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Bratislava-Cleveland

Bratislava - Cleveland 

Written by Ezra Ellenbogen 

Cuyahoga County has a reasonably large Slovak population; in fact, it has the highest of any county in Ohio, and Ohio is the state with the second-highest Slovak population overall.^[1] In short, Cleveland and surrounding areas have a significant Slovak population.

Among Cleveland’s many great sister cities, there is Bratislava, which is the capital of and largest city in Slovakia. Cleveland and Bratislava have been sister cities since 1990^[2], but the commitment to helping each other and creating an international dialogue has fallen off track. The most recent involvements were in 2015 when the Cleveland Philharmonic performed in Bratislava and a major meeting was held in Cleveland.^[3] These programs proved beneficial and successful and could most likely have such an effect again today. The 2010-2014 mayor of Bratislava, Milan Ftáčnik, stated^[4] that “this document [the sister city agreement], which was written by both mayors, was unfortunately not so much fulfilled by concrete activities.” In spite of his efforts at reconnecting the cities, we have become distant neighbors yet again. Nowadays, both sides are looking for chances to reconnect; mayors from both cities have attempted to revive the ‘sister city attitude’ that would help them thrive. However, the two cities are barely connected, despite sharing heritage; communications and flights between them are difficult.

Since then, most relations have been on a higher level between Slovakia and the US instead of between Bratislava and Cleveland, though in unrelated contexts. While this may have provided firm relations between the two countries - which are now friendly - the use of the sister city program to focus on countries at a local level makes it easier to share skills. One such example was Cleveland’s work with Bahir-Dar, Ethiopia, when they shadowed Cleveland’s medical transport to improve the efficiency of their own systems. These types of partnerships could easily help the entire country when applied and can be reciprocal, especially with large cities or capital cities. Even these specialized relations can be considered diplomatic, as they open paths for Slovakia and the United States to exchange ideas and people through local programs. With the two culturally rich cities in question, it seems that such a project would be wondrous.

The reasons for reopening relations between Cleveland and Bratislava include diplomacy, population similarities, Slovak heritage pride, and, as Milan Ftáčnik expressed when he tried to re-open relations last time: “because we believe that the cities of equal size and equal problems and have to learn from each other how to solve them.” This was greatly relevant when he said this in 2012, but even more so now with the friendliness of the two nations and the similarity of our local issues.

The similarities between Cleveland and Bratislava are numerous. First, the population counts are less than 50,000 people apart and the large Slovak population in the Cleveland area makes up for other demographic discrepancies.^[5] Secondly, there are other similarities in the demographic makeup of both cities, which include Czech and German populations. Also, they are both western nowadays despite formerly being on opposing sides of the Iron Curtain. On a local level, they have similar political values. For instance, both have liberal immigration views as well as a growth in urban activism. Both cities are also pedestrian-based and rather unique in terms of available culture. However, because of Bratislava’s role as the capital of Slovakia, most of the politics of the city are nationally-inclined, although economic growth and infrastructure are prospects for both cities.

Bratislava and Cleveland are over 4,500 miles (or over 7,000 km) apart^[6], but that is not the only thing that differentiates them. Even though many Clevelanders may speak Slovak at home, Bratislava is indisputably more Slovak than Cleveland. The obvious things set the cities apart, including timezones, continents, and languages. Through new-age technology, these cities are able to transcend these barriers as shown with the digital conferences hosted by Global Cleveland. The persistence of these efforts has paid off through cultural exchange and understanding as well as increased connections for the Slovak population in Cleveland; differences do not divide us.

On a related topic, it is important to note that Bratislava as a city is very internationally-inclined within the context of the city’s relations. Bratislava has many sister cities, including some that overlap with Cleveland’s, but Bratislava’s relations with Vienna and possibly Hungary could lead to Cleveland getting close to these cities and countries. Cleveland has not built a very strong relationship with their Hungarian sister city (Miskolc), so perhaps Bratislava’s geographic and ethnic closeness to Hungary, especially the general north, could help improve that relationship. Vienna and Bratislava are often considered to be the closest capital cities in the world, though this is disputed, and are arguably the closest-together (in terms of relations) sister cities. Bratislava could teach Cleveland a thing or two on how to stay close and maybe even help Cleveland to establish better relationships with their other sister cities. Bratislava is the only national capital to border two countries^[7], so it is no surprise that they are adept about connecting with other cities internationally.

