March 2003

iEARN LINKS CITY AND REMOTE HILLS
IN SRI LANKA

The iEARN members of Colombo Sri Lanka introduced online projects to outstation schools in the upcountry Matale. The Mayor of the District attended the one day workshop held with 50 students and teachers. Since many students have no email facility, they wish to communicate with the students on a group email basis. The students of Matale are very creative, and contribute to many iEARN projects, including Child Labour, Lewin, Say No to Drugs and Animals Are My Friends. If any teacher would like to establish communication with these students please write to <shavee@sltnet.lk>.

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February 2003

SISTER CITIES PARTNERSHIP: AN ENORMOUS SUCCESS

The Sister Cities partnership between the city of Port of Spain, Trindad, West Indies and the city of Atlanta, Georgia has proven to be a huge success for the two cities.

The two cities have a long standing relationship which dates back to 1987, when the two cities officially entered into a sister city relationship, exchanging cultural and educational initiatives, as well as business and economic development.

The result of this exchange of information has led to their most recent initiatives of the Fire Service Exchange and the City Ambassador Program, which have proven to be very successful for both cities.

The Fire Service Exchange was established in 1998 through a Memorandum of Understanding, which has allowed the exchange of training, technology and culture between the Fire Departments of both cities. The signatories to the Agreement were:

For the City of Atlanta:
Bill Campbell – Mayor
Winston Minor – Fire Chief, City of Atlanta
Norma Kendall-Hamlet – Chair, Atlanta/Port of Spain Sister City Committee

For the City of Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies
Mr. John Rahael – Mayor
Mr. Lennox Alfred – Fire Chief, Trinidad & Tobago
The Honorable Senator, Brigadier Joseph Theodore - Trinidad & Tobago Government
Gia Gaspard-Taylor – President, Port of Spain/Atlanta Sister City Committee

In 1999, both fire departments exchanged literature and training material. In 2000, the Atlanta Fire Department provided smoke detectors that were distributed to low-income families and the elderly.

The exchange continues in 2003 with a six-week training course led by Battalion Chief Fire Officer, John Springle, a native of Trinidad and Tobago with 29 years of fire fighting experience. He has undergone training in England, Japan and in the United States at the National Fire Academy. Chief Springle is also a member of the Service Administration of Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service and a certified Industrial and Public Relations Specialist.

The six-week course will be covering airport security, mass and IT communication, public relations and public information, fire service administration, as well as fire and safety training. Although this is the first training initiative to take place in Atlanta, it is already forecasted to set a precedent as a line of training for future fire fighters.

Atlanta

Port of Spain

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City ambassadors with cruise ship visitors in downtown Port of Spain

On February 7, 2003, the City of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago launched the City Ambassador Program of goodwill and safety similar to that of the Atlanta City Ambassador Program introduced in time for the 1996 World Summer Olympics, to facilitate the safety of visitors to the City of Atlanta and give them direction to various places of interest. The Atlanta/Port of Spain Sister City Committee wishes to commend Gia Gaspard Taylor for her commitment and initiative in having this program implemented successfully.

February, 2003

CITY AMBASSADOR - PROGRAM

Georgianne Thomas, Chair of the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission sums up the success of this program through these words: " As Chair of the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission, I wish to congratulate the City of Port of Spain on the launching of the City Program. The President of the Port of Spain Sister City Committee must be commended for her tenacity in ensuring that this program has been initiated after her visit to Atlanta. The Board and Members of the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission join with me in congratulating the sister city committees of Port of Spain and Atlanta for their combined efforts in making this a reality. We look forward to an exchange between the Ambassador’s Program in Port of Spain and Atlanta, similar to that of the Fire Services."

Atlanta Mayor's office to Mrs. Gia Gaspard Taylor: "On behalf of Mayor Shirley Franklin, it is my great pleasure to congratulate you on the establishment of the Ambassador’s Program. The Port of Spain launching of this program, which has served Atlanta well for a number of years, serves to further strengthen the bonds between our two cities. Over the years, Atlanta has enjoyed being a sister city to Port of Spain, a premiere municipality of the Caribbean community. As a result of this relationship, Atlanta is a destination point for many Trinidadians, as students, travelers, residents, and persons interested in international trade and investment. In this uncertain time where the threats of war, terrorism loom, I commend your considerable efforts, via the Ambassador’s Program, to promote goodwill and public safety in Port-of-Spain. I wish you every success in this endeavor and send this letter as a demonstration of camaraderie.

Sincerely,

Claire McLeveighn, Director
External Affairs and International Relations

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February, 2003

Declaration and Action Plan Outlined PrepCom-2 for World Summit on the Information Society Concludes

Geneva, 28 February 2003 - The second meeting of the preparatory committee for the World Summit on the Information Society (PrepCom-2) concluded with two working documents for a draft declaration and action plan. The results from the second in a series of United Nations-backed preparatory conferences lays the groundwork for the first-ever global summit on information and communication technologies (ICTs). The World Summit on the Information Society will be held in Geneva 10-12 December 2003 and in Tunis 16-18 November 2005. The document focuses on ways to bridge the digital divide between developed and developing nations, created by an explosion of ICTs during the past two decades. "The enthusiastic participation of more than 1500 participants is reflected in the comprehensive nature of the work produced, and in their collective belief in developing new and innovative partnerships between Member States, civil society and the business sector in order to bridge the divide," says Mr Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary-General of ITU. "However, to achieve the vision of the information society we've outlined, we need to do more work as well as gain the support and political will of the leaders of the world."
For full text see:
http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2003/10.html

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February, 2003

iEARNTnT Receives Accreditation to the World Summit on the Information Society

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January 23, 2003

PORT OF SPAIN / ATLANTA
SISTER CITIES

MEDIA RELEASE

To further strengthen the relationship established between Port of Spain and Atlanta Sister Cities.

And the continuing relationship between National Organization such as the Memorandum of Understanding between the Atlanta Fire Department and The Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services.

Fire Station Officer John Springle left today for a six weeks Exchange Training in Atlanta to cover the following

• Preparedness and Response to Terrorist Acts and future demands on Fire Services.
• Information, Communication and Technology
• Public Relations.

Gia Gaspard Taylor, President of Port of Spain/Atlanta Sister Cities, said, “ we hope through seminars, study sessions and on the job training offered will develop fundamental skills, to enhance the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services and ultimately boost the marketability of the Trinidad and Tobago Services” she expressed sincere thanks to the Ministry of National Security and The American Embassy for the support given in bringing this project to fruition.

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Ambassador Dr. Roy L. Austin and Mayor of Port of Spain Coll. Murchison Brown take time out to pose with Leaders, Principals and Teachers.

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