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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The city of Austin celebrated the 50th anniversary |
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| 6 | 7 | | of its sister city relationship with Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, in |
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| 7 | 8 | | November 2018, and is further commemorating the cities' partnership |
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| 8 | 9 | | with "Saltillo Day in Austin" on April 6, 2019; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Promoting mutually advantageous connections, the |
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| 10 | 11 | | sister city alliance stems from the Sister Cities International |
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| 11 | 12 | | initiative created in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower; the |
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| 12 | 13 | | program advances peace and prosperity through cultural, |
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| 13 | 14 | | educational, humanitarian, and economic development efforts; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Saltillo, the capital of the state of Coahuila, in |
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| 15 | 16 | | northeastern Mexico, was one of the first of Austin's sister |
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| 16 | 17 | | cities; the pair's status as sister cities was established in 1968 |
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| 17 | 18 | | as an outgrowth of policies enacted by the Texas Good Neighbor |
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| 18 | 19 | | Commission, and over the past five decades, the cities have |
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| 19 | 20 | | exemplified the spirit of friendship, cooperation, and reciprocity |
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| 20 | 21 | | that is at the core of the program's mission; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Since the 1980s, delegations from both cities have |
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| 22 | 23 | | made annual exchange visits to discuss such issues as education, |
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| 23 | 24 | | culture, economic development, and municipal services, with an |
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| 24 | 25 | | emphasis on sharing resources and working mutually to meet one |
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| 25 | 26 | | another's needs; these visits have evolved into the cross-border |
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| 26 | 27 | | observances of "Austin Day in Saltillo" and "Saltillo Day in |
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| 27 | 28 | | Austin," occasions that have helped generate more opportunities for |
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| 28 | 29 | | residents in each community to learn about the culture, businesses, |
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| 29 | 30 | | food, customs, and people of their sister city; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, For half a century, the special bond enjoyed by the |
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| 31 | 32 | | cities of Austin and Saltillo has provided myriad benefits to their |
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| 32 | 33 | | citizens, and it is a pleasure to join in celebrating the longevity |
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| 33 | 34 | | of this unique and vibrant partnership; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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| 35 | 36 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sister |
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| 36 | 37 | | city relationship between Austin and Saltillo and extend to all |
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| 37 | 38 | | those associated with the program best wishes for a memorable |
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| 38 | 39 | | "Saltillo Day in Austin." |
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