This brings us back to the main point of Bratislava-Cleveland relations. Cultural exchange is an important idea and could entail literary exchange or educational possibilities and even bring diplomatic opportunities. Cleveland’s Slovak population would feel at home and their heritage would contribute to the hopeful bond between Cleveland and Bratislava. Tourism is another good idea for getting cooperation back on track but is hard considering Cleveland is losing its role as an airspace hub. But if Bratislava and Cleveland were to cooperate, this could prompt increased travel between them and improve the economies of both areas. Businesses could do this as well, and because of the positive relations with Hungary and Austria, expanding opportunities from Cleveland to Bratislava could potentially lead to even more expansion, and the relationship would be good for businesses as well as economically beneficial to both cities. No matter what we do, the need for an improved Bratislava-Cleveland connection is there and Cleveland must not ignore its own Slovak population. Celebrating our heritage and connections as a city will help us thrive in these uncertain times and will not only bring people together internationally but will also set the stage for other sister city relations.

Written by Ezra Ellenbogen

Blog: Ezra's blog

^[1] Taken from Census Bureau Public Data Records From 2017 Estimates

^[2] https://www.sistercities.org/sites/default/files/Cleveland,%20OH%20-%20Bratislava,%20Slovakia.pdf

^[3] https://www.imwong.com/out-and-about/out-and-about-cleveland-bratislava-sister-cities/ and http://blog.cleveland.com/slovakia/2007/05/clevelandbratislava_sister_cit.html

^[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8oXfatUp58

^[5] Population counts from WorldPopulationReview

^[6] A rough estimate calculated using Google Earth

^[7] http://blog.timeforslovakia.com/did-you-know-bratislava-the-only-capital-bordering-2-countries/

by Global Cleveland

Guest Blog: Experiencing a Traditional Congolese Wedding

A Malaysian walks into a traditional Congolese wedding in Cleveland...

...no it’s not the beginning of a joke. This is my experience at my first African wedding.

By Samantha Chow

When I left Malaysia for the States for a six-week professional fellowship with Global Cleveland, I anticipated experiencing different cultures and meeting new people. After all, Cleveland is home to a diverse population including refugees and immigrants of various nationalities. However, never did I once imagined I’d be able to witness a traditional African wedding. 

I was first introduced to Crispin as part of my fellowship experience to learn his life story as a refugee from Congo. He has eight children, and all of them except one daughter live in a house with him and his wife. Yes - it’s a family of 10! We spoke about his family, how he escaped to Rwanda as a refugee and his life in the United States. 

The biggest challenges for them as refugees in the US, said Crispin, are the language barrier, cultural differences, and the lack of familiarity with American laws. Luckily, his family is settling in well due to the strong community support in Cleveland. Crispin also founded a church in 2017, called the Shekinah Apostolic Ministries International.  “It means ‘tangible glory of God’ in Hebrew,” he explained. Before we left the coffee shop, Crispin kindly invited me and a guest to his daughter’s traditional wedding that weekend.

A traditional African wedding in Cleveland, Ohio? It would be crazy for me to pass up such an opportunity, so I very gratefully accepted and invited my housemate Farah as my guest.

Traditional African wedding ceremonies will see the exchange of dowries and are culturally symbolic to mark the union of the two families. Both the bride and groom knew each other from the church where Crispin is a pastor, and their friends and guests such as myself are also invited to cheer them on. The traditional wedding ceremony is not formal and the couple isn’t expected to live as husband and wife together yet. In this couple’s case, they have planned the formal church wedding ceremony for next year.

It’s slightly different from Malaysian Chinese culture, where we would hold the “traditional” wedding ceremony as the actual formal ceremony or a symbolic “tea presentation” to the elders of the family -- all which would usually be on the same day.

Farah and I arrived at the venue, a church hall, in anticipation of the evening. The tables and chairs were decked in blue and gold, and the groom’s family wore beautiful gowns and suits of blue. It was a lovely, warm spring evening as families and friends greeted each other. I received a few curious looks which quickly turned into friendly smiles and even a few requests for photos!

As the sole Malaysian at the wedding, I received a few inquiries about my country and some requests for photos.

The evening started off with music and greetings from the two emcees, who spoke English and Swahili. A traditional African wedding ceremony is known as a “dot”, where they exchange dowries and get to know each other’s families better. The emcees invited a representative from each side of the family up to the front, where they began sharing about their families.

