Thu, Dec 04 2008
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Published July 08, 2008 04:36 pm - NEOSHO, Mo. — More than 70 people, many of them wearing leis of artificial flowers, leaves or sea shells, watched while the city of Neosho and the State of Pohnpei celebrated the establishment of a “sister-city” relationship Tuesday afternoon. Neosho, Micronesian state forge sister-city relationship w/ link to Sister Cities International Web siteBy Derek Spellman
dspellman@joplinglobe.com NEOSHO, Mo. — More than 70 people, many of them wearing leis of artificial flowers, leaves or sea shells, watched while the city of Neosho and the State of Pohnpei celebrated the establishment of a “sister-city” relationship Tuesday afternoon. Mayor Howard Birdsong and John Ehsa, governor of Pohnpei, signed and exchanged Special Notes of Friendship to cement the relationship during a ceremony that included singing, a small feast and an exchange of gifts. Pohnpei is one of four states that constitute the Federated States of Micronesia, and Neosho boasts a relatively large Micronesian community, Ehsa said. Several Micronesian church leaders were slain last year during a Sunday church service in Neosho. But the shooting unified both the Micronesian and non-Micronesian of Neosho, Birdsong said, and induced the city to offer “the hand of friendship” in the wake of the slayings. “We saw only friends and neighbors who were hurting and grieving the loss of their loved ones,” Birdsong said. He also noted: “Our community chose to make something good out of something so bad.” Ehsa said the sister relationship between Pohnpei and Neosho means that, among other benefits, the Neosho residents are now honorary citizens of Micronesia. For years, he said, Micronesia’s close relationship with the United States has made it relatively easy for his people to migrate to places like Neosho to work, attend school, visit or live. Micronesia was among a group of Pacific Islands administered by the United States from the end of World War II until 1979. The two countries now enjoy a “Compact of Free Association” enabling Micronesia’s inhabitants to enter the U.S. without a visa and to establish residences here for work or schooling without having to meet the requirements for other non-U.S. citizens, according to the city of Neosho. The sister-city relationship with Neosho will help strengthen those ties, Ehsa said. He estimated that 1,000 Micronesians live in the Southwest Missouri area. Many came to work at the Tyson poultry processing plant in Noel and have since been bringing their families over. The designation also encourages the transplanted Micronesians to retain their heritage, he said. “The sister-city relationship (affords) us the opportunity to maintain our culture while living in the United States,” Ehsa said. 
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