Check out other international
activities in the region!
Torun, Poland
Torun dates back to the 13th century when it was a commercial trade center that linked Western Europe to Poland. It has many surviving medieval and gothic style structures. Its most famous citizen, Nicholas Copernicus, established the scientific principle that the earth rotates around the sun. Torun is a port city on the banks of the Vistual River. Like Philadelphia, it engaged in a long and difficult struggle for freedom. Our two cities joined in sisterhood in 1976, the bicentennial of American independence. The relationship was marked by the dedication of a sculpture on the Torun Triangle located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia and the creation of Philadelphia Boulevard in Torun.
The photos above are of Torun high school student's visit to Philadelphia to participate in the fourth exchange between our two Sister Cities from October 14 - 23, 2011. This exchange between the Tadeuszko High School #4 of Torun and Philadelphia's Swenson Arts and Technology High School and Abraham Lincoln High School has been ongoing since 2008!
Gosia Lewandowska's son is a very big Philadelphia Flyers fan in Torun. Gosia is our liaison and mentioned her son's passion for hockey. Here, he is modeling his new Flyers hat - a gift from his friends in Philadelphia!
Magda Kowalska from Torun visited Philadelphia for 8 weeks in summer with her cousin, IVC friend Edward Szkudlapski. Magda is a Ph D student at Copernicus University in Torun and was taught by many of the teachers in Torun who visited Philadelphia in 2009.
Philadelphia photographer, E.A. Kennedy, visited Torun from June 28 - July 4, 2010 to participate in a photography project, "Torun through the Twin Lenses." Photographers from Torun''s other Sister Cities also participated. E.A. enjoyed his visit and represented Philadelphia well! To see his photos of Torun, click here and then scroll down to move from photo to photo.
The photos above are of the Torun officials' visit to Philadelphia in October, 2009 by the Mayor, City Council Chair, Education Head and high school students and teachers.
The photos below are of the Philadelphia students and teachers' visit to Torun in October 2008.
Swenson Arts and Technology High School in Philadelphia and the International Visitors Council of Philadelphia look forward to the continuation of the Sister Cities exchange program between Tadeusz Kosciuszko High School #4 from Torun and schools from Philadelphia. We are happy to announce that a group of students and teachers from Philadelphia recently visited Torun in October 2010. We look forward to welcoming the next group of students from Torun later this year.
Citizen diplomacy engages citizens in international relations. Meeting counterparts and experiencing everyday American life provides an authentic & more accurate view of the "real" U.S.