As upbeat music started playing, all heads turned to the back of the room. The groom’s younger family members danced into the room while holding gifts such as woven baskets, rice, and cooking oil. It was an entire process, and everyone knew their roles. They handed some gifts over to the bride’s aunt, and it was a moment of anticipation as she took them to her table and inspected them one by one. The crowd loudly cheered every time she returned and deemed the gifts good enough to be accepted.

The dowry ceremony is a success, and the bride’s father gives his blessings to the couple, who take an embrace.

My new friends at my table were kind enough to translate, as the English-speaking emcee could not manage to explain everything that was happening. Even so, I wished I could understand everything that was said because there was just so much happy banter throughout the night. 

“I’ve brought my ‘cow’, now you bring yours,” an uncle jokingly said to his new family member, as the crowd exploded in laughter. According to my new friend sitting to my right, there were many cow-related jokes made that night. It was all in good fun, and the guests made Farah and I feel so welcomed as they introduced themselves and asked questions about our countries and cultures.

The ceremony came to an end after more than two hours, and a delectable buffet including jollof rice, lamb, and tapioca leaves was served. When we finally left for home, it was on a high note. It’s always an amazing experience to make new friends and witness a new culture, and we are glad it was with Crispin and his beautiful friends and family.

Me, Farah and the chef who helped prepare the excellent buffet spread for the wedding.

by Global Cleveland

Guest Blog: Reflections on My Internship at Global Cleveland

My name is Marta Bono, and for my school’s senior project I was supposed to do an internship for a month wherever I wanted. I decided to contact Global Cleveland because I heard a little bit about what they do with immigrants and refugees, which really interested me since I want to study international relations next year in college. Global Cleveland soon contacted me back and gave me the opportunity to do the internship with them. I was a little bit nervous because I have never had a real job before, so to be exposed to such a professional environment was out of my comfort zone. Nevertheless, since day one, the Global Cleveland staff has integrated me as part of their team and has made me feel welcomed.

I was lucky to be doing this internship during the month of May because so many things happened. Global Cleveland held the first Sister Cities Conference in Cleveland. Then, there was an event with all the board members in which I was allowed to attend. It was very educational for me to hear all the speaker's presentations because now I feel like I have a better understanding on how a business of such high-level works, and the whole purpose of Global Cleveland. Soon after that event, Global Cleveland took me to the courthouse to observe how a naturalization ceremony works. People from every part of the world were seated in the same room in pursuit of the same objective, to become a US citizen.  This was such an amazing experience for me to see in person. People were full of relief and emotion to be able to leave their citizenship behind and give up their country, to become an American. I participated in another event called, the Global Employer Summit, also organized by Global Cleveland. I talked to a few people who attended the event, and they all had awesome things to say. The best part though was listening to every speaker’s story and research on why it is so necessary to hire immigrants and refugees. Studies really do prove how companies that hire more immigrants and refugees, who hire international talent, help improve companies’ productivity.

Even though I am an intern, Global Cleveland gave me some highly responsible jobs. For example, Global Cleveland supports an organization called Sister Cities. I was asked to conduct research about the history of each Sister City member. Therefore, I was taken to the beautiful Case Western Reserve Library and was allowed to look through any document about Sister Cities. I have to say that Sister Cities has further made me realize the importance of cultural exchanges in order to improve and expand communities. Since I speak Italian, Global Cleveland gave me the huge responsibility of encouraging Vicenza, our Italian Sister City. I wrote the mayor of Vicenza an email in which his secretary responded. Every time that I accomplished something, the Global Cleveland staff acknowledged it and congratulated me. This behavior encouraged my motivation to do my best here.

In terms of success, Global Cleveland has taught me that behind every successful company there is an incredible team, and above all, great leadership, in this case, conducted by Joe Cimperman. So thank you so much Global Cleveland for being so open to gratefully accept me to work with you for a month, and teaching me a life lesson that I will remember for when I will get my future, professional job.

by Global Cleveland

Happy Women's International Day!

Today is International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. We recognize and thank our heroic immigrant women who are the backbone of the immigrant rights movement. Your sacrifices, courage and strength build our families and our communities. Today, we honor YOU! #WELead #Cities4Citizenship

Last year,  National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) and Jones Day Law Firm partnered to launch the innovative and transformational Women Empowered to Lead program, WE Lead, in the 7 cities of New York, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles. The WE Lead program is a women's empowerment training and workforce development initiative that trains immigrant women to be Navigators to provide community based immigration legal services in their communities; create new professional opportunities for immigrant women in the legal field; develop leadership skills; and, build trusted community cohorts that support one another to pursue their professional goals.

