Mon, 23 Aug 1999

Proposed Agenda: (Subject to change as per consensus) (Please reply to USCSCA@aol.com)

Mobile, Alabama October 8-11th

Friday Oct. 8th -- 8:00 PM - Reception and buffet at the home of Robert Schaefer, President, Society Mobile-La Habana

Saturday Oct. 9th - A Day of Sharing - Information, Reports, Introductions &Issues

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM - Registration and coffee for conference participants (Board meeting for board members)

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Conference Opening: Welcoming Remarks: Robert Schaefer, President, Society Mobile - La Habana, Jay Higginbotham, Chairman, Board of Directors Introduction of Cuban Delegation, USCSCA Officers and Conference Facilitators, Special guests and review of weekend schedule.

9:30 AM-10:00 AM - General Introductions of conference participants Width and breath of our movement -- growing, even as we speak!

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM - "Sister Cities - Cuban Style" Presentation by Cuban Delegation - * Ambassador Fernando Ramirez, of the Cuban Interest Section on the importance of sister cities to Cuba, why Cuba welcomes these people-to-people interchanges, Cuba's participation in Sister Cities programs worldwide and experience with, and hopes for US - Cuba projects.

10:30 AM - Break

10:45 AM - 11:15 AM - "The realities with which we work" The state of US - Cuba relations, and how it impacts on sister cities: (Cuban perspective) US Blockade: Cuba's response: new laws and regulations

11:15 AM - 12:00 Noon - Q & A Period for AM Presentations

12: 00 Noon - 1:30 LUNCH

1:30 PM - 3:15 PM - "Sister Cities - US Style"- "Roots & Wings" What's being done: Presentation of US Sister Cities: Project accomplishments: Established programs: (8 minutes each): Mobile, Madison, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Bloomington (40 minutes total)

Aspiring programs: (8 minutes each): Philadelphia, Youngstown, Baltimore, etc. (40 minutes total)

Future programs: (5 minutes each): Fitzgerald, Ga., Florida, California etc. (25 minutes)

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM "The realities with which we work"US Cuba relations and how it impacts on sister city organizations. (US perspectives) Navigating limitations of an outmoded US policy: Travel, Licensing, Humanitarian Aid, etc.

3:45 PM - 5:00 PM - Sectors for Organizing: Special Reports: Education: (12 minutes) Universities: Professor Mark Ginsburg - Twinning universities: case example: Semester-at -Sea High School: * David , President of SECA - Student Exchange Cuba And America - Organizing high school students Healthcare: (12 minutes) *To be announced Business/Commerce: (12 minutes)" The Complexities of Commerce" * Tom Donohue, President of US Chamber of Commerce & Jorge I. Fernandez, member International Policy Committee of USCC. Churches: (12 minutes) "Sharing Spiritual Lives" - Religious Issues Dr. Ted Braun, author of "Perspectives on Cuba" and * Reverend. Lucius Walker, IFCO & P4P. Cultural: (12 minutes) Art & Cultural exchanges : *To be announced Sports: (12 minutes) * Lee Tawney, International Relations, City of Baltimore - Baseball Diplomacy

5:00 PM - 5:30 PM - Q&A on afternoon presentations

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Free Time

7:00 PM - Banquet

Sunday, October 10th -- Getting Specific--What do you need? What needs to be done? Helping each other to build a base in every community.

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM - Working with City Councils, Mayors and other elected officials: Pittsburgh City Councilman Jim Ferlo, (others)

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM - Working with community organizations -- starting from scratch, a group, or strengthening your base - Sharing skills and experiences: Identifying our needs: Facilitators: Peggy Edwards, WILPF, & Delvis Fernandez , Founder, Cuban American Alliance

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM-Summary of morning sessions and identifying what you need for us to help you with, and what you can do to help someone else. Special needs and organizational task identification: Fund raising, board development, building a webpage, speakers bureau, etc. Peggy Edwards, WILPF - group facilitator.

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM - Finding the solutions: Setting your goals and getting a buddy/mentor. Skills you can share to help build our national efforts. Task identification, forming committees, etc., (issues? Regions?)

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM - Committee meetings or solving special problems.

11:45 AM - 12:00 noon - Where do we go from here? Setting our next meeting. World Solidarity Conference- November 2,000 - USCSCA Conference in Cuba

12:00 Noon - 12:30 PM - Official Conference Closure - Closing Remarks 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM - Loose ends? Private meetings? Board meeting? Sunday PM - Monday- FUN! BEACH?! FUN! BOAT RIDE?! FUN! TOUR OF CITY?! *Speakers not confirmed

With questions call or email: USCSCA@aol.com
Lisa Valanti - (412) 563- 1519 LisaCubaSi@aol.com
Bob Schaeffer (334)473-8775 or 800/946-7267x2312 or schaefer@zebra.net

We need you! Get involved today!!!