Doha-Charleston Sister Cities International Partnership Marks One Year Anniversary as it Looks Forward to Collaborative Efforts Commemorating Qatar-US 2021 Year of Culture
- By Neita A. Wiese
- •
- 22 Oct, 2020
- •
Mayor of the City of Charleston and Charleston Sister Cities International (CSCI) Honorary Chairman, John Tecklenburg shakes hand of State of Qatar Ambassador Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani at Sister City Partnership Signing in Charleston City Hall as CSCI President and CEO Neita A. Wiese and Charleston City Councilman Kevin Shealy look on.
Charleston, South Carolina—A year after signing their official partnership with Doha, Qatar, Charleston Sister Cities International looks forward to collaborating on cultural exchanges and initiatives with Qatar in honor of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) announcing the Qatar-US 2021 Year of Culture signed by the United States and Qatar on September 14, 2020.
The Qatar-US 2021 Year of Culture is intended to enhance cultural exchange and exemplifies the renewed commitment of the two nations to foster mutual understanding and promote inter-cultural dialogue.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised the range and depth of the growing Qatar-US relationship saying, "The MoU emphasizes that our partnership has grown beyond just defense and economics into one of true friendship and community between our people and our two countries".
HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the signing of the MoU for the Qatar-US 2021 Year of Culture, along with an MoU with the United States Agency for International Development and Qatar's support for Fulbright scholarships, reflect the range and depth of ties between the two countries.
In response of the agreement, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums said "we celebrate culture, sports, business, education, music and much more. I look forward to working on building the existing strong relationship between our nations and explore new opportunities together".
In honor of the Qatar-US 2021 Year of Culture, Charleston Sister Cities International President & CEO and Sister Cities International designated Qatar Representative, Neita A. Wiese states, "We look forward to collaborating with the State of Qatar, the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the US, the United States Embassy to Qatar and related Qatar cultural organizations—both in Qatar and the United States—to facilitate cultural exchanges between Doha, Qatar and Charleston, South Carolina in areas of art, education, tourism, and sports throughout 2021".
An official Sister City partnership was signed October 21, 2019 by the State of Qatar Ambassador to the United States, HE Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani and Charleston Sister Cities International Honorary Chair, Mayor John Tecklenburg.
A Charleston Sister Cities International Doha Committee delegation was slated to visit Doha, Qatar earlier this Spring, and due to COVID-19 has been postponed to 2021.
Time well spent earlier this week at the South Carolina-Canada Energy RoundTable that focused on emerging energy technologies sponsored
by the S.C. Department of Commerc
e in Partnership with the Consulate General Of Canada in Atlanta. Very informative panel discussions, moderated by #AshMille
r, #ErveinaGosalc
i #CristinaParede
s. Clarke Thompso
n Neita A. Wies
e and Consul General Rosaline Kwan and SC Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey, III.
Time Well Spent at the German-American Business Summit hosted by the College of Charleston
School of Business &
School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs. Two Excellent Panel Discussions moderated by #NathanKin
g #KingStrategicConsultin
g, and #ElizabethGibbe
s, Honorary Consul Germany, and featuring Andrew Hs
u, #NathanBoth
a, #AimeeAria
s, #FabianGrim
m, #LeeMurra
y, #StephanieRhode
s, Megan Anderso
n, #MitchBelsle
y, Daniel Schlegel, and #SamuelSchwarze
r. #MorganKoerne
r did an outstanding job.
I want to thank the German Embassy Washington
, and German Ambassador Andreas Michaelis, and his wife Heike for hosting the Sister Cities International
2025 Presidential Inaugural Gala held at the German Ambassador's Residence, D.C., that I attended representing Charleston Sister Cities International
, along with my guest, Robert Broadbent, Womble Bond Dickinson US LLP
.
As we enter 2025, we celebrate the history of strong bilateral US- German Relations via Sister City
Partnership since President Dwight D. Eisenhower founded Sister Cities International
(SCI) in 1956 to promote Global Peace & Prosperity through Diplomatic, Educational, Cultural, and Trade Exchanges and Initiatives. Since it's founding, SCI has been uniquely tied to the Presidency, with many U.S. Presidents serving as SCI's Honorary Chairman.
With honored guests spanning the globe, that included the Washington D.C., Ambassadorial, Diplomatic, Business and Community Leaders, the evening reflected the spirit of international friendship and citizen diplomacy.
I was honored by the invitation to attend the Ceremonial Bill Signing and Formalization by Governor Henry McMaster
of the South Carolina Ireland Trade Commission last Wednesday, which seeks to advance bilateral Trade and Investment opportunities between South Carolina and the Republic of Ireland.