The WE Lead program expands and deepens the Community Navigator training model, which has trained over 10,000 Community Navigators across the country to provide immigration legal services and information such as Know Your Rights, Citizenship, Deportation Defense, and DACA. Today on International Women's Day, the WE Lead Navigators will be celebrated and recognized for the tireless work they do to bring change their communities, families and themselves.

Andrea, WE Lead Navigator, Global Cleveland

My name is Andrea, I’m from Monterrey, N.L., located on the Northeast of Mexico, I was graduated from the University Autonoma de Nuevo Leon with an International Relationships Bachelor Degree and studied a specialization in Foreign Trade.  I was relocated to the United States back in 2012. I work as a Trade Compliance Professional and Global Team Lead of the Hispanic Employee Resource Group with a Manufacturing Company based in Cleveland, OH. My goal to join as a Community Navigator with Global Cleveland is because it is one of my personal values and responsibility to actively participate and volunteer in the Community, for me it is very important to exercise my civic engagement and contribute to help others in the society, at the same time to  develop multicultural awareness and leverage inclusion.

Nara, WE Lead Navigator, Michigan United, Detroit

“I decided to become a WE Lead Navigator because I aspire to be on the front lines of positive change for my immigrant community. I know what it is like to need help, therefore it is with great happiness and understanding that I lend a helping hand. Too often, the immigrant community consults with attorneys who lack personal experience in the very issues for which they advocate. I am uniquely positioned to be responsive to this sensitive issue because there are no better advocates than those who are living this urgency every day. I know how unjust immigration laws are and I do not want anyone to go through what I, and millions of others, have gone through. I am living the injustice that I am trying to change. Therefore, I am pursuing a legal education because I want to be the lawyer I wish I had.”

Julieta, WE Lead Navigator, The Resurrection Project, Chicago

Julieta is a navigator who has been active with her community for many years. She is currently staffing a day at the Mexican Consulate where she is able to reach about 100 plus people a day with information about know your rights.  Through the partnership with Jones Day she had the opportunity to participate in the Laredo Project where she interpreted for the Jones Day attorneys at the Laredo detention center. This opportunity reaffirmed her desire to become a DOJ accredited representative.  The Resurrection Project will continue to support Julieta to reach her goals.

Bethzy, WE Lead Navigator, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) - Los Angeles, California

Bethzy was born and raised in Mexico. She came to the United States at age 15. She is the first in her family to finish high school, graduate from college and attend graduate school. Bethzy graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology. Working for CHIRLA gave Bethzy the opportunity to help thousands of Dreamers to apply for DACA. Bethzy is currently working on her College Counseling certificate at UCLA in order to better help the student population that she works with. As an immigrant, Bethzy understands the struggle that many undocumented and first generation students endure while attending school. Bethzy joined CHIRLA because she believes in giving back to the community and helping others to accomplish their dreams.

Gaelle, WE Lead Navigator, New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) – New York City, NY

I am a Community Navigator because I want to help my community, give them first-hand information and guide them through my community. I want to help my community with their fears. I want to teach them how to speak up even if they are immigrants; they need to know about their human rights but also their 5th amendment. Through this program, I want to become a DOJ accredited representative and also improve my public speaking skills by giving workshops and trainings.

Cinthya, WE Lead Navigator, Michigan United, Detroit

I decided to become a WE Lead Navigator because I have a deep interest in legal matters and legal practice. I’d like to continue learning about solutions and helping people find the resources they need to fulfill their goals. I have been able to refer people to the services offered at Michigan United. I would like to start grad school and continue helping people reach their objectives and improve my community.

Danielle, WE Lead Navigator - Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC) – Pittsburgh, PA

As an immigrant, I have seen the necessity of having information about our rights, trusted resources, and services that immigrants can obtain. As a WE Lead Navigator, I would like to share the information about our rights as immigrants. I want to share information of how to learn English. I want to learn English and become accredited by DOJ.

Como inmigante que soy, he visto la necesidad de tener informacion sobre los derechos, los recursos con los que cuentan, los servicos a los que se pueden acceder, siendo inmigrantes. Como Promotora de WE Lead, quiero hacer del conocimiento de los derechos que tenemos en este pais, aunque seamos inmigrantes. Quiero llevar facilidades para que aprendan el idioma ingles. Me gustaria aprender el idioma ingles y ser acreditada por el departamento de justicia (DOJ).

by Global Cleveland