Birmingham Sister City delegation to Capetown and Johannesburg
December 1999

Memorandum of Agreement to Formalize
Sister City Relationship
Between
Birmingham, Alabama USA
and
Capetown, South Africa

Whereas the sister city program has as its guiding philosophy the joining together of like minded people arid their communities in a continuing relationship of mutual trust, sharing and friendship, and

Whereas the sister city program involves people and communities who share their wisdom, culture, and joy, and

Whereas a common thread of history, culture, business or other interests provide the basis of sister city relationships, and

Whereas the cities of Birmingham, Alabama USA and Capetown, South Africa share a common history of voting and civil rights struggles and they share a common purpose in the present and a joint faith in a brighter tomorrow, and

Whereas in the areas of healthcare, trade, education, cultural arts, social development and housing our cities can learn from one another and form productive relationships that better serve our citizens, and

Whereas our two cities have shared these visions and plans and wish to formally begin negotiations to create a more permanent linkage between our communities, and

Whereas the arrangements between the Birmingham Sister City Commission and the appropriate body in Cape Town should include the signing by the end of the year 2000 a Sister City Agreement that will formalize the structure of city to city, organization to organization, business to business and people to people exchanges between Birmingham and Cape Town that will be highlighted in both cities in the new millennium,

Now therefore we the undersigned resolve to formalize the basis for our relationship between the cities and sister city organizations in the year 2000 and to move forward with meaningful exchanges between our people and cities.

Signed:

Mayor Noma India, Capetown

Councilor Patricia Alexander, Birmingham

Councilor Leroy Bandy, Birmingham

Councilor Aldrich Gunn, Birmingham

Councilor Bill Johnson, Birmingham

Councilor Sandra Little, Birmingham