Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun Proposes 'Citizen Exchange' with Sister City Phoenix

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Special Metropolitan City Mayor Lee Jae-jun proposed to the Phoenix delegation visiting the city on the 13th that "we should activate citizen exchanges between the two cities."

At a meeting with the Phoenix delegation held in the city's emergency command center that day, Mayor Lee said, "I understand that Phoenix actively conducts citizen exchanges with its sister cities," and "I hope citizens of Suwon and Phoenix will also exchange actively."

He also proposed "civil servant exchange" and invited the Phoenix delegation to the Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival, which marks its 60th anniversary this year.

Mayor Lee Jae-jun said, "Phoenix and Suwon are cities with many shared interests in the environment and sustainable development, and have much in common, including having four major sports franchises. Let us expand the scope of exchange based on our commonalities."

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said, "I hope young people from Suwon and Phoenix will actively exchange and learn about each other," and "We will also promote exchanges among professional sports teams."

She also stated, "Phoenix is very interested in responding to climate change, and Suwon's 'Carbon Neutral Green City' project was impressive. I hope the two cities will share climate change response policies and carbon neutrality policies." She added, "I hope Arizona companies will enter Korea through Suwon, and Korean companies will enter the United States through Arizona."

Suwon and Phoenix signed a sister city agreement in Phoenix in October 2021. Phoenix became Suwon's 18th international sister and friendship city and the first sister city in North America.

The Phoenix delegation, led by Mayor Kate Gallego, visited Suwon for the first time since the sister city agreement. The delegation, which arrived in Korea on the 12th, visited the "Eco-Mobility Suwon 2013" site and the Suwon Municipal Art Museum on the 13th before calling on Mayor Lee Jae-jun.

On the 14th, they toured the Suwon Museum, Younghung Arboretum, and Samsung Innovation Museum. On the 15th, they plan to visit Ilwol Arboretum, Suwon World Cup Stadium, Hwaseong Haenggung Palace, and Paldal Gate Traditional Market before departing on the 16th.

Attendees at the meeting on the 13th included Yassamin Ansari, Phoenix Vice Mayor; Chris Mackay, Director of Community and Economic Development; Adam Hawkins, Chairman of the PSC (Phoenix Sister Cities) Suwon Committee, a city international exchange organization; Jeanne Sours, Vice Chairwoman; and Chiko Swiney, former Chairman.

Since establishing sister city ties, Suwon and Phoenix have maintained active exchanges, with the Phoenix delegation visiting the 59th Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival in 2022, and a Suwon delegation making an invitation visit to Phoenix in May 2023.

Private exchanges are also being actively promoted, including the Phoenix Youth Ambassador Exchange Program, Arizona State University-Ajou University Law School exchange, citizen-to-citizen video language exchange, and the "Suwon-Phoenix Exchange Association."