Installation of the City Seal of Torun, Poland

Press Release - February, 1999

In 1956, at the height of the Cold War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower called for a program of exchanges between the United States and other countries as a way to foster understanding. From that challenge evolved the Sister Cities Program, an international network of cities sharing cultures and promoting mutual acceptance. Today more than 1065 American cities have formed friendship alliances with Sister Cities in 117 nations around the world.

Philadelphia joined the family of Sister Cities in 1964 and since then has paired with six unique and distinctive cities: Florence, Italy, (1964) - Tel-Aviv, Israel, (1966) - Torun, Poland, (1976) - Tianjin, China, (1980) - Inchon, Korea, (1984) and Douala, Cameroon, (1986).

The Philadelphia Sister Cities Program strives to foster greater international understanding and cooperation. The Program's goals are to build friendship between the people and governments of Philadelphia and its Sister Cities, and to promote international relations through business, cultural, and educational exchanges.

As part of the Philadelphia Sister Cities Program, there will be a formal installation of the City Seal of Torun at the Polish American Cultural Center Museum, 308 Walnut Street, in historic Philadelphia, on Friday, February 19, 1999 at 12:30 P.M. February 19th was chosen since it coincides with the date of Copernicus' birth (Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland).

The masterful wood carving of the City Seal of Torun was commissioned by the Poniecki Foundation in El Cerrito, California, carved by Professor Jerome Thomas of Berkeley, California and donated to the Polish American Cultural Center Museum in historic Philadelphia.

Special guests for the Installation of the City Seal will be Mayor Edward Rendell, representatives from the city of Torun, Poland, the International Centre for Information Management Systems & Services in Torun, the International Visitors Council of Philadelphia, and the Wladyslaw Poniecki Foundation of California.

We respectfully request that a member of your staff be assigned to cover this important Sister Cities Program event. For more information contact Theresa Romanowski at the Polish American Cultural Center Museum, (215) 922-1700.

 

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