October 15, 2024
Mayor's Office
DATE: October 15, 2024
TO: Members of the City Council
FROM:
Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Subject:
Authorization for International Travel to Sister City Regla, Cuba
FINANCIAL IMPACT: $18,000 for land cost and airfare for 5 city travelers for 10 days. The individual appropriations for the Mayor,
Councilmembers and staff have funding to cover the
cost. The per person cost is estimated at $3,600.
Mayor Martinez – 01101011 400243
Vice Mayor Jimenez – 01115611 400243
Councilmember Zepeda – 01115211 400243
Project Coordinator Trina Jackson-Lincoln – 01115011
400243
Mayor’s Chief of Staff – Tony Tamayo– 01101011
400243
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
The City Council approved travel in 2013 and 1999.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City of Richmond entered into a sister city
agreement in 1999. 2024 marks the 25th year of the
friendship.
AGENDA
REPORT
October 15, 2024
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE the request for international travel to Sister
City Regla, Cuba, from December 5-15, 2024, for Mayor
Eduardo Martinez, Vice Mayor Claudia Jimenez,
Councilmember Cesar Zepeda and staff members Trina
Jackson-Lincoln and Tony Tamayo - Mayor Eduardo
Martinez (510-620-6503).
DISCUSSION:
In celebration of 25 years of friendship and solidarity between Richmond, California and Regla, Cuba, the Richmond-Regla Friendship Committee is planning a delegation to visit our dear friendship city in December 2024. The delegation will be led by Mayor Eduardo Martinez and will include City Council Members, the Richmond Regla Friendship Committee, and community members.
In consideration of the Richmond City Council’s Resolution No. 147-99 which established a Friendship City relationship between Richmond, California and Regla, Cuba for the exchange of mutual beneficial ideas and the sharing of cultural, educational, humanitarian and municipal resources, the purpose of the trip is to visit and extend ongoing friendship to current officials and residents of Regla, Cuba.
If approved, this will be the third official City of Richmond delegation to visit Regla, following the initial visit in December 1999 led by Vice-Mayor Irma Anderson, and the second visit in December 2013 led by Mayor Gayle McLaughlin.
The Mayor and committee look forward to exchanges with our Cuban counterparts in the fields of health, education, the arts, and sustainability. In addition to the rich exchange of ideas, the delegation hopes to bring educational and humanitarian supplies. The creation of our Richmond Regla Friendship Committee was inspired by the People-to-People Ambassador Program created by President Eisenhower in 1956.
We look forward to continuing to build bridges of exchange between our friendship cities for mutual benefit.
Richmond-Regla, Cuba Friendship Committee
The Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect (ACERE) Campaign to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT)
National Network on Cuba – Saving Lives Campaign to raise funds for pacemakers and syringes to Cuba
September 10, 2024 – Committee members attended a virtual briefing on U.S.
Cuba cooperation on food and climate security with leading experts and practitioners in the field.
September 21, 2024 – The Committee held a fundraiser, Arte Cubana, at the Point Richmond Art Gallery to raise funds to subsidize the cost of travel for four
October 15, 2024
(4) young adults between the ages of 18-24 years that have been invited to join the delegation.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution No 147-99
Attachment 2 – 2013 PowerPoint Presentation Report