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Students from Rania, Kurdistan, visit Duluth under Sister Cities program; council suspends rules for introductions
Summary
Delegation from Rania, a Duluth sister city in Iraqi Kurdistan, visited Duluth and met with Sister Cities organizers and host families. The City Council briefly suspended rules so the student visitors could introduce themselves; the delegation participated in cultural and community events during their stay.
Representatives from Duluth Sister Cities introduced students visiting from Rania, a sister city in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and the city council briefly suspended its rules so the students could introduce themselves in the chambers.
Christy Rounds, executive director of Duluth Sister Cities, said the visit marked the latest attempt to host the Rania delegation after several visa efforts and that Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office had helped open a State Department inquiry that allowed the visitors to arrive. The group’s schedule included visits to the aquarium, curling, North Shore tours, UMD, the Duluth Folk School and other community activities; Rounds said local institutions provided tickets and that students stayed with host families for two nights.
Nut graf: The visit is a cultural-exchange program run by the nonprofit Duluth Sister Cities; the council’s suspension of rules to allow student introductions is a routine procedural step that enabled the visiting delegations to briefly address the council and take a photo.
Councilors voted to suspend the rules so the students could come forward and introduce themselves; the motion passed without recorded opposition. Students from Rania introduced themselves by first name and thanked the council and host community.
Ending: Sister Cities leaders and councilors described the visit as grassroots diplomacy intended to strengthen people-to-people ties; several councilors and staff encouraged residents to join scheduled public events with the visitors on the following day.
