Established: April 1976, under Mayor Fred Hofheinz
President: Irada Akhoundova
Contact Information: iakhoundova@houstonbaku.com
Website: http://houstonbaku.org/
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About the Relationship:
The connection between Houston, Texas and Baku, Azerbaijan dates back to the 1970’s when Mayor Louis Welch of Houston took the first steps in bonding these two world oil capitals. The Houston-Baku Sister City Association was officially established in April 1976 under Mayor Fred Hofheinz. More stories and pictures about those early days of HBSCA can be found in the article Sister Cities: Baku and Houston (Published in Azerbaijan International Magazine).
HBSCA’s activity program includes:
Showcasing the culture, folklore and arts of Azerbaijan and Baku through a variety of programs including:
- The participation in public cultural festivals in Houston such as I-Fest and Turkic Fest;
- The organization of public events to celebrate Azerbaijani public holidays such as Novruz Bayram, Iftar, Azerbaijan Independence Day, etc.
- The organization of art shows and music programs
- Facilitation of Azerbaijan participation in international film festivals in Houston
Establishing connections between citizens of Houston and Baku through:
- Welcoming visitors and delegations from Azerbaijan and facilitating connections for these missions in the Houston Metropolitan area
- Hosting events to reunite Houstonians who have lived and worked in Azerbaijan’s oil industry
- Hosting delegations from Houston to Azerbaijan
Supporting international education through
- International student events at universities and the Houston World Affairs Council
- Facilitation of educational exchange programs between the University of Houston and the Economic University of Azerbaijan in Baku
- Presentation of Azerbaijan general country information at schools
Other programs:
- Participation in the annual SCH Soccer Tournament
- Participation in the Holidays Around the World program organized by the Houston International Protocol Alliance in support of the Child Advocates
Find out more about Baku, Azerbaijan.