San Antonio,TX., makes donations to Sister City Chennai for COVID relief

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The city of San Antonio, Texas recently donated $10,000 to Chennai, India for COVID-19 relief as a gesture of solidarity with its sister city.

Members of the Rotary Club of San Antonio donated $5,000 to the Rotary Club of Madras East and Anuja SA, a non-profit organization created to promote the Sister City alliance between San Antonio and Chennai, donated the remaining $5,000, according to a press release.

Consul General for South India Judith Ravin said, in the press release, “It is wonderful to witness two global communities come together through the Sister Cities program in times of need. While the global pandemic continues to cause uncertainty, it is precisely in these times that we are reminded we are all in this together.”

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg in a message of support to Chennai said: “The past year has united us in a shared fight against a pandemic that has brought devastating loss to both of our communities.”

“San Antonio stands in support of those who are affected by the ongoing crisis in India. We have heard stories of the truly heroic actions of your health care workers, volunteers, friends, and family members who are working tirelessly to care for their neighbors and communities,” he added.

The cities of Chennai and San Antonio signed a Sister City International agreement in 2008 to deepen cooperation between the two cities in trade, investment, and culture. San Antonio has celebrated the Indian festival of Deepavali since then, says the release.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower started the Sister Cities International (SCI) national initiative shortly after World War II, to develop economic, cultural, and technical exchanges between U.S. cities, counties, and states with corresponding communities worldwide.

The goal of the Sister Cities program is to involve people and organized groups at all levels of society, establishing productive, people-to-people relationships through global community partnerships and volunteer action.

The SCI network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers in nearly 500 member communities, with over 2,000 partnerships in more than 140 countries.