ATLAS | Boulder Sister City

Boulder Sister City delegation visits ATLAS

A 20-person delegation from Boulder's Sister City of Kisumu, Kenya, visited ATLAS in August 2009 as part of a week-long series of meetings with officials and organizations in Boulder.

Revi Sterling, who is director of graduate studies in Information and Communication Technologies for Development at ATLAS, hosted the delegation, their Boulder host families, and CU researchers interested in establishing contacts with Kisumu.

ATLAS director John Bennett (in photo above at right) and ATLAS associate director Jill VanMatre welcomed the group and encouraged dialog about potential collaborations between ATLAS and Kisumu.

The Kisumu city officials who visited included town commissioners, pastors, educators, microcredit entrepreneurs, and one high school student who was able to attend both Boulder and Fairview high schools to connect with groups interested in international relations.

ATLAS has committed itself to facilitating cultural and educational exchange between the Sister Cities, and assisting local physicians, educators and entrepreneurs in potential partnerships through ATLAS’ advanced networking and communications technologies.

Cultural exchange opportunities, including the production of plays using virtual cast members from Kisumu, may be held in the ATLAS Black Box Studio; Kisumu college students may be able to audit ATLAS courses from afar through the use of “smart” classrooms.

Sterling will visit Kisumu as part of her extended work in Kenya to better understand local community priorities and to facilitate support and ongoing interest in Boulder.