The Sisters We Hardly Know

Today, Mayor Murphy was telling me about one of the many ideas on his mind -- reviving the relationship between Lowell and the Sister Cities that have formally been designated as such over the course of Lowell's history. In most cases, the relationships have lain more or less dormant for years.

Just a couple hours later, a sizable delegation from CAMOLA

(Cameroonians of Lowell Association) dropped in during the

Mayor's Office Hours (4-6 Weds., 3-5 Fri...come as you are, no appointment needed).

The major issue on their minds was a restoration of Lowell's Sister City relationship with Bamenda, Cameroon. No surprise -- Mayor Murphy wants to take the initial steps on this via social media. We learned from the CAMOLA leaders that many people in Bamenda are plugged in to things like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Lowell has several other Sister City relationships, all of which can be used for mutual benefit. As the Cameroonian-Americans in the office reminded us today, the relationship between Lowell and Bamenda should not be seen as one in which Lowell acts as a benefactor or charity FOR Bamenda, but instead one in which Lowell and Bamenda help each other, serving as mutual benefactors.

The revival of the Sister City relationships is one of several initiatives that will spring from the Mayor's Office over the coming weeks and months -- not as a charity or a 'feel-good' story for the groups that will be directly involved, but instead as a source of mutual education and enrichment.