Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto Fulfills Pledge to Bolster City's Global Ties by Meeting International Delegations

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto today welcomed two international delegations to the city today as part of his continuing effort to strengthen Pittsburgh’s international ties. In the morning, he met with a delegation of journalists from Pittsburgh’s first sister city, Wuhan, China. Later in the day, Peduto also met with a European delegation to discuss the role of public-private partnerships coordinated by GlobalPittsburgh.

“Of course there are economic benefits to having strong relationships with our global partners and sister cities, but the benefits of cultural exchange cannot be overstated either,” Peduto said. “Whenever Pittsburgh has the opportunity to strengthen our international bonds, we should do it for the good of the city and of the country.”

The first visit involved two journalists from Wuhan. They were Yangtze Daily Senior Journalist Yu Xi and Wuhan TV Station Chief Journalist Zhang Jun. The visit was facilitated by the University of Pittsburgh. During the meeting they interviewed Mayor Peduto, former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, film director and producer Rick Sebak of WQED and PBS, and renowned interdisciplinary artist Vanessa German.

Xi is writing a book that will promote Wuhan’s 20 sister cities of which Pittsburgh has the distinction of being the first and only in the United States.

In the afternoon, leaders representing nine European countries heard from Mayor Peduto about the role of public-private partnerships in restructuring economies as part of a project of the U.S. State Department in conjunction with GlobalPittsburgh.

The European dignitaries are:
- Dhimitraq Marko, Executive Director, Fier Regional Development Agency, Albania
- Alexander Biach, Managing Director, Austrian Business Association, Austria
- Michel Martone, Professor of Industrial Relations and Labor Law, Italian National School of Government, Italy
- Veland Ramadani, Assistant Professor of Business and Economics, South East European University, Macedonia
- Daniel Chilea, Director of Industry and Energy, Romanian Competition Council, Romania
- Angel Prieto Sotos, Castilla-La Mancha Region Managing Director, Institute for Foreign Trade Development, Spain
- Jessica Rosencrantz, Member of Parliament, Sweden
- Dr. Ilhan Karakoyun, Secretary General, Karacadag Development Agency, Turkey
- Peter Reekie, Director of Finance, Scottish Futures Trust, United Kingdom