, President of the Newberry Library, WMX Technologies (to discuss recycling programs), Department of Aviation, and the Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority. The Lady Mayoress toured the School of the Art Institute with Mrs. Maggie Daley.
Focus: Education
Leonard Dominquez of Chicago's Department of Education traveled to Birmingham and met with the Lady Mayoress, Birmingham City Councilor Byron and the Department of Secondary Schools. Their agenda was to discuss preparation and early childhood programs.
September
Focus: Sister Cities Signing Agreement
Chicago and Birmingham signed a sister cities agreement in September 1993. The Birmingham delegation consisted of the former Lord Mayor Paul Tinsley and Lady Mayoress and 20 other leading citizens from Birmingham.
