‘Sister City Alliance’ promotes cultural exchange between Slovakia and the Mountain State
By Matthew Young, RealWV
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “I think that sharing these experiences, on a personal level, is something that no other exchange program will provide to you.”
That’s what Barbora Osvaldova, head of the Tourist Information Office at the Central Slovakia Tourist Board, told RealWV about the “Sister City Alliance.” Working in conjunction with the Rotary Youth Exchange program, the Sister City Alliance is a long-standing relationship between the City of Charleston and the Banska Bystrica region of Slovakia, which “encourages the people of Charleston to engage in citizen diplomacy by learning more about the people, history and culture of Banska Bystrica.”
This trip marked Osvaldova’s first visit to the United States.
“I’m glad that my first visit was here (in Charleston), with the Sister City Alliance,” Osvaldova said. “I get to see the authentic side, not the tourist one. It’s a nice way of getting to know the country, and it leaves a very nice and good impression.”
Osvaldova spoke with RealWV on Sunday, during a reception at the West Virginia Museum of Music, where attendees were treated to performances from both The Carpenter Ants, and guitarist Spencer Elliott. Earlier in the week, Osvaldova had the opportunity to take a guided tour of the museum.
“The music here is different from what I’m used to back home,” Osvaldova said. “I see the country-style influence in here a lot, and I consider country music to be very specific to (the) United States. We don’t have that much over back home, so, like many things, it was very unfamiliar for me.”
During her tour of the museum, Osvaldova said, “I really got to know and to hear the sound of West Virginia, and I loved it – it’s beautiful. You have plenty to be proud of.”
Also on-hand Sunday was Linda Elliott, who, along with Paul Sheridan, serves as co-chair of the Charleston Sister City Alliance. Linda and her husband, Steve, are also hosting Osvaldova during her stay in Charleston.
During a break in the music, Elliott took a moment to address those in attendance, saying, “We would just love for the whole City of Charleston to know who we are.”
“We do wonderful things,” Elliott noted. “We are a worthy alliance. We’re not a sister-city in name only – we have exchanges at all times of the year.”
In June, the West Virginia Youth Symphony performed in Banska Bystrica as part of their European tour, and, currently, two Capital High School students are on a summer exchange to the city. And in addition to Osvaldova, two Slovak students will be visiting Charleston. These exchanges are made possible through a partnership between the Sister City Alliance, the Vandalia Rotary Club, and a Rotary Club in Banska Bystrica. The Sister City Alliance also facilitated the three-week visit of two Slovak teens last July.
On Thursday, the Main Branch of the Kanawha County Library will be commemorating the unique relationship between the sister-cities with a new collection and display. Joining Osvaldova for the commemoration will be Kanawha County Library Director Erica Connelly, City Council Member at Large Emmett Pepper, and Sister City Alliance member Steve Hopta.
Those interested in the Rotary Youth Exchange program can find more information at rotary.org. To connect with a local Rotary representative, visit charlestonrotary.com. Thursday’s commemoration will be held at the downtown Charleston location of the Kanawha County Library, beginning at 10 a.m. The commemoration is open to the public.
