Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Partnership Committee
Indianapolis-K�ln Sister City Partnership Committee
1525 North Ritter Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46219
317:359-5467 ext. 222
317:322-4095 (fax)
Chairman: Sven Schumacher, e-mail
Membership is open to all interested in facilitating exchange with Cologne, Germany.
History, Mission
The Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Partnership Committee is part of Sister Cities International, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to foster international understanding at all levels of the community on a continuing long-term basis. Since its founding in 1988, the focus of the committee has remained the same: forging person-to-person bonds between Indianapolis and Cologne.
Our German counterpart organization is Freundeskreis K�ln-Indianapolis e. V. Its first chairman was Volkmar Schultz, former member of the German Bundestag from North Rhine-Westphalia. For information on Cologne's Sister City programs, click on http://www.stadt-koeln.de/europa/partnerschaften/index.html.
Committee Programs
- Reciprocal trade visits between Cologne and Indianapolis business representatives
- Luncheon honoring the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, former Indiana senator Dan Coats (23 September 2003)
- Reception with visiting social workers from Germany
- Another trip to Cologne for Karneval celebrations with our partner committee there.
- Production of a video portrait of Cologne underwritten by the Indiana Humanities Council, the Christel deHaan Family Foundation and others.
- Homestays for a dozen Cologne firefighters during World Police and Fire Games
- Visit from the 35-member Donie Band from Cologne
Subcommittees
Travel & Tourism Subcommittee
Chair: Charlie McDonald
317:549-0055
e-mail
Indiana's economy and business benefits from relationships already established through Sister Cities ties. The subcommittee works to build a network to remove roadblocks (cultural or otherwise) and to encourage linkages among businesses in Indiana and the
Sister Cities. Its goal is to provide training for Indiana business leaders, designed to
facilitate effective business and tourism partnerships.
A key program is a joint venture with Cincinnati (German Sister City: Munich) and Louisville (German Sister City: Mainz) to cooperatively market our three midwestern cities as a tourism destination for German travelers. Members of the subcommittee will attend the Cologne International Tourism Fair in November, For details on the initiative, see the website.
Outcomes
- Build a network to remove roadblocks (cultural or otherwise)
and to encourage linkages among businesses in Indiana and the
Sister Cities.
- Provide training, for Indiana business leaders, designed to
facilitate effective business and tourism partnerships.
Training Objectives
To conduct research and develop conferences and seminars designed to
accomplish the following results:
- Prepare individuals and the Business community for
globalization.
- Train local business and industry leaders in the most effective
ways to interact with businesses located in our Sister Cities.
- Facilitate study groups designed to explore ways to promote
tourism.
- Remove barriers to effective business partnerships by training
on specific topics, such as, language, culture, business/economic environment, business culture, political environment, European Union, tourism preferences of Europeans, etc.
Education Subcommittee
Chair: Dr. Giles Hoyt
317:274-2330
317:278-2213 (fax)
e-mail
The Education Sub-Committee has existed since the beginning of the sister city
relationship, namely ten years. During that time the Sub-Committee has been
responsible for maintaining one of the longest lasting high school exchanges
in Sister Cities history. The exchange functions through a loosely
organized consortium of high schools in the Indy area and several schools in
Cologne, primarily the K�ln-Nippes Gymnasium. Colleen Tabor of Cathedral
High School is one of the main organizers on the Education Sub-Committee.
The German students usually come to Indy during their Easter break.
Business Development Subcommittee
Co-chair: Keith Osborne
317:769 4549
e-mail
Co-chair: Matt Judge
e-mail
2003 Events
Luncheon honoring Dan Coats, U.S. Ambassador to Germany, held in cooperation with Indianapolis Chapter of American Council on Germany and Hudson Institute.
Reception for social workers from Cologne (June).
Toyota Formula One Team arrives again from Cologne for the U.S. Grand Prix Formula One race.
(under construction)
2002 Events
On 1 April, Bernhard Schulte from Cologne arrived in Indianapolis to serve an internship with a law practice in our city. He stayed for about three months with a host family.
On 2 April, Sven Schumacher appeared on the "Paul Irwin Show" on WICR 88.7 FM to talk about Cologne.
