by senior contributor Brendan Kownacki
Photo credit: Brendan Kownacki
The forthcoming First Lady Melania Trump was not in attendance, but she was the talk of the party at the Inaugural Gala held by Sister Cities International in partnership with the Slovenian Embassy. Many have heard of the small European nation of Mrs. Trump’s birth but don’t know much about it. The gala, held at the luxurious Organization of American States, helped to highlight the beauty of Slovenia (pointed out by the Ambassador as the only country with LOVE in its name.) Ambassadors, Diplomats, Elected Officials, and Community Leaders all gathered to kick off Inauguration festivities, dining on Slovenian food with cultural touches at every turn. Are those traditional accordionists? You bet. Bill Murray in an ad for Slovenian vodka? Yes, of course.
Cierra Jackson
One of the revelers drinking in the culture experience for the evening was Cierra Jackson, Miss District of Columbia from the Miss America pageant, who told Hollywood on the Potomac that it “really amazing being a young, progressive woman in DC” and being surrounded by so many educated people to engage in local but also global politics.
Slovenian Ambassador to the US Dr Božo Cerar
Slovenian Ambassador to the US Dr Božo Cerar pointed out that even at only the size of New Jersey, sandwiched between Vienna and Venice, the country is a tapestry of nature with rich mountains that you can ski on in the morning before swimming in clear water at night.
Sister Cities President Mary Kane
The night was also a toast to Sister Cities, Founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. The group has thousands of member communities pairing them in the US and across the globe to foster better disconnectedness and push the mission of citizen diplomacy. Sister Cities President Mary Kane recalled Ike for what drives the group, “President Eisenhower made us feel uncomfortable. He told us to go out and make friends with people we are not friends with.” It’s about building relationships around the world because, “it will not be a prosperous world without peace.”
Since the group’s founding in 1956, each President has served as Honorary Chairman for Sister Cities and the hope is that President Trump will continue the trend.
