Kansas City Perspective
A growing sisterhood
By Ally McNitt

　To understand the growing interest of China in the Midwest, ViaMei publisher Edmund Chow recently visited a few of Kansas City's most influential people: Mayor Kay Barnes, Dr. Gary Pettit, President of the Edgar Snow Foundation and Robert Chien, Committee Chairman of the Xi'an / Kansas City Sister City program.

　The large geographical distance between China and the Midwest doesn't seem large when one takes a close look at culturally important programs such as the Sister City program. The goal of the program is to build, maintain and strengthen community involvement in Kansas City's relationships with cities around the world. Kansas City has 12 sister cities, and the opportunities to expand such cultural awareness are endless. Xi'an, China (pronounced She'on) and Kansas City, Missouri are sisters. Both are Midwestern, friendly, positive and maintain similar economies, such as agriculture and manufacturing.
　According to Kay Barnes, Mayor of Kansas City, President Eisenhower started the Sister City program in 1956 as an "avenue to peace." President Eisenhower began an organization called "People to People International", and the Sister City program was a branch of that organization. The continuing mission of the Sister Cities is "peace through people". It is dedicated to promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation—one individual, one community at a time.
　During her 8-year tenure, Mayor Barnes has been very involved with the Sister City relationship between Xi'an and Kansas City. She has met with officials and delegates from China and she has actively participated in many events. She believes that technological advances have made the world much smaller. Opportunities like the Sister City program are important to embrace. "It's very important as KC continues to build its international trade program through global outreach," she said. "For both economic reasons and cultural understanding the relationship is important."
　Sister Cities Cultural exchanges bring citizens closer to China and build understanding that leads to international trade and economic development for both cities.
　"We prefer to work with partners and those that we know, " said Barnes. "It makes sense culturally and economically for sisters Xi'an and KC to work together."
　Even though Kansas City has 12 other sister city relationships, Xi'an is unique in that it is recognized for being the most active city program within the Sister City association.
　Xi'an has won the highest awards for the Sister City program. It has won the Innovative Award for Public Safety, the Education Award for Xi'an School Project, and the Volunteer of the Year Award. The Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Robert Chien, who is Committee Chairman of the Xi'an / Kansas City program.

　Mr. Chien, who is also president of another organization called the Society for Friendship with China, said that KC and Xi'an fit well together, since they are similar in size, population and economy. He believes that the program is very beneficial to the Midwest, and that the cultural awareness has grown considerably since the program's beginning. There are two major events that take place each year. There is the Chinese New Year and the Dragon Boat Festival. To honor each event, red Chinese lanterns are hung on the bridges surrounding the Country Club Plaza. Both events are highly dedicated to promoting Chinese culture and education within the community. Other projects include Peasant Painting project and the Educational and Fire Professional Exchanges. In addition to the cultural awareness, the Sister City program is considered to be a door opener for business trade. Mayor Barnes commented, "KC has utilized its Sister City program as a great economic developmental tool."
　The Edgar Snow Foundation is another organization that has been equally as important to the community. The Edgar Snow Foundation is a volunteer organization, which was inspired by the Kansas City journalist Edgar Snow. Edgar Snow worked as a correspondent in Communist China. He is most known for publishing his first interview with Mao Tse-Tung in his work entitled Red Star Over China. Xi'an is the province where Edgar Snow conducted the interview. Translating for Chairman Mao was a man named Huang Hua. Huang Hua was the personal translator for Chairman Mao in the 1930s. He was a foreign minister in China and the first ambassador to the United States. Currently he serves as president of the China Association of International Friendly Contact, chairman of the China Welfare Institute and chairman of the Soong Ching Ling Foundation.
　Dr. Gary Pettit is the president of the Edgar Snow Foundation. He uses the foundation to "improve relations between the U.S. and China and look for ways to foster new relations." The Edgar Snow Foundation has a partner called the People's Friendship Society, which is located in China. Its members put on a symposium every other year. The location of the symposium switches between Beijing and Kansas City. Dr. Pettit said that the focus of the symposium varies between many different topics. Those topics include life sciences, culture in the arts and trade panels. Occasionally the focus is on trying to get younger community members involved in cultural exchanges.
　The foundation is active through the University of Missouri—Kansas City. In an effort to promote cultural, economic and educational awareness, they sponsor a visiting scholar program. In this program, a Chinese professor visits the area in order to be a guest professor. Generally the program has a year's duration. Currently the foundation is involved with a fellowship program where Chinese students are able to visit the Midwest to help further their cultural education.
　Dr. Pettit has a vision for the future of the foundation. He would like to see the foundation "become more visible internationally." He would like to see the foundation's schedule full of cultural events, so that there are events going on every month. He commented on the growing levels of interest within the community. He believes now is a "great time to take the organization to a higher level."
　With the levels of community interest on the rise, it is obvious that the Sister City program and the Edgar Snow Foundation are beneficial. They play an important part in closing the distance between the United States and China.