A Hand of Friendship in Salem, India

Salem means Peace, in case you didn't know that, so we have a lot to live up to.

Photos of Salem, India courtesy: skyscrapercity.com

(SALEM, Tamilnadu) - I have long been associated with promotion of friendshp through the sister city relationship between the city of Salem in Tamilnadu; and Salem in the US state of Oregon. (Friendship Between Salem India and Salem US – An Interesting Write-up)

Salem, India, Salem USA

This relationship is dormant at present due to a lack of interest in both sides. Now I am prompted to revive the tie-up thanks to the interest now shown by Mr. Tim King, an influential and leading journalist in our sister city; Salem in the US. He wants a story on Salem in Tamilnadu in all its aspects to project it to the people in Salem, US.

I want to contact people in all segments in Salem, who are interested in reviving the sister city relationship as desired by Mr. King.

This is an effective means to promote friendship and cooperation between India and the US through people to people contact and to develop our skill in Citizen Diplomacy.

Since there are 24 places named Salem in the US and a place by that name in South Africa too, a move to forge ties with them will surely supplement the efforts of our government in projecting India ably to the people living abroad.

My object is the set up a committee of Salem Friends here, category wise, and encourage them to contact their counterparts directly.

I will appreciate it if interested readers contact me with their suggestions as to how we can best build this kind of friendship efforts between India and the US.

My email is: kbsundram@yahoo.co.in My mobile phone number is 95 246 59 164

From Tim King:

I have been in off and on again contact with Bala Sundram for the last couple of years and I seriously applaud this effort to reignite a beautiful opportunity. I don't have the specific history on this, but we do know that some time ago, in the 1980's, there was a relationship in place.

As Bala mentioned, I want to support this chance to cross cultures by helping Salem, Oregon residents learn more about the city in Tamilnadu, India, that shares the same name.

I also would like to point to the work of Salem-News.com writer Oleg Shirokov, who lives in the historic Russian Federation city of Simferopol, Ukraine, which is the capitol of Crimea and quite interestingly, one of Salem, Oregon's four Sister Cities.

If you have thoughts or questions about this plan to reintroduce a sister city relationship between Salem,Tamilnadu and Salem, Oregon, then please write to Bala whose contact information is listed above, along with a mobile phone number.

If there are questions specifically pertaining to the Oregon side of this, please write to me: tim@salem-news.com.