The St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities' mission is to foster mutually beneficial relations in economic development, education, art, culture, medicine, and sports between the cities, increase international business contacts, increase awareness of our cities' similarities, encourage opportunities to become host families for visitors and students from abroad, and showcase St. Louis as an international city.
WHO WE ARE
In 1987, Franco Giannotti, John Ferrara, and Msgr. Salvatore Polizzi founded the St Louis – Bologna Sister Cities Committee with the cooperation and support of then Bologna Mayor Renzo Imbeni and St Louis Mayor Vincent C. Schoemehl. The sister cities committee flourished for over a decade with reciprocal youth summer exchange programs, language teacher exchanges, cultural tours, lectures, and scholarship fundraising for college students.
In October 2017, after over a decade of inactivity, Michael J Cross re-founded the St Louis – Bologna Sister Cities organization along with members of the Italian community Franco Giannotti, Giovanna Leopardi, Francesca Giacomozzi, Benedetta Orsi, and Dr. Elizabeth Bernhardt. A board of directors was formed and, once again, relations between St. Louis and Bologna were reignited.
The Sister Cities' main event of the year is the annual St Louis Italian Christmas Concert which takes place on the first Saturday of December and which stars Bologna native and internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Benedetta Orsi. Each year in August, the organization participates in the International Institute's Festival of Nations with an arts and crafts booth. Over 200 children participate in the cultural activities at the Festival booth each year. Under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Bernhardt, the Sister Cities is currently developing a student exchange program with Bologna which will begin in 2021. Among the goals set for the following year is to establish deeper economic ties between the cities of St Louis, Bologna, and the entire region of Emilia-Romagna, particularly in the areas of agricultural technology, food production, and agri-science related fields.
The St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities is part of the St. Louis Sister Cities Program of the World Trade Center - St. Louis. Sanctioned by Sister Cities International (www.sister-cities.org), the World Trade Center supports and coordinates the 16 sister cities programs and provides guidance for those interested in establishing new sister cities relations. Sister Cities International is a nonprofit city-to-city network inspired by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s suggestion in 1956 that citizen diplomacy might reduce the chance of future world conflict. Today, more than 900 U.S. cities are paired with 1,300 cities in 92 different countries.
The Sister Cities is partially funded by the World Trade Center - St Louis and is proud to have the official support of the St Louis Economic Development Partnership, the St Louis Mosaic Project, the City of St Louis and St Louis County Council.
In 1987, Franco Giannotti, John Ferrara, and Msgr. Salvatore Polizzi founded the St Louis – Bologna Sister Cities Committee with the cooperation and support of then Bologna Mayor Renzo Imbeni and St Louis Mayor Vincent C. Schoemehl. The sister cities committee flourished for over a decade with reciprocal youth summer exchange programs, language teacher exchanges, cultural tours, lectures, and scholarship fundraising for college students.
In October 2017, after over a decade of inactivity, Michael J Cross re-founded the St Louis – Bologna Sister Cities organization along with members of the Italian community Franco Giannotti, Giovanna Leopardi, Francesca Giacomozzi, Benedetta Orsi, and Dr. Elizabeth Bernhardt. A board of directors was formed and, once again, relations between St. Louis and Bologna were reignited.
The Sister Cities' main event of the year is the annual St Louis Italian Christmas Concert which takes place on the first Saturday of December and which stars Bologna native and internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Benedetta Orsi. Each year in August, the organization participates in the International Institute's Festival of Nations with an arts and crafts booth. Over 200 children participate in the cultural activities at the Festival booth each year. Under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Bernhardt, the Sister Cities is currently developing a student exchange program with Bologna which will begin in 2021. Among the goals set for the following year is to establish deeper economic ties between the cities of St Louis, Bologna, and the entire region of Emilia-Romagna, particularly in the areas of agricultural technology, food production, and agri-science related fields.
The St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities is part of the St. Louis Sister Cities Program of the World Trade Center - St. Louis. Sanctioned by Sister Cities International (www.sister-cities.org), the World Trade Center supports and coordinates the 16 sister cities programs and provides guidance for those interested in establishing new sister cities relations. Sister Cities International is a nonprofit city-to-city network inspired by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s suggestion in 1956 that citizen diplomacy might reduce the chance of future world conflict. Today, more than 900 U.S. cities are paired with 1,300 cities in 92 different countries.
The Sister Cities is partially funded by the World Trade Center - St Louis and is proud to have the official support of the St Louis Economic Development Partnership, the St Louis Mosaic Project, the City of St Louis and St Louis County Council.
(From left to right) Mrs. Rita Medici Imbeni, Cav. Franco Giannotti, Mayor Renzo Imbeni, and Mrs. Nerina Giannotti in Bologna during the founding of the St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities in 1987
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(From left to right) Cav. Franco Giannotti, Mayor Vincent Schoemehl, Mayor Renzo Imbeni, and Msgr. Salvatore Polizzi at the Sala Rossa in Bologna during the proclamation of the founding of the St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities in 1987
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HONORARY CHAIRS
Lyda Krewson Mayor, City of St Louis Virginio Merola Mayor, City of Bologna Sam Page County Executive, Saint Louis County Tim Nowak Director, World Trade Center - St Louis Stella Sheehan Deputy Director, World Trade Center - St Louis Joseph Colagiovanni Honorary Consulate of Italy in St Louis OFFICERS Michael J Cross President Dr. Elizabeth Bernhardt Vice President Giovanna Leopardi Secretary DIRECTORS Cav. Franco Giannotti Benedetta Orsi Aquino Francesca Giacomozzi |
October 2017 at the World Trade Center - St Louis during the re-establishment of the St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities. (From left to right) Michael Cross, Stella Sheehan, Franco Giannotti, Francesca Giacomozzi, and Giovanna Leopardi
Benedetta Orsi, mezzosoprano and Bologna native, sings at the annual St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities Christmas Concert
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Contact Us
The St Louis - Bologna Sister Cities is part of the St. Louis Sister Cities Program of the World Trade Center - St. Louis and is fully supported by the City of St Louis and Saint Louis County governments and sanctioned by Sister Cities International (www.sister-cities.org). For further information on activities, initiatives, and events, please reach out to us.
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120 S. Central Ave., Suite 1200
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