Anchorage Sister Cities Commission Regular Meeting

The Anchorage Sister Cities Commission met on September 14, 2026, at 6:08 PM. The meeting was called to order without quorum, so all actions were discussion-based, with formal votes postponed to the next meeting in August. The commission discussed several activity ideas for the upcoming year, including an international carving festival, community mixer, volunteering initiatives, cooking classes, and joining Sister Cities International.

Consent Calendar

• The meeting lacked quorum, so consent calendar items were not addressed and were deferred to August.

Discussion Items

• International Carving Festival (Anna): Anna proposed an Alaskan International Carving Festival, potentially in October to coincide with Native Heritage Month. The festival would involve artists from sister cities and international partners. The commission discussed forming a planning committee and recruiting members.
• Community Mixer: The commission discussed hosting a roundtable or mixer with leaders of Anchorage's multicultural communities (e.g., Russian, Filipino, Polish, Japanese) to build connections and partnerships. This would likely take place in early fall.
• Housing & Homelessness Brainstorm: Commissioners explored ways to support homelessness initiatives, such as volunteering with food banks, clothesline project, and learning from the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. The commission considered serving as a liaison between multicultural communities and homelessness programs.
• International Cooking Class: Marie proposed a cooking class series featuring signature dishes from each sister city, potentially partnering with Dirty Apron or local restaurants. Commissioners suggested focusing on one dish per event and involving community chefs.
• Sister Cities International Membership: The commission postponed a vote on joining Sister Cities International until the August meeting. The annual cost is approximately $1,030. Commissioners were encouraged to research benefits. Eddie will invite Palmer representatives to share their experience.
• 40th Anniversary Celebration: The commission tentatively decided on a photo swap/exchange between sister cities, to be implemented as a series of summer photos collected in 2026 and showcased in fall in Cheon.
• Consular Office of Japan Symposium: The Consular Office of Japan wishes to hold a symposium for Japanese-related organizations and requested the commission to present on sister cities. Commissioners were asked to email their availability for August or September.

Key Outcomes

• The meeting operated without quorum; all decisions are preliminary and awaiting formal votes in August.
• Formal votes on new business items (sister city updates, recordings, activity ideas) were postponed.
• Next steps: Linda to follow up on the cooking class idea; commissioners to research dishes from their sister cities; Marie and Farah to compile a list of multicultural organizations for the community mixer; Eddie to invite Palmer representatives; research and preparation for Sister Cities International vote in August.
• Next meeting: August 26, 2026, at 6 PM (hybrid).
• Recruitment for three vacant commission seats is ongoing; staffers will assist with outreach.