Wuxi Sister Cities Speech

We have a saying in my country – in my community.  We say “The best friends are old friends.”  Old friends are comfortable in the presence of one another. Old friends have no need to go through all those initial rituals and extravagant introductions and explanations that newness often requires.  Old friends – as we say – “have history.”

We in Chattanooga feel that way about our Sister City Wuxi.  We are old friends. There is a peace and grace and comfort about our relationship. We have history.

This is not to say that we in any way take our relationship for granted. We have been sister Cities for more than a generation – for more than 20 years. Some people present today from each city – from Wuxi and from Chattanooga – were present at the beginning. Through this relationship children from both cities – many now grown into adulthood – have experienced a culture very different from their own. And their horizons have been expanded and their lives have been made fuller. Who can put a value on such things? Such things are priceless.

Since your Chairman Mao Tse Tung and our President Richard Nixon opened the doors to peace and commerce and cultural exchange between our nations, both countries have advanced and developed. So too have Wuxi and Chattanooga.

In Chattanooga, we have photographs, notes and mementos from the early days – from more than 20 years ago when we first became Sister Cities. Things were much different then – things are much better now.  And I believe that the best is yet to come.

Now, China is dazzling the world with its rapid growth and development.  And as China has risen, Wuxi has moved forward as a center of art, culture and enterprise.  We are so very, very proud of our sioster City and we are awed and amazed at your growing prominence in the world order of great metropolitan communities.

Likewise, Chattanooga has transformed itself in the last 20 or so years so that we are now recognized as one of the most livable communities in the United States.  Our riverfront, our aquarium, our parks and museums have become a favorite destination for missions of visitors each year. We look forward to adding very soon the beautiful Wuxi Garden designed by your own landscape professionals to our attractions and amenities.

As both cities have built a solid foundation for the future, we understandably now have great expectations about the new economic development, new business that we can generate together – new jobs and new opportunities to enrich all our people.

As for me, let me simply say that the Sister City program has given me a much broader perspective and has – I believe – made me a better public servant. I have rich and vivid memories of experiences in your city.  I remember your small children at your special school playing their violins so beautifully – playing selections by Steven Foster – a great composer from the history of the Southern United States.  Children from your world playing beautiful music from my world. I don’t believe that anything has ever touched me so directly and taught me so much so effectively about the best qualities of civilization reflected in the universal innocence of children.

I could go on for much longer but they gave me ten nimutes and I probably have exceeded that.

……And so our friends of the City of Wuxi – our old and dear friends – our friends with which we have history – let me say in behalf of our Chattanooga City Council – represented here by Chairwoman Sally Robinson – and in behalf of all citizens of Chattanooga – and as Mayor let me say this:

Thank you for being our Sister City these 20 plus years.

Thank you for inviting us to this special celebration.

Thank you for allowing me to participate.

We congratulate you on your remarkable progress and success and we look forward to a bright future of many, many years of fruitful and mutually beneficial exchanges between our communities.