Sister City Artifacts Get New Home

Pittsburgh City Council members unveiled a new display of sister city artifacts this morning that date back to the 1940’s. The Sister City program was launched after World War II “as a means to put a global community back together,” says Councilman Doug Shields. Along with the Sister City materials, the city has put on display documents created when Pittsburgh annexed other municipalities including Allegheny City, which is now the north side. Shields says for too long the documents and gifts were locked up in a vault where no one could see them. City Clerk Linda Johnson-Wasler says when she travels she often visits other city council chambers and has seen displays like this one and is happy to see Pittsburgh now has one. The cases, created by City Carpenter Fred Best, are flanked by the flags of the countries of each of the 16 sister cities. Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak says the items represent more than a list of cities, “Every relationship that is displayed here in these cabinets allows our city to have a stronger place on the international stage and it draws attention to Pittsburgh as a place of international commerce and democracy.” The display was put together with the help of the staff of the Heinz History Center.