In early April, two visitors from the Cologne Fire Department and the Cologne Convention Board arrived in Indianapolis to meet with the 2002 Fire Department Instructors Conference at the Convention Center.
In September, the Toyota Formula One Team from Cologne participated in the Indianapolis Grand Prix race.
"Cologne Art Meets Indianapolis" exhibit (February/March): CANCELLED
2001 Roundup
(under construction)
2000 Roundup from Sven Schumacher, committee chairman
As 2000 comes to a close, it is time to review the activities of our Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Committee. We had another successful year! As you know, with your help and involvement we have planned a number of activities and exchanges.
The 2000 Cologne-style Karneval at the Athenaeum was a great success -- over 300 friends attended. I wish to extend special thanks to Dr. Giles Hoyt, George Wehrle, and all the others who helped make it such a memorable event. Plan now to attend the next Karneval, which is scheduled for 10 February 2001 in the Athenaeum.
Sad news arrived shortly after the Karneval. The committee was informed that the newly elected Lord Mayor of Cologne, Harry Blum, had become gravely ill and died on 17 March 2000. Lord Mayor Blum began his tenure only 6 months before he passed away.
On 23 June 2000 the long awaited Donie Band with more than 35 members and chaperones arrived from Cologne. The band played at several venues including German Park, the Athenaeum and Lutherwood Children's Home. More than 500 people enjoyed a good mix of German and Ameican tunes. At this point I want to thank our host families, especially Gloria Webster, for their hospitality and friendship. A heartfeld "thank you" also goes to the Indianapolis Fire Department and Deputy Chief David Grider. The department and their volunteers opened IFD Station 12 to our guests as a "youth hostel". This worked out great and our guests had a lot of fun at the station.
Earlier in the year, the Indiana Humanities Council awarded a grant to the Indianapolis-Cologne Sister City Committee for the Indianapolis-Cologne Media Project. Their generous support was made possible by the Lilly Endowment through the GERMANY IN US program.
Sabine Laubach, a music student from Cologne, arrived in the city on 30 August. Sabine is taking courses at Butler University this fall.
In September, Angela Gilmer from Channel 16 and I traveled to Cologne, where we spent five intensive days of filing that laid the ground work for a 20-minute video portrait of our Sister City, Cologne. We will use the video to promote our Sister City Relationship to new audiences more effectively in the future. We could have used the video at a recent talk I gave to the Sertoma Club North at the Scottish Rite Cathedral. The project will be completed at the end of January 2001. I would also like to say "thank you" to our friends in Cologne for their support and flawless organization during our stay, especially Volkmar Schultz and his daughter, Klaus Martin Finzel, Juergen Schumann and Frank Stobbe.
On another note, during our stay in Cologne, a new Lord Mayor was elected. We hope to welcome Lord Mayor Fritz Schramma to Indianapolis in the near future.
At this point you may wonder what the plans include for next year. Frank Stobbe from the Cologne Fire Department is organizing a group of about 12 Cologne firefighters to participate in the World Police and Fire Games in Indianapolis 8-16 June 2001. We plan to mobilize host families for our friends from Cologne during this event. Please let me know if you are interested in becoming a host.
In October 2001, the K�ln-Indianapolis Freundeskreis is planning a four-day visit to our city. Under the leadership of Volkmar Schultz, the group will visit Indianapolis as part of a trip that will take them from Chicago to Boston. It is our plan to have time for tours, parties, get-togethers and presentations in Indianapolis. As usual, this will be a time of great fun that will give us the opportunity to renew our friendships.
In the last few months I have developed and mailed funding proposals for new and on-going programs. I want to thank the DeHaan Family Foundation for their generous support of the Multi-Media Project and other Cologne projects.
On 4 December 2000 you are invited to an Advent coffee and organizational meeting at 4:30 p.m. at Lutherwood Children's Home, 1525 North Ritter Avenue. I hope you'll plan to attend this meeting, and I look forward to seeing you then.
(created 2000)
SITE UNDER (perpetual) CONSTRUCTION
(last updated 23 September 2003)