Sister Cities Seeks Award Nominations

Sarasota, FL -  The Sister Cities Association of Sarasota is accepting nominations for dual awards honoring an exceptional individual and organization to become the recipients of its annual One World Award.  The award reflects the vision of U. S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s person-to-person diplomacy initiative which forged the beginning of the international Sister Cities program as a means for individual citizens to strengthen shared interest around the globe and lessen the possibility of world conflicts.

The One World Award is Florida’s Cultural Coast premier international award that honors one remarkable individual and one organization which have enhanced “understanding and respect” among citizens of the world through their extraordinary work or volunteer service.  Nominations for the awards are solicited each fall from members of the Sarasota Sister Cities Association, its 26 alliance members and the general public.

Submissions will be accepted through Thursday, October 25, 2012.  Nominations may be submitted direct to sarasotasistercities@gmail.org.  The award winners will be announced prior to the Association’s One World Gala on Sunday, March 3, 2013. 

The annual One World Gala each year shines the spotlight on area individuals and organizations which have demonstrated their continued ability to create and maintain strong bonds of understanding among the world’s citizens, through their extraordinary work or service.  

Honors in 2012 were shared by Nicholas James Bollettieri and the organization ORT.  Bollettieri, founder of the Bollettieri Tennis Academy (now IMG Academies), was selected as the outstanding citizen diplomat for fostering exceptional international relationships by bringing thousands of athletes and their families to the Sarasota area throughout the years.  The outstanding ORT group, the largest Jewish educational organization in the world, was honored for its devotion to educating and elevating disadvantaged children across the globe with skills needed to lead productive lives.

Robert Roskamp received the first One World Award for the worldwide research work of the Roskamp Institute in finding cures for Alzheimer’s disease and other mental disorders.

Winners of the One World Awards will be selected by a committee of community leaders.  The 2013 panel includes Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell, Chair; Steven Queior, president and CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce; James Shirley, president of the Sarasota County Arts Council; John Annis, vice president, community investment, Community Foundation of Sarasota County and Jane Goodwin, member, Sarasota County School Board. 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013, the Sister Cities Association of Sarasota has more than 200 members, known as “Citizen Diplomats”, who create personal face-to-face exchanges with citizens across the world in the arts, business, education, civic activities, sports and government. 

Sister Cities of Sarasota include: Dunfermline, Scotland; Hamilton, Ontario Canada; Merida (Yucatan), Mexico; Perpignan, France; Siming (Xiamen), China: Tel Mond, Israel; Treviso Province, Italy; and Vladimir, Russia. 

For more information contact Sister Cities of Sarasota at: SarasotaSisterCities@gmail.com