Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and his wife, Marilyn, plan to fly to Iguala de la Independencia along with 2nd Ward Alderman Juany Garza and Greg Salgado, a Hispanic civic leader to investigate a possible sister city arrangement



The mayor and Garza will poke around the city, eyeing its potential as a sister city. "We're very much in an early stage," Weisner said Monday. "This has kind of started out very informally. We thought it would be fun to go with Juany and her husband." Aurora residents from Iguala de la Independencia, and leaders from that city, have voiced interest in being a sister city, he added. But no decisions have been made, he stressed, and he wants to investigate a possible sister city arrangement with a community in India, too. "Understanding other countries and cultures is a good thing," said Weisner, who lived in the Solomon Islands with Marilyn in the Peace Corps.

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and his wife, Marilyn, plan to fly to Iguala de la Independencia along with 2nd Ward Alderman Juany Garza and Greg Salgado, a Hispanic civic leader to investigate a possible sister city arrangement

Mexico-bound for celebration, possible partnership

February 20, 2007

By Kristen Zambo Staff Writer

AURORA -- A contingent of politicians and residents will travel to Mexico Thursday for a national holiday there and to scope out whether a community that could possibly serve as Aurora's sister city.

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and his wife, Marilyn, plan to fly to Iguala de la Independencia on Thursday, along with 2nd Ward Alderman Juany Garza and Greg Salgado, a Hispanic civic leader. They will arrive two days before Mexico's Flag Day, a major national holiday celebrated on Feb. 24. And the mayor and Garza will poke around the city, eyeing its potential as a sister city.

"We're very much in an early stage," Weisner said Monday. "This has kind of started out very informally. We thought it would be fun to go with Juany and her husband."

Aurora residents from Iguala de la Independencia, and leaders from that city, have voiced interest in being a sister city, he added. But no decisions have been made, he stressed, and he wants to investigate a possible sister city arrangement with a community in India, too.

"The concept of forming a couple, three, four sister city alliances is certainly something we're willing to look at," Weisner said.

Iguala de la Independencia is in Guerrero state, which is in south-central Mexico. As of 2000, the city had 123,900 residents.

Garza said everyone going on the trip had to buy their own tickets -- it's not on the taxpayer's dime.

Carie Anne Ergo, the city's public information officer, said Aurora has yet to forge a sister city partnership, and is not a member of the sister cities program.

Some public officials from Iguala de la Independencia visited Aurora last year, but Ergo said Aurora leaders want to look into a possible partnership with a city in southern India after receiving several such suggestions. The Sri Venkateswara Swami Balaji Temple of Greater Chicago is in Aurora -- a link for such a partnership.

But a sister city should have a similar size to Aurora, be located near a major city, comprise similar demographics, and allow for cultural exchange and business potential, Ergo said.

Greg Salgado, president of the Federation of Guerrerenses, said about 300,000 people from Iguala de la Independencia live in the Chicagoland area. Almost a million people from Iguala de la Independencia live in the United States. He is going with a group of about eight, and they leave Thursday and plan to return Feb. 28. His group helps pave roads there, participates in community clean-ups and helps create fresh drinking water.

"Understanding other countries and cultures is a good thing," said Weisner, who lived in the Solomon Islands with Marilyn in the Peace Corps.

kzambo@scn1.com

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: February, 2007; RPCV Tom Weisner (Solomon Islands); Peace Corps Mexico; Directory of Mexico RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Mexico RPCVs; Figures; Peace Corps Solomon Islands; Directory of Solomon Islands RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Solomon Islands RPCVs; City Government; Illinois

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