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The first delegation of Duluth, Minnesota, USA, to Rania, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in May 2009
For the purpose of making cultural exchange relationship between Rania, Iraq, and Duluth, the United States, at the afternoon of 19th may 2009, a group of Duluth citizens arrived at the Sulaimani International Airport. The team was received by the district governor of Rania, Kurdistan save the children organization and the director of Rania youth activity center. Additionally, they were warmly welcomed by Rania’s authors, journalists, officials, and a number of civil society organizations.
The idea of establishing such a relationship was born three years ago through a connection made by Michele Naar-Obed while working with Christian Peacemaker teams, a human rights-violence reduction organization. She formed a friendship with Khalid Qader, who is director of a youth activity center in Rania. The two began discussing the possibility of sister city status in 2007.
On 20th may 2009, in the youth activity center’s hall in Rania, the committee of citizens of both cities had emphasized on the need for cultural exchange and sister-city programs. In the meeting, many ideas have been exchanged between the representatives of people of the two cities. Furthermore, the history and some information relative to the ongoing projects and government offices and departments of Rania have been clarified.
Importantly, in the meeting, both sides came to an agreement on the cultural exchange and sister-city programs. For this purpose, a message from Duluth’s Mayor Don Ness was presented to the other side through the district governor of Rania, Ali Hamad.
At that instant, some activities were performed including; showing photos of the works of youth activity center, awarding some gifts from the people of Rania to the people of Duluth, and presenting a seminar by Mohammed Hama Salih, expert on genocide and the director of a program in Kurdistan save the children organization, on the history of Kurds and their life under the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein.
Additionally, at the afternoon of the same day, a documentary show was presented in the youth activity center, and some artworks (music and painting) were shown, that has been prepared by Rania’s young people. Furthermore, on the evening of the day, the Duluth delegation visited an artistic project, that has been prepared by Bitwen Ali within the oldest house in Rania. At the end of the day, they visited the local market to listen to the opinions of the people living in the city.
On the latter days (21-25)th May, the group from Duluth visited some of the city’s offices, departments, educational institutions, and organizations; including; (the office of the district governor, the college of humanity sciences, the presidency of the municipality, Asos community center, computer institute, general library, cultural community center, the office of investigating violence against women, women organizations that are working in the city, Institute of fine arts, department of artistic activities, children’s cultural center, and the department of social affairs). In addition, the group from Duluth visited a photographic show arranged by Rawisht Twana in the local market of Rania.
Meanwhile, for the purpose of having more information on Rania and the people living in this district, the citizens of Duluth was helped to visit some villages and other touristic places in and around the city. During this trip, the team participated in some parties and folk dances that the people in these places had arranged.
Moreover, the delegation of Duluth visited the campus that had been built in Zharawa for the people who lost their homes in Qandil mountains due to the bombardment of the Kurdistan region borders by Turkey in Iran. The campus was included with 205 homeless families.
At the evening of 25th May, a press conference was held for the Duluth delegation and Rania officials in the youth activity center’s hall, to show the detail and the reason of the trip of Duluth citizens to Rania.
