RULES AGENDA: 5/13/2026
ITEM: B.3
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND
CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Vice Mayor Pam Foley
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO TRAVEL DATE: May 6, 2026
Approved:
__________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation: Authorize travel for Vice Mayor Pam Foley to Washington, D.C. from July 21-26, 2026, for the Sister Cities International 70th Anniversary Homecoming event and Annual Business Meeting.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Meeting Dates: July 22-25, 2026
Source of Funds: District 9 Council Office Budget and personal funds.
Purpose: The four-day stay will include the Annual Business Meeting, Citizen Diplomacy Educational Plenary Sessions, Embassy Visits, including Thailand and Japan, and Leadership forums. I will be attending as Director on the Sister Cities International (SCI) Board. SCI plays a crucial role in building bridges between communities across the globe while continuing to advance the ideals and mission championed by President Dwight Eisenhower, by promoting cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and mutual understanding. SCI contributes to a more interconnected and harmonious world.
The City of San José has been a member of Sister Cities International since approximately 1961 and has 8 Sister Cities: Okayama, Japan (1957); San Jose, Costa Rica (1961), Veracruz, Mexico (1975); Tainan, Taiwan (1977); Dublin, Ireland (1986); Pune, India (1992); Ekaterinburg, Russia (1992) and Guadalajara, Mexico (2014). Each sister city affiliation is part of San José’s rich history and represents a bond between the city and people of San José with the city and people of our sister city.