In May of 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower invited 34 Americans to explore the possibility of creating people-to-people exchanges as a way to promote peace around the world. "There will never be enough diplomats and information officers ... to get the job done without help from the rest of us", he wrote in his letter of invitation. The president went on to issue the call for "millions of individual Americans acting through person-to-person communication in foreign lands".

Eisenhower's dream has become a reality due in large part to the relationships of sister cities around the globe, including at least 14 between the U.S. and Norway. Initiated and sponsored in a number of ways - by non-profit organizations, political leaders or inspired citizens - sister city partnerships allow communities to create relationships through business development and cultural and educational exchanges. Shared programs and frequent travel between the paired cities by civic leaders, businesspeople and students solidify the positive relationships and valuable exchange of ideas.

As far as we know, in Telemark only Skien and Notodden have sister city relationships in the US. The blues town Clarksdale in Missisippi is the sister city of Notodden.

Representatives from Telemark Heritage use to meet many of the tour groups who visit Telemark every year. A main reason for this is the relationships that have been developed through sister-city contacts. Among the American and Canadian guests in the tourist groups there will always be people who want to find information about their roots.

Still, it is often the cultural exchanges that are the most noteworthy. A very meaningful exchange is the exchange of the young students. We know about Folk culture studies at Rauland, summer courses in handicraft at Raulandakademiet, and internet sales of handicraft products. In Telemark we have student and teacher exchanges, and studies for English speaking students at Telemark University College. All these activities can be further developed through sister city relationships and people-to-people contacts.

(Partial source of information: Carter G. Walker)

More about Dwight D. Eisenhower you find here.