Thank you, Lt. Governor Pamela Evette
, Samuel Smith, South Carolina State Senator Mike Reichenbach
, and to the South Carolina Ireland Trade Commission for such an excellent afternoon
at the State House. Time well spent!
Representing the Republic of Ireland in formalizing the Trade Commission were Embassy & Consulates of Ireland USA
, Atlanta, Consult General Frank Groome, and Vice Consul Nicole Sheils, whom Charleston Sister Cities International
looks forward to collaborating with as we continue to deepen our ties between the City of Charleston, SC Government
Region and the Republic of Ireland.
Clearly, Charleston Sister Cities International
and our Partners, are so excited and pleased to see the South Carolina Ireland Trade Commission launched! In 2021, Councilman Kevin Shealy - Charleston City Council
and I were invited to the Embassy of Ireland, Washington DC Residence, Washington, for coffee with Ambassador Daniel Mulhall and Economic Counselor Harry Lester to discuss establishing a Port Sister City partnership, and to hand deliver an invitation to Ambassador and Mrs. Mulhall, by our Republic of Ireland- Charleston Sister Cities International
Committee to Charleston for a November 2021 Reception in their honor welcoming and introducing them to Charleston, hosted by The Hotel Bennett
t.
Additionally, we hand delivered an invitation by the SCbio Committee to Ambassador Mulhall to speak at the 2022 SCbio Annual Conference resulting in the IDA Ireland attending and exhibiting.
As President & CEO of Charleston Sister Cities International
(CSCI)/ Neita A. Wiese
, I was recently invited to attend Air Canada
's Charleston-Toronto Inaugural non-stop Flight Reception on March 19th.
It was such a pleasure to meet Graziella Cabrera, Senior Manager Air Canada
and her colleagues. Congratulations to Elliott Summey
, Executive Director/CEO, Charleston International Airport
and Aviation Authority, and Helen Turner Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Explore Charleston
and Chairman of the Charleston International Airport
and Aviation Authority for this timely achievement.
And today, I had the pleasure of meeting Consulate General of Canada in Atlanta
Rosaline Kwan, Featured Speaker, at the World Affairs Council of Charleston
's International Business Luncheon and her Team Members Ash Miller and Darren Croswell. Time Well Spent!
Charleston Sister Cities International
/ Neita A. Wiese
is excited to collaborate with the Consulate General of Canada in Atlanta
as we continue to deepen our bilateral ties and plan next steps as we explore establishing a strategic CSCI Sister City Partnership with Canada.
Time well spent at Charleston Southern University
’s "Germany's Leadership In Sustainability" Forum earlier this week.
South Carolina's commitment to Sustainability is evidenced by our German Manufacturing Partners, companies, and organizations such as BOSCH, Fraunhofer
, Kion
Group, and Mankiewicz Coatings
, and the Branham Group Inc featuring the following as speakers:
Thank you to @Stephanie LeVan for including Charleston Sister Cities International
, Silvia Judy JAS Worldwide
, and Sean Wesley Holleran, First National Bank
Small Business Finance as guests of Charleston Southern University at this exceptional event.
We have some exciting news! Sister Cities International is proud to announce 7 for 70, an initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of State
and the White House National Security Council. 7 for 70 commits to creating seven new Sister City relationships in the Pacific Islands by 2026 in celebration of the 70th Anniversary of Sister Cities International!
The 7 for 70 will strengthen ties between the United States and Pacific Islands nations through new partnerships and promoting cultural understanding. Recently, we had the honor of meeting delegations from 18 Pacific Island countries to explore new partnerships.
A special thank you to the Second Gentleman for affirming the significance of this initiative and for your recognition of the importance of citizen diplomacy! The White House’s recent announcements at the U.S. Pacific Islands Forum Summit here. https://www.whitehouse.gov/.../fact-sheet-enhancing-the.../
To learn more about our 7 for 70 Initiative, check out our website and fill out the contact form linked here. https://sistercities.org/7-for-70/
It was such a pleasure to attend the Friends of the Pacific Reception hosted by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Kevin Rudd
last week at the Australian Residence in honor of the #UnitedStatesPacificIslandsForumLeadersSummit
. What an honor to meet United States Ambassador to Australia
Caroline Kennedy as well.
It was so nice to have British Deputy Consul General Colin Gray back again for the South Carolina International Trade Conference
this week!
Thank you Colin for hosting such a wonderful international evening at the Hotel Bennett
's fabulous Gabrielle with guests ranging from Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom/Scotland and United States.