Duluth Sister Cities gives students from Iraqi-Kurdistan chance to experience the Northland

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Students from Rania, Iraqi-Kurdistan arrived in Duluth Wednesday and have already enjoyed some classic Northland activities like snowball fights and curling.

Sunday, the Director of Duluth Sister Cities International, Christy Rounds, held an informational meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth.

“This relationship actually started in the 1990s, a local peacemaker Michelle Obed, went to Iraq basically protesting the sanctions,” said Rounds.

Duluth is a sister city with Vaxjo, Sweden; Petrozavodsk, Russia; Ohara-Isumi, Japan; and Rania, Iraqi-Kurdistan.

“A lot of times our political leaders maybe do a less than optimal job in terms of peacemaking efforts and so it’s kind of us sometimes to make sure that those relationships remain intact,” said Rounds.

Former Lieutenant Governor and Duluth City Councilor, Yvonne Prettner Solon did some tours with Duluth Sister Cities including a trip to Sweden. She said this program has resonated positively with people in high places.

“The king of Sweden thought that this was a great exchange and a novel opportunity between the United States and Sweden,” said Prettner Solon.

She said traveling to different places with the program allowed her to experience new ideas which she was able to implement into Duluth.

“We had the opportunity to sit and collaborate on ideas and to bring some of those suggestions back to our own communities,” said Prettner Solon.

The group’s chaperone Hakr Khoshiwanw said this has been a great opportunity for the students to have fun while looking forward to their futures.

“We want to help something for the future for them because they want to be in medicine and to be a doctor to be an engineer we came here to learn about something about the culture about the food,” said Khoshiwanw.

The students will be attending tomorrow’s Duluth City Council meeting as a part of the cultural exchange.

The students will head back home this Friday.

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