Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-12-24

Of the forces that mold that city
for distribution In Jequie town
not unlike It In the Brazilian
province Of Bahia.
The picture has taken long
time to evolve from a fuzzy
negative to a clear positive
proof Of the city's needs, aspi-
rations, character and assets.
The darkroom operation began
last January when the Mayor
Of Takoma Park, George M.
Miller and Antonio Lomanto,
Jr., then Mayor Of Jequie and
now Gov. Of the Bahia Province
officially exchanged town affili-
alton charters uniting the two
communities In a "sister city"
program.
The exchange concluded three
years Of negotiation between the
two cities, the State Department
and the American Municipal AS
sociation and the formation of
a small, 80 membership, but
determined group of Takoma
Park citizens aware Of the pur-
posetul nature Of town affilia-
ticns.
First Meeting
From this first meeting on
Oct. 10, 1860 came the nucleus
Of action. The committee con-
sidered for months the histori-
cal ties, ethnic composition of
the community, factors of size
and economy, cultural interests
and other background infor-
nation which was compiled on a
number Of different cities be-
fore the final selection of Je-
quie was made.
When the committee complet-
ed its investigation and the
choice was narrowed down to a
country and a particular city,
the committee transmitted It's
wishes to the Director Of Town
Affiliations Richard Oakland at
the ANA and its foreign affili-
ates and from this came a
proper introduction to the pro-
spective partner overseas.
When the groundwork had
been laid, the City Council Of
Takoma Park passed a resolu-
ton which was exchanged by the
municipal government of the
sister city at ceremonies in both
cities attended by representa-
tives Of the foreign city or It's
national government.
A spokesman Tor me cisizens
committee lxecantly- organized
to supervise and expand the sis
ter city affiliation, Mrs. Erred
Grade says, ''the program has
been received with strong sup
port"
1000 Populated
''Jequie, she muses. has a
population of 81, 900, is county
seat, and is located on the left
bank Of the Contas River, 100
miles southwest Of Salvador,
capital Of the Province of Ba-
hia."
For all its similarity, Tako-
ma Park and Jequie, Brazil
are only two sister cities. There
exists today about $50 Ameri-
can cities, ranging from New
York to Oakland, Nebraska,
population Of ,40o) that have
taken up the challenge and are
working actively to tell the story
of America to the citizens of
their sister cities in So coun-
tries.
"This," Mrs. Grade says,
sfs the exciting fact Of people
half way around the world
speaking to people instead Of
governments speaking to gov
ernments."
Takoma Park is an example |
Of what George G. Wynne, Of the
United States Information Agen-
cy wrote in ''Town Affiliations:
The U. S. Experience" of the
sunity which binds sister
Cities" "Like the Olympic |
games," he writes, "city affili-
ations are intended to match the |
talents Of skilled amateurs, In |
this case, amateurs In the field
Of international relations.
Participants in sister city ac-
tivties work at the enjoyment
of friendship across national
frontiers as an avocation, re-
warding hobby In addition to
their full-time pursuits"
The national People-to.
People Program began at the
White House In 1856 when the |
President called for a massive
program Of communication be- |
tween Americans and the
peoples Of other lands. The
People-to- People Program is a
non-partisan and a private vol