SISTER PROGRAM A WORLD OF GOOD.Byline: Daily News The city of Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, is a participant in the Sister Cities International Sister Cities International is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and fostering town twinning, especially between cities in the United States and cities in other countries. Program that promotes opportunities for learning and economic growth. The Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. International Program is the local nonprofit sister city organization, and Dena Maloney, dean of economic development at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. , is the current president. Carl Boyer, founder of the program, serves as vice president. Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy Citizen diplomacy is the political concept of average citizens engaging as representatives of a country or cause either inadvertently or by design. Citizen diplomacy may take place when official channels are not reliable or desirable; for instance if two countries do not formally network creating and strengthening partnerships between the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and other international communities. The program promotes cultural understanding and stimulates economic development. The organization was formed in 1956 when President Eisenhower proposed to involve individuals and organized groups in diplomacy with the hope that personal relationships, fostered through sister city, county and state affiliations, would lessen the chance of future world conflicts. ``The development of the sister city program promotes relationships where education, economic development and cultural awareness may be exchanged, implemented and strengthened,'' said Elena Galvez, secretary of SCVIP. In November 2001, a delegation from the Santa Clarita Valley traveled to Tena, Ecuador, to sign an agreement between Tena and Santa Clarita, and on Nov. 29 of that year, the first Sister City relationship for Santa Clarita was official. In 2003, a delegation from Sariaya, Philippines, visited Santa Clarita and also signed a sister-city agreement. The program now holds events and activities to help promote others to get involved. For instance, a medical mission to Tena is being planned for April. When the first delegation went to Tena, its members saw that many of the children had oversize o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. Adj. 1. heels that caused them to have difficulty walking. The Santa Clarita Valley International Program is working with Healing the Children to send a team of orthopedists and nurses to Tena to operate and help the children there. For information about the Santa Clarita Valley International Program, or the mission to Tena, call Galvez at (661) 255-4317. |
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