Lansing Mayor David Hollister will be traveling to Akuapim, Ghana, today as part of Lansings sister cities program with the African city.
Hollister and a delegation of Lansing educators, health care providers, civil engineers and other citizens will travel to Ghana to dedicate two libraries created with books donated from Lansing residents and to formally initiate an ambulance donated and equipped by Lansing to be used as a traveling health clinic.
There will also be a formally signed agreement making Lansing and Akuapim sister cities.
Ghana is a country with more than 17 million people. Akuapim has more than 112,000 citizens.
The agreement was signed by the two cities a few years ago when Akuapim officials came to Lansing, but is not technically formal until it has been signed by officials from the cities.
Hollister said although these are business trips immersed in protocol, he always feels an important understanding comes out of the travels.
You always come back with a better appreciation of that country and a better knowledge of what theyre going through, he said.
Lansing Councilmember Sandy Allen said in this era of technology, its still important to develop relationships with people in other cultures.
I think the sister cities program is a wonderful program, Allen said. It allows us to get acquainted with other cultures.
We really need to get to know other people in other countries on a less formal level - Its going to benefit all of us.
Lansings other sister cities are Otsu, Japan; St. Petersburg, Russia; Guadalajara, Mexico; Saltillo, Mexico; and Sanming, China.