Joint Proclamation

City of Columbia, Missouri and City of Kutaisi, Republic of Georgia

WHEREAS, the City of Kutaisi, Republic of Georgia, and the City of Columbia, Boone County, Missouri, United States of America, have interests in furthering people-to-people ties between our cities; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate for the City of Columbia to jointly proclaim with the City of Kutaisi an agreement to Sister City relationships which will include exchange visits, cultural and social programs of mutual interest and concern, and other developments of governmental and economic significance; and

WHEREAS, the City of Kutaisi has been selected to lead the reforms in Georgia in the areas of City Government, health care, education and business and free enterprise development; and

WHEREAS, the history and successful development of the City of Columbia can provide a model of success useful for the City of Kutaisi during its transition to a free market economy; and

WHEREAS, the City of Kutaisi and the City of Columbia have participated in joint hosting of significant citizen to citizen exchanges in the areas of medicine, nursing, dentistry, diabetic education, art, business, student and faculty scholars exchanges; and

WHEREAS, A Call To Serve (ACTS) Missouri, the local affiliate of the nonprofit organization A Call To Serve (ACTS) International will coordinate all Sister City activities for the City of Columbia, and A Call To Serve (ACTS) Kutaisi will coordinate all Sister City activities for the City of Kutaisi.

NOW, THEREFORE, in our desire to establish this relationship, we the City of Kutaisi, Republic of Georgia, and we the City of Columbia, Boone County, Missouri, United States of America, do hereby establish this Sister City relationship to be in effect until March 2001 and declare our interest by signing this proclamation stating the same. This Sister City relationship will be renewed upon mutual agreement of both cities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands and caused to be affixed hereto our signatures this 22nd day of April 1997.

CITY OF KUTAISI, REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA Teimuraz Shashiashvili, Mayor

Attest: Gulnara Chavchidze, Vice Mayor

CITY OF COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Darwin Hindman, Mayor

Attest: Penny St. Romaine, City Clerk