Lethbridge to celebrate twin city relationship

The City of Lethbridge is planning a special event next month to commemorate a unique, long-standing relationship with SaintLaurent, Quebec.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Lethbridge’s official Twin City relationship and cultural exchange with Saint-Laurent. It’s also Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation. While the Mayor and Council of SaintLaurent will be visiting Lethbridge, the City is hosting a party in Galt Gardens on July 15 to celebrate the milestones.

“We wanted to celebrate a relationship that is very special to us,” said Councillor Jeff Carlson. “We’ve kept that relationship strong and we’ve even grown it.”

Canada’s twin city program was established in 1967 as part of the 100th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation. The intent was to improve and build relationships between English and Frenchspeaking Canadians. Out of all the Canadian communities paired up, the Lethbridge and Saint-Laurent relationship is the only one still holding strong.

Every year a citizen exchange takes place, alternating between senior citizens and students. Over the past half a century, more than 600 residents from Eastern and Western Canada have had the opportunity to participate.

“Every year we have travelled back and forth to that community, shared ideas, shared cultures with each other,” said Carlson. “It’s the strongest relationship we have with another community, and to celebrate that we’re going to have many of the past participants.”

“Community Culture Craze” is planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15 with a variety of activities to showcase the city’s cultural diversity.

Scheduled performers include a prayer and stories from Blackfoot Elder Francis First Charger, Cree artist and hoop dancer Maria Livingstone, drummers from the Lethbridge Community Taiko Association, the Lethbridge Firefighters Pipes and Drums, Zumba dance sessions, the Lethbridge Buskers Association, Shaela Miller Band, and Junkman’s Choir.

There will also be food, bouncy castles and children’s activities, an art tent with programming from Casa, and a comic tent featuring Kapow Comics.

The free family event will be open to everyone. There will also be free admission and shuttle service to the Galt Museum, the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Fort Whoop-Up and Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens.

The project was made possible by the Government of Canada. For more information and a detailed schedule of events, visit www.lethbridge.ca/ Culture-Craze.

A public art exchange will also commemorate the 50year twinning. The City of Lethbridge is commissioning a piece to be displayed in a public square in SaintLaurent. They, in turn, will offer a commissioned piece to be installed in the summer of 2018.

There will be a grand unveiling of the piece that Lethbridge will receive during Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden’s 50th anniversary celebration on July 14 at 2:30 p.m.