MISSION OF SAN JOSÉ - DUBLIN SISTER CITY PROGRAM

The mission of the San José - Dublin Sister City Program is to develop cultural, economic, artistic and sporting ties between San Jose and Dublin as well as Silicon Valley. The program includes Irish Week, Education, Sporting, Community Outreach, the Arts and Business.

BRIEF HISTORY OF SAN JOSÉ - DUBLIN SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP

The San José - Dublin Sister City relationship was initiated in 1986 by then Mayor of San Jose, Tom McEnery and the current Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern, then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ireland. It has thrived throughout the years with a large and active committee that stages an "Irish Week" each March which is attended by a Dublin delegation. The visitors usually comprise of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, a number of Dublin City Councilors, Dublin City Manager and the Chairman of the Dublin / San Jose Sister City Committee along with representatives of business, educational and artistic communities.

BOARD OFFICERS

Chair – Nancy Pyle
chairman@sanjosedublin.org

President – Conor O'Mahony
president@sanjosedublin.org

Treasurer – Daniel Rafferty
treasurer@sanjosedublin.org

Secretary – Chloe Takeuchi
secretary@sanjosedublin.org

ADDITIONAL OFFICERS

Dublin Relations/Comprehensive – Charlotte Powers

Dublin Relations/Cultural – Harry Powers

Events – Stan Mason

Finance – Daniel Rafferty

Fund Development – Michael Murphy

Intra-City Sister City Relations – Suzanne Malone

Marketing – Shyama Sachi

ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Cultural – Pam Kelly, Suzanne Malone, Stan Mason and Charlotte Powers

Events – Jacqueline Bogard, Pam Kelly, Colleen Lane-Rafferty, Charlotte Powers and Bruce Wiley

Finance – Jim Bell, Tim Quigley

Fund Development – Conor O'Mahony, Tim Quigley

Marketing – Jim Bell, Pam Kelly

Webmaster – Donal Quinlan

USEFUL WEBSITES

- City of San Jose
www.sanjoseca.gov

- San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau
www.sanjose.org

- San Jose Youth Symphony
www.sjys.org

- Dublin City Council Website
www.dublincity.ie

- Dublin Chamber of Commerce
www.dubchamber.ie

- San Jose Dublin Sister City YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/sanjosedublin

IRISH WEEK and
SPIRIT OF IRELAND AWARD

Irish Week begins with a traditional Irish Breakfast, followed by the raising of the Irish and American flags outside San Jose City Hall by the Lord Mayor of Dublin and the Mayor of San Jose accompanied by the anthems of both countries. Other events are held throughout the week which culminates in the ‘Spirit of Ireland’ Award Dinner. This Award is presented to those individuals and/or companies whose accomplishments have exemplified the relationship between San Jose/ Silicon Valley and Ireland.

The first award was presented in 1989 to the then Mayor of San Jose, Tom McEnery.

On Saturday, March 12, 2011, the San Jose Dublin Sister City Program honored John Hartnett as the Spirit of Ireland Award winner at a gala event that also commemorated the 25th Anniversary of the San Jose - Dublin Sister City Program.

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