best practice model for sister cities!
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COPENHAGEN + PROVIDENCE: BEST PRACTICE MODEL
Municipal ambassadorship
Copenhagen + Providence
COPENHAGEN PROVIDENCEFounded 1137 Founded 1636Populuation: 1.2 million Population: ~180,000 (37 th largest metro (78% Danish; 14.6% Non-Western area in the U.S.; 2nd largest city in New Nations; 7.5% Western Nations) England) 14 colleges/universities 7 colleges/universities34 square miles 20.5 square milesWorld class arts & design communities World class arts & design communitiesWaterfront development project(s) Waterfront development project(s)Active commitment social media/blogging Recognized leader in mentoring young talent -OpenCopenhagen Active preservation movement -Visit Copenhagen IBM Smarter City -Miss Design Says Leading American city for youth arts programs -Copenhagenize One of the oldest engineering programs in US/Brown
-Go Visit DenmarkLeader in sustainability & bicycle transportationIBM Smarter CityInfrastructure movement
Why Copenhagen & Providence?
Distance: 3,705 Miles / 5,963 Kilometers
Providence* I-95 Corridor* 1 hour to Boston* 2 hours to Cape Cod, Berkshires, Portland* 3.5 hours (train/bus)/1 hour (plane) to NYC
Copenhagen* Gateway to Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki
* Denmark is southernmost Scandinavian country* 1 hour to Berlin* 2 hours to Paris/London (plane)
Gateway Communities
“The shortest distance between two people is a smile.”
Victor Borge
SMALLER CITIES UNITE!
• English is spoken by 80% of Danes (primary second language).
• 26 hospitals, 14 universities, 10,000 researchers, 4 science parks and 140 biotechnological companies are located in the part of the Øresund region, named Medicon Valley.
• The transport infrastructure of Copenhagen is among the most efficient and reliable systems in the world.
• British style magazine Wallpaper has named copenhagen one of the coolest capitals in the world & Fast Company recently named it one of the “smartest cities in Europe.”
Copenhagen at a Glance
“Do what Andy Cutler does: let people in your own social networks know how great Providence and Rhode Island is.” (page 46)
Rhode Island Foundation: Make It Happen RI (Progress Report)
Legacy of Civic Engagement
…During the meeting, Secretary Clinton reiterated the United States’ strong commitment to engaging young people worldwide and to using people-to-people diplomacy as a means to create opportunities for greater understanding.
-Secretary Clinton Announces Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Cultural Ambassador, Excerpt from Press Release, January 18, 2012
Citizen Diplomacy
• First:• Paderborn, Germany & Le Mans, France (836)
• First (Modern Era)• Keighley, West Yorkshire, England & Poix-du-Nord, Nord,
France (1920)
• First (N. America)• Toledo, Ohio & Toledo, Spain (1931)
• First (of its kind)• Rochester, Minnesota & Knebworth, UK (1967)
Sister City (or Town-Twinning) Model
• According to statistics from Sister Cities International, there are 694 different US cities who currently have active Sister City programs – which, in turn, represent 1,992 partnerships around the world.
• Sister Cities International, is a non-profit global citizen network, the organization represents 1,749 international communities in 134 countries.
The One Who Figures Out How to Maximize These Relationships Wins!
•Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic•Riga, Latvia•Phnom Penh, Cambodia•Florence, Italy
Does Anybody Know What Providence’s Sister Cities Are?
A New Type of Ambassadorship
5 Elements of Interaction
PROVIDENCE ASSETS
Arts & Culture
Tape Art
Entrepreneurial Programming
Colleges / Universities
Conferences / Events
Copenhagen Assets
Awards/Achievements
Societal / Policy
Extending Reach: Socialnomics
Creation of New Communications Assets
DR
Building Commercial Ties
THIS IS ABOUT CREATING
A MOVEMENT!There is NO greater power than a community realizing its full potential!
• Economic in nature
• New approaches in addressing community challenges
• Expanded networks
• Experiential learning opportunities for students
• Increasing awareness of our community(ies)-press (traditional + non-traditional)-social media-tourism + travel-collaboration through through sharing (lectures, conferences, mentoring)-create & leverage as many storytelling opportunities as possible
ROC vs. ROI
If a thing’s worth doing at all, it’s worth doing well.
-H.G. Wells, 1915
Full-Time Effort is Necessary!
✔Endorsement from Mayor
✔Secure Seed Capital (public/private investment)
✔Initiate full-time endeavor
-Begin creating online/communication tools
✔Outreach to CPH Mayor Frank Jensen
✔Mission Tour; documenting visit (lay the groundwork for numerous
partnerships + next visit with Mayor)
Next Steps