Rome Home Past Activities Current Initiatives "From the People of New York, to the People of Rome" The Brooklyn Bridge and the Milvian Bridge (Ponte Milvio) in Rome became sister bridges shortly after the 100th anniversary commemoration of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City in 1983. With the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge due in large part to Italian immigrants, its "sistering" with Rome's oldest bridge drew a tangible and cultural linkage between Italy and the Italian-American community in New York City. The linkage was celebrated in a ceremony held in Rome, in the square in front of Ponte Milvio, with the participation of: the former Mayor of Rome, Ugo Vere, and most of his cabinet; City Councilmen; the U.S. Ambassador to Italy; the Municipal Band; the media; and more than one thousand guests. For the occasion, the Mayor of Rome was presented with a framed copy of the official poster for the Brooklyn Bridge Centennial created by artist Andy Warhol, with his autograph dedication "from the people of New York to the people of Rome." Rome and New York City Become Sister Cities Rome and New York City became Sister Cities in 1992 under the leadership of New York City Mayor Ed Koch with the support and instrumental efforts of: Mico Licastro, Chairman of the New York City - Rome Advisory Committee; Diane Coffey, Mayor Koch's Chief of Staff; and U.S. Ambassador, Maxwell Rabb. The relationship was developed based on friendship, a shared history, and cultural commonalities. The Sister City Program of the City of New York, Inc. has been instrumental in maintaining New York City's ties with Rome. High School Exchange: The program launched by the Sister City Program was a high school exchange between the Christopher Columbus School and a local high school in Pomezia, Italy. A group of 17-year-old Italian students were greeted by their American host counterparts during Thanksgiving. During their stay, they had the opportunity to experience all aspects of New York City, from touring the Stock Exchange to exploring Little Italy. The program was extremely successful and later became the model for another Sister City high school exchange with Cairo. Marcus Aurelius Lecture Series: The Sister City Program co-sponsored lecture series in 2000 and 2001. Topics included: "The Immigrant Experience in Public Spaces: Past, Present and Future," and "Urbanization and Globalization." Rome and New York City offer one another opportunities for both economic and cross-cultural expansion. With the commonalities of cultural heritage and history, the partnership also offers challenging ties in business, technology and finance. Through best-practice and cultural exchanges the Sister City Program continues to strengthen ties for the benefit of both great cities.
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