Sister Cities Association of Salisbury / Wicomico County
	Home Fact Sheet Meetings/Join Our Sister Cities Testimonials Photo Gallery Cultural Links More Dr. Ernest Boger, Dr. Carole Champagne, and Professor Bryan Burrows-McElwain Secretary of State John P. McDonough is flanked by Dr. George Whitehead, Dr. Ernest Boger, Dr. Carole Champagne, and Professor Bryan Burrows-McElwain The Office of the Maryland Secretary of State invited the Sister Cities Associations and members of the Maryland International Consortium to Annapolis on January 27. A Legislative Reception was held at the Maryland Inn. Secretary of State John P. McDonough welcomed regional as well as international guests and legislators from various districts, including the Eastern Shore. Mr. McDonough also recognized Sister State Committee displays from Leningrad and the metropolitan region of St. Petersburg, which commemorated twenty years as a Sister State. Ondo and Cross River, Nigeria sponsored displays. Estonia also presented a multimedia display with a variety of cultural artifacts. Deborah Fajer-Smith, President of the Sister States Program, discussed the expansion of economic agreements and solidifying governmental and cultural ties. The Maryland International Consortium reaches out to Sister Cities Associations across the state. Dr. Carole Champagne spoke with Robert Agee, Secretary of the Consortium. He will reach out to Ocean City and other Eastern Shore cities and towns to encourage active participation in the Consortium. Anna Yankova, Sister States Program Director, also welcomed our Eastern Shore contingent. District Justice Katie O’Malley graciously participated in the reception in the Governor’s absence. Dr. Whitehead, Dr. Boger, and Dr. Carole Champagne represented the Board at the Legislative Reception. The Maryland Estonia Exchange Council (MEEC) received them warmly. The schedules prevented sharing afternoon high tea with the council this year, although fond memories of our tea last year stay with us. Bryan Burrows-McElwain, our former board member who relocated to Baltimore County, works closely with MEEC. We enjoyed our reunion at the reception, as we met new Consortium friends from Japan and the Ukraine as well as from Russia and Nigeria. We look forward to next year’s Legislative Reception and to reunite with our friends from across the Bay and around the world. The Maryland Estonia Exchange Council: http://www.estemb.org/news/aid-2542 http://www.jbanc.org/old/balt93.html Maryland Sister States agreements: http://marylandsisterstates.org/sister-states and an older but more informative website: http://www.sos.state.md.us/International/MSSP.aspx Carole A. Champagne, Secretary