Highland Park, Illinois, Sister Cities Foundation

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Highland Park, Illinois, Sister Cities Foundation

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The mission of the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation is to bridge cultures and promote goodwill and global peace.

10/23/2026

🇮🇹 A Taste of Italy is coming to Highland Park this Saturday! 🇮🇹

Join the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation and Sunset Foods on Saturday, October 24, from 11 AM–3 PM for an afternoon celebrating Italian food, culture, and community!

🍝 Sample delicious Italian specialties throughout the store, including freshly made cheese wheel pasta, hand-stretched mozzarella, and handmade tortellacci.

🧀 Help us celebrate Parmigiano Reggiano Day while supporting a wonderful cause! Stop by our table to learn about Massimo Bottura’s Food for Soul, an organization dedicated to reducing food waste and promoting social inclusion. Make a donation for a chance to win a gift basket!

📍 Sunset Foods – Highland Park
1812 Green Bay Road
🗓️ Saturday, October 24 | 11 AM–3 PM

Come hungry, bring a friend, and enjoy a little taste of Italy right here in Highland Park! 🇮🇹

More event details: https://sunsetfoods.com/event/taste-of-italy/

10/15/2026

Thank you to Mayor Nancy Rotering and the Highland Park City Council for officially proclaiming October 14, 2026, as Sister Cities International Day.

We are grateful for the City's continued support of our mission to build meaningful connections through cultural, educational, and community exchanges with our sister cities in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Modena, Italy; and Yerucham, Israel.

The proclamation also recognizes our recent honors, including the 2026 Best Overall Program Award from Sister Cities International and the 2026 Champion of Youth Award from the Illinois Sister Cities Association.

We appreciate the City of Highland Park for recognizing the value of these international partnerships and the people who help make them possible.

10/01/2026

This week, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation, in collaboration with the Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities Committee and its president, Eduardo Martinez, welcomed five directors from SEAPAL Vallarta to Highland Park for a two-day Water Management Exchange.

SEAPAL Vallarta provides potable water, sewerage, and sanitation services for Puerto Vallarta. Directors Enrique Peredo, Jose Manuel Villaseñor, Francisco René Segura, Jesus Mario Corrales and Alejandro Padilla spent their visit meeting with Highland Park leaders and water professionals to share ideas, compare practices, and learn from one another.

The exchange began at Highland Park City Hall, where Mayor Nancy Rotering welcomed the delegation. City Manager Ghida Neukirch, Public Works Director Ron Bannon and Christine Icasiano, Finance and Customer Service Manager shared an inside look at Highland Park’s local government and water operations, including sustainable practices, water billing, and service to neighboring communities.

The delegation then got to see those operations firsthand with Water Plant Superintendent Don Jensen during a tour of Highland Park’s Water Treatment Plant.

On Thursday, the exchange continued at the North Shore Water Reclamation District’s Clavey Road facility, where NSWRD Trustee Rhoda Pierce, Executive Director Dave Miller, Director of Laboratory Services Chuck Bodden and members of the District team shared their expertise and led a tour of the facility.

This is what Sister Cities is all about; bringing people together, exchanging knowledge, and creating relationships that benefit both communities. We’re grateful to everyone who made the visit possible and to our friends from Puerto Vallarta for making the trip to Highland Park.

¡Gracias, Puerto Vallarta! We look forward to continuing to learn from one another.

09/17/2026

🍝 Spaghetti Dinner for a Great Cause! 🇲🇽❤️

Join the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation for an evening of good food, good company, and giving back!

📅 Tuesday, October 6
⏰ 5:00–8:00 PM
📍 Deerfield’s Italian Kitchen Restaurant (648 Deerfield Rd, Deerfield, IL)

Enjoy a spaghetti dinner and take part in our silent auction, all while supporting two wonderful programs serving children and families in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

🎟️ $35 adults | $15 children under 12

Bring your family, invite some friends, and help us make a difference while enjoying a fun night together. We hope to see you there!

Please share this post and help us spread the word! 🍝❤️

09/01/2026

This past weekend, we got together for our annual summer gathering, celebrating the friendships that make our community so special!

