Our mission is to engage in the promotion of international relations and good will by adopting the City of Manzanillo in Colima, Mexico as a Sister City, to promote understanding, cultural exchange, educational ties and international tourism between the two cities on a charitable basis.

San Pablo Committee

Manzanillo Committee

San Pablo Committee President Genoveva Garcia Calloway and Vice President Sydney Metrick visited Manzanillo in October, 2003 to refresh a relationship between the two cities that began in 1968. They met with Manzanillo Mayor Rogelio Rueda Sanchez to rally support from his new administration. They also met the student scholarship recipients to hear progress reports and discuss an idea for the New Project. All travel expenses for travel are paid for by each individual volunteer or donations made to the program during fundraising events. A city staff person usually coordinates travel and events and program business is maintained by the volunteer community board or committee. The trip was a success, all goals were accomplished and a new energy for the program was born.

In September 1998, two Exchange Officers from Manzanillo arrived in San Pablo to ride with San Pablo Officers and observe California law enforcement, style, and procedures.  The Officers were also introduced to the P.I.S.T.O.L. Program so they could begin a similar program in the schools of Manzanillo.

October 1995 brought a 7.6 magnitude earthquake to the Mexican Pacific coastal town of Manzanillo causing atleast fivety-five deaths, many injuries and homelessness.  The San Pablo-Manzanillo Sister City Committee (Newspaper Article) rushed in to collect donations from local residents, merchants and organizations such as Brookside Hospital to help.

The Committee's latest project, in fact called "The New Project" consists of an interdisciplinary classroom curriculum designed to promote cultural literacy, individual friendships, and environmental awareness with much success.  

The year-long project was envisioned as an exchange of letters, photos, drawings, collage and video between the fifth grade classes of Dover School in San Pablo and Ignacio Zaragoza School in Manzanillo, Mexico. Teachers from both schools developed a four phase project; Introductions,Cultural Roots Around The Holiday Season; Environmental Investigation and Exhibition Of The Year¹s Exchanges (for the school and greater civic communities).  

The Mexican children sent the first group of letters, reaching out to their American counterparts with introductions and questions. The art piece is a mural of a watermelon slice with a message in the center saying, "Viva La Vida."  The image is constructed of individual drawings that form pieces of the whole watermelon slice image.

Dover School children responded with letters and individual collages made up of their photographs, cut out letters of their names and pictures of their interests. A message was included, "From Our Family To Yours" and the collages were numbered to be arranged as a large mural.  When President Calloway and Vice President Metrick delivered the letters to the school they were honored with gifts and certificates at an all-school assembly.  One student read these words from a document the class wrote:

"I speak on behalf of my fifth grade companions, we are very pleased to have been chosen to participate in this interchange of friendship with the children of your city. Thanks to the letters and collages we can not only share ideas and experiences, but above all, and more important, is to count new friends. This is an unforgettable experience that we wish to last for a long time."

Phase II of the project continues as the Dover class received artwork from Los Dias de Los Muertos, and a video will show the Manzanillo artist working with the Zaragoza school children as they begin to create a large interactive altar.  Both classes will continue to communicate about the holidays they celebrate over this coming Winter. (School Children of Manzanillo and San Pablo)

During Phase III the Mexican children will travel to the Ecological Center located at a nearby lagoon, Laguna Cuyatlan where the "Tortugario," protects sea turtles, crocodiles and iguanas. In California, the Dover Elementary School class will be visiting the Wildcat Creek Watershed and studying the birds and other wildlife.  Artists and teachers are working together at both schools to help the children create imaginative and informative environmental exchanges.

If you happen to be visiting Manzanillo this year, you can attend a ceremony including video and performance at Casa del las Culturas, which is an extension of the University of Colima.  

It is the intention of the Manzanillo Mayor Rogelio Rueda Sanchez to expand the project beyond an exchange of education, art, culture and the environment to include tourism and commerce.

In 1998, Manzanillo representatives traveled to the City of San Pablo to celebrate the city’s 50 th Anniversary and in reciprication a delegation of 34 persons representing the City of San Pablo accompanied the Mayor to Manzanillo to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 1999.  Much of these visits are spent touring city attractions, meeting community leaders and organizations and developing an understanding for the needs of city residents and school children.

Please contact us to participate, share your ideas, or become a Member. We welcome you to help us celebrate this educational friendship as we continue to grow.