Williamstown Exploring Sister City Relationship
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — After nearly three decades making connections in Central America, former Williams College athletic director Robert R. Peck is hoping the town will follow him in forging bonds with one of Nicaruagua's major cities.Peck approached the Selectmen on Monday night for support in developing a sister-city relationship with the municipality of Bluefields on Nicaruagua's Atlantic coast.
"I see it as an exchange of people and ideas," said Peck. "The possibilities are endless."
The Selectmen were supportive of the idea and encouraged Peck to further pursue it, although they wanted a firmer idea of what the town's role would be in such a relationship. Peck said the town could pay $250 in dues to Sister Cities International, which facilitates Sister City programs, or do it independently. In either case, it would mean creating a committee of residents interested in promoting collaboration between the town and city, such as creating pen pal programs, cultural exchanges and overseas visits.
Both of Berkshire County's two cities have active Sister City programs. North Adams' Sister City is Tremosine in northern Italy, the ancestral home of the many of the city's Italian families. Pittsfield has an active relationship with Ballina, in County Mayo, Ireland, and Cava de Tirreni in Italy. Local ethnic groups have played a large part in fostering those relationships. Bennington, Vt., has another Nicaraguan city, Somotilla, as its Sister City.
Peck selected Bluefields as a good choice for a Sister City because of his work there with Williams students and his contacts with local organizations, including being friends with Mayor Luis Gutiérrez Gálvez, elected last year.
Now a resident of Pownal, Vt., Peck has been the instructor for a Williams Winter Study in the Bluefields area for a decade. The program brings optometrists together with students to help prescribe and distribute eyeglasses in Nicaruagua and training medical personnel.
The Caribbean city of more than 45,000 is ethnically diverse and heavily influenced by the English sailors, colonists and pirates who spread through the region in earlier centuries. English is spoken by many in contrast to the Spanish-speaking Pacific side, he said, adding that Bluefields had been partnered with Racine, Wisc., but nothing had really come of that relationship.
Justin Adkins, who was in the audience, wondered if Bluefields' size would make it a good fit because of the town's rural character. "I thought it was so rural kids here and rural kids there could find similarities in their lives and differences, too."
While Bluefields is far larger than Williamstown in population, Town Manager Peter Fohlin said the town may well be as big in other aspects, such as its cosmopolitan makeup and its world-class college.
Peck said his goal is to bring together people willing to create a partnership and then step aside. "I'm coming as a person who is a facilitator and organizer," he told the board.
Selectman David A. Rempell saw the opportunity as a "win-win situation. I see no downside in exploring this."
Anyone interested in helping Peck can contact him at 802-823-4646 or Robert.R.Peck@williams.edu.
