Manas Airmen reunite sister cities Bishkek, Colorado Springs

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Daniel Nathaniel
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFNEWS) --  Airmen from the base, representing the city of Colorado Springs, Colo., paid a visit March 14 to the mayor of its sister city, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The meeting, which included Marie Yovanovitch, U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, took place as a renewal of cultural ties established between the two cities in 1994.

The purpose of the sister city concept is to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation -- one individual, one community at a time.

Major Scott Suckow, who is assigned to the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group, and a delegation of fellow Airmen deployed from the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo., presented a letter and gifts on behalf of the Honorable Lionel Rivera, mayor of Colorado Springs to the Honorable Arstankbek Nogoyev, mayor of Bishkek.

Mayor Rivera sent a coffee table picture book about Colorado and a Colorado-themed pen.

Mayor Nogoyev in turn presented to the Airmen, a piece of Kyrgyz art work as a gift for Mayor Rivera.

The mayor expressed his pleasure in the renewal of ties between the two cities and his interest in visiting Colorado Springs in the near future. He also extended an invitation to Mayor Rivera to come visit Bishkek.

The road to this meeting began when Major Suckow found out he was being sent here. After doing research, he discovered Colorado Springs and Bishkek are Sister Cities but that the relationship had been dormant in recent years.

The major contacted Sister Cities International, which recommended he work with local Bishkek city officials at renewing ties. Major Suckow was able to do this with help from the U.S. Embassy and Urmatek Kadyrkulov, director of the Office of International Relations.

With the renewal of ties, both cities are now working together on an initial project to foster relations between each other's school children through a pen pal program.

Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between U.S. and international communities. 

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

Click here to view the comments/letters page