At the close of World War II, international relationships had suffered and the global environment was tense. Responding to this tension, President Dwight Eisenhower proposed his “People-to-People” idea which stressed that developing personal, international relationships between people at all levels of society would rejuvenate global ties, lessening the chance of future world conflicts.
The National League of Cities was formed in the 1950s to put Eisenhower’s ideas into practice. Due to enormous growth and popularity of the mother organization, Sister Cities International (SCI) was established as a separate non-profit group in 1956. Today, SCI works to develop international relationships which promote cultural understanding and stimulate economic development.
In 1984, SCI’s Greenville chapter was formed to pursue Eisenhower’s dream of a peaceful planet. In today’s world, Eisenhower’s words are as crucial as ever.