Events like these remind us that our mission starts right here at home bringing people together, building friendships, and creating connections that reach across cultures and borders.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to support HPSCF. We’re grateful to have such an engaged community helping us build bridges across cultures!

07/29/2026

Last weekend, we had the privilege of accepting Sister Cities International's 2026 Best Overall Program Award for cities with populations under 100,000 at Sister Cities International's 70th Anniversary Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

With more than 1,800 partnerships spanning 140+ countries, Sister Cities International represents an extraordinary global network of citizen diplomacy. We are incredibly proud that Highland Park's work was recognized on this international stage.

One of the evening's most meaningful moments came when the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs shared these words about our program: "We have brought the world to Highland Park and Highland Park to the world."

That recognition belongs to everyone who has supported our mission. Thank you to our volunteers, partners, and community members whose dedication has made this achievement possible.
During our time in Washington, we had the privilege of accepting the award, meeting with the delegation from Ghana, and visiting with the Ambassador of Japan (see photos in the comments).

Everywhere we went, we were reminded of the friendships, mutual understanding, and lasting connections that grow through international exchange.

We returned home more inspired than ever to continue our mission of making the world a better place through the power of personal connections.

07/20/2026

🤖✨ We're still buzzing with excitement from last week's Build a Robot activity at the Highwood Evening Market!

Inspired by Highland Park's award-winning student robotics team, Meta Infinity, who were on hand to showcase their incredible designs and talk with visitors, we invited young engineers to create their own robots using recycled materials.

The best part? We asked each child to give their robot a mission. Their thoughtful and heartwarming answers included "spread kindness," "help people," "protect the Earth," and, of course, "save the day." 💙

A huge thank you to the talented students of Meta Infinity for inspiring the next generation of innovators, and to everyone who stopped by to create, imagine, and celebrate with us. We loved seeing so much creativity, curiosity, and community spirit on display!

07/13/2026

🌍🤖 The Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation will be out in the community this week, and we'd love to see you!

📍 Wednesday, July 15
Highwood Evening Market | 4:30–9:00 p.m.
Stop by our table to meet representatives from Meta Infinity, Highland Park's student-led robotics team, as they showcase their incredible robot creations. Kids can also get creative by building their own robots from recycled materials in this fun, hands-on activity that celebrates innovation and sustainability.

📍 Thursday, July 16
Ravinia Food Truck Thursdays | 4:30–8:30 p.m.
Join us again during the America 250 Celebration! Visit our table to learn more about Meta Infinity and the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation, meet members of both organizations, and see the amazing student-built robots on display. With a large crowd expected, it's the perfect opportunity to celebrate community, creativity, and international friendship.

We hope you'll stop by to say hello, learn more about our Foundation, and discover how we're connecting Highland Park with communities around the world through cultural exchange, education, and youth engagement.

We look forward to seeing you at one—or both—events! 🌍🤝

06/08/2026

Founded by Highland Park resident Barbara Paget, Cancer Survivor Beauty and Support Day is celebrated each year on the first Tuesday in June.

On this special day, professionals in the beauty and wellness industries provide complimentary services to cancer survivors—regardless of age, gender, cancer type, or how long they have been in survivorship—offering moments of care, confidence, and connection.

For the past several years, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation has partnered with the Puerto Vallarta–Highland Park Sister Cities Committee to expand this meaningful initiative beyond borders. Participating salons in Puerto Vallarta were recognized with certificates of gratitude for their generosity and support.

This year, we were especially delighted to welcome participation from our sister city of Modena, Italy, making this inspiring event even more international.

Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our sister city partners, this year’s event was once again a tremendous success. We are deeply grateful to the salons, stylists, and wellness professionals who helped bring joy, confidence, and smiles to so many cancer survivors.

Together, we are proving that compassion knows no borders.

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to remember and honor.

This Memorial Day, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation joins our community in paying tribute to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

As we reflect on their courage and selflessness, we are reminded of the importance of unity, peace, and fostering understanding across cultures and communities.

Wishing all a meaningful Memorial Day.

Address

Highland Park, IL
60035

Website

https://www.hp-sistercities.org/

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