Mayor Ron Nirenberg has appointed Suhail Arastu, director of advancement for Musical Bridges Around the World, to the Board of Directors of Sister Cities International.
The mission of Sister Cities International is to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation – one individual, one community at a time.
“I’m honored by the appointment and look forward to bringing arts and culture to the forefront of citizen diplomacy,” Arastu said. “It’s time we place great emphasis on that which unites us. Music and performing arts have universal resonance, while our unique cultures create an opportunity for distinction and dialogue - they add color to the fabric of our human palette.”
Arastu has been assigned to the Special Task Force Committee and at his first board meeting on Aug. 5 in Aurora, Colorado put forth a proposal for a Sister City Engagement project in 2020. The board of directors meets quarterly, once in Washington, D.C., twice at the annual conference which is slated for Houston next summer and once more in Los Angeles this fall. The committees meet monthly by conference call.
Arastu also serves as the mayor’s appointee to San Antonio’s Public Art Commission and is the chair for arts and culture for Anuja - the organization overseeing Sister City relations between San Antonio and Chennai, India.
Since its inception in 1956, Sister Cities International has worked to create relationships based on cultural, educational, information and trade exchanges. Participants develop lifelong friendships that provide prosperity and peace through person-to-person “citizen diplomacy.”
Today, Sister Cities International continues to expand its reach and strengthen existing relationships. Members boast exchanges in arts and culture, business and trade, youth and education, and community development that not only bring them friendship, but helps them to tackle the world’s most pressing issues at the local level. For more information, visit www.sistercities.org. For more information about MBAW, visit www.musicalbridges.org.