Schedule
All times listed for the Annual Conference apply to Eastern Daylight Time (ET). Please plan your attendance accordingly.

Day 1: Thursday, July 15, 2021 (EDT)

1:06PM

Opening Remarks

1:13PM

VIP Welcome Remarks

1:17PM

Welcome Message from our Chair

1:33PM

Education Panel – The Future is Now: Adapting Technology for Education and Youth Exchanges

2:14PM

Education Breakout Rooms

There will be 11 concurrent breakout sessions following the Education panel. Please see below for the breakout room titles.

Please note that only one breakout room can be chosen per session.

2:34PM

Musical Performance from pianist Leonardo Colafelice

Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 “Heroic” Composed by Frederic Chopin

2:43PM

Annual Award Winners Announced

3:03PM

Coffee Break & YAAS Gallery

3:12PM

Economic Panel – Goods & Movement: Where We Were, Where We’re Going, and How We’re Connected

3:53PM

Economic Breakout Sessions

There will be 12 concurrent breakout sessions following the Economic panel. Please see below for the breakout room titles.

Please note that only one breakout room can be chosen per session.

4:21PM

Keynote Speaker, Rick Steves on “How to Travel Again”

5:15PM

Breakout-Palooza

These breakout rooms will enable you to connect and network by regional interest on a more personal level.

Day 2: Friday, July 16, 2021 (EDT)

1:06PM

Welcome Remarks from our Chair

1:25PM

Announcement of Annual Award Winners

1:40PM

Presentation of Ruth Hashimoto Award

1:46PM

Sports & Diplomacy Panel – Goal! Winning Strategies for Diplomacy through Sport

2:27PM

Sports & Diplomacy Breakout Sessions

There will be 12 concurrent breakout sessions following the Sports & Diplomacy panel. Please see below for the breakout room titles.

Be sure to note that only one breakout room can be chosen per session.

2:47PM

Musical Performance by MBAW, “We Shall Overcome”

3:00PM

Coffee Break & YAAS Gallery

3:09PM

Humanitarian Panel – Conflict, Dislocation, and Hope: Responses to the Global Migrant Crisis from NGOs and Citizen Diplomats

3:50PM

Humanitarian Breakout Sessions

There will be 9 concurrent breakout sessions following the Humanitarian panel. Please see below for the breakout room titles.

Be sure to note that only one breakout room can be chosen per session.

4:10PM

Break: Chair Yoga Session led by Suhail Arastu

4:21PM

Annual Meeting

Breakout Sessions

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Education Breakout Rooms

The Education panel titled “The Future is Now: Adapting Technology for Education and Youth Exchanges” will focus on how technology is transforming educational and youth exchanges across the world. This panel will allow attendees to learn from students and industry leaders on leveraging technology to connect and empower youth in their respective fields. These breakout rooms will be focused on specific aspects of education, according to their titles and descriptions.

Please be reminded that all of these breakout rooms will be held simultaneously, so only one breakout room can be selected.

Economic Breakout Rooms

These breakout rooms will correspond with our panel on Economic Activity, titled “Goods & Movement: Where We Are, Where We’re Going, and How We’re Connected.” As this panel will focus on listening to industry experts and officials about how goods are moved across the world to your home, as well as how those relationships provide unique opportunities for our sister cities network, these breakout rooms will be more focused on specific aspects of trade and economic activity, according to their titles and descriptions.

Please be reminded that all of these breakout rooms will be held simultaneously, so only one breakout room can be selected.

Palooza Breakout Rooms

These breakouts will enable members and participants to connect and network by regional interest on a more personal level. 

Please be reminded that all of these breakout rooms will be held simultaneously, so only one breakout room can be selected.

Friday, July 16, 2021

Sports Breakout Rooms

In “Goal! Winning Strategies for Diplomacy Through Sport,” the panel will discuss how Sports have always played a role in bringing people and nations together. As it explores ways that local communities and sister cities organizations can harness the power of sports federations, athletes, and city planning to create lasting local infrastructure and youth development programs, attend these breakout sessions to discuss more specific aspect of sports and diplomacy.

Please be reminded that all of these breakout rooms will be held simultaneously, so only one breakout room can be selected.

Humanitarian Breakout Rooms

The panel on Humanitarian issues titled “Conflict, Dislocation, and Hope: Responses to the Global Migrant Crisis from NGOs and Citizen Diplomats” will discuss humanitarian crises and displaced populations. This panel will feature experts in the fields of migration and humanitarian aid and how they are responding to challenges near and far. Join these breakout rooms to discuss specific aspects of Humanitarian issues.

Please be reminded that all of these breakout rooms will be held simultaneously, so only one breakout room can be selected.