President Obama Highlights Importance of Sister Cities Movement
Remarks demonstrate the impact of citizen diplomacy

WASHINGTON, DC – During today’s town hall meeting with college students in Shanghai, China, President Obama highlighted the impact the sister cities movement has on improving issues that affect Chinese and Americans alike.

When asked by a student about the sister cities relationship between Chicago, IL and Shanghai, China the President had this to say, “We have seen what is possible when we build upon our mutual interests, and engage on the basis of mutual respect.”

Founded in 1985, the Chicago—Shanghai sister cities partnership has been one of innovation. In 2008, Chicago Sister Cities International brought together university, business, and civic leaders from Chicago and Shanghai for a progressive sustainable energy project using geothermal and fuel cell technology. A joint team of faculty and students from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Tongji University in Shanghai worked to create energy efficient and cost effective technologies to provide heat and electricity for a portion of a large-scale redevelopment on the south lakefront in Chicago. The project is currently in its second stage of completion.