Owensboro's Sister Cities in Japan and the Czech Republic

Sister Cities International is a program that was founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. According to the website, Eisenhower's vision was one of championing peace and prosperity through the creation of bonds between citizens from different communities across the globe.

Its mission statement is as follows:

To promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation-one individual, one community at a time.

I mention SCI because it's where the concept of "sister cities" began. And it was through Sister Cities International that the relationship between Owensboro and its European sister city began to develop in 1993.

Sister Cities: Owensboro and Olomouc

Owensboro and Olomouc, Moravia in the Czech Republic are currently official sister cities through Owensboro Sister Cities and Regions Inc, or OSCAR. Its statement of purpose is far more detailed than SCI, but its missions are essentially the same. Recently, it was announced that Owensboro firefighters would visit Olomouc as part of an exchange program.

Hopefully, there will time for sightseeing. If so, the following guide should come in handy:

Sister Cities: Owensboro and Nisshin

Because of several Japanese car plants in the Owensboro, our fair city became a sister to Nisshin, Japan in 2007. But Owensboro Living makes it clear that we are actually sister REGIONS so that Bluegrass Crossings Industrial Park in Ohio County can be looped into relationship; three more Japanese auto plants are located there.

Whoever gets to travel to Japan through OSCAR might enjoy a preview by way of this walk-through preview:

The sister cities programs on any level are a wonderful way to unite across the globe. I must confess that I envy anyone who will have the privilege of being an Owensboro ambassador in either of these beautiful cities.

Can you fit me into a carry-on?