Russia exchanges are on pause, but people-to-people diplomacy across other borders continues.
By Dania Hefley
Original Air Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Sister Cities International was started by President Eisenhower during the Cold War, when cross-border, people-to-people diplomacy was a novel idea. Nearly seventy years later, the concept has become as American as apple pie. But today, the organization is facing political headwinds. Just look at where Sarasota’s sister cities are located: Italy, France, Scotland, Israel, Mexico, Russia, and China. Then think about the latest headlines, and you get the idea. Dania Hefley spoke with the recently appointed president of Sister Cities Association of Sarasota.
Dania Hefley: Miles Toder is a retired U.S. diplomat who served 35 years overseas, including in Beijing.
We asked Toder how the organization navigates the choppy waters of U.S. sanctions against Russia and China, tariff wars, takeover talk of Canada, Greenland and Panama, deportation flights, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and all the other turbulences.
Miles Toder
Miles Toder: We’ve noticed that, and we feel the impacts of that. The national and international environment is not particularly conducive, but it wasn’t during the Cold War, either, when Eisenhower first started this program. For us citizens who have the time and the resources to engage in this person-to-person diplomacy, we feel it’s satisfying, and we feel it’s a civic duty.
DH: This work has led to difficult decisions. Toder confirmed the association has had to suspend its relationship with its sister city in Russia, Vladimir, due to safety concerns.
MT: We’ve suspended the relationship, but we haven’t canceled it. From a practical point of view, it’s not easy to travel to Russia, and it’s not safe either for Americans to go there or for Russians to come here. We’ve had to put that on hold.
DH: Toder also mentioned the challenges facing their partnership with Xiamen, the Chinese port city located right across from Taiwan.
MT: I think we face similar challenges with our partnership in China. Travel is still possible, but there are some headwinds that we have to face when American citizens are working with the Chinese and vice versa. We’re mindful of that. We don’t want to create tensions or frictions. We want to be able to smooth them over and, as I said, maintain long-standing relationships that help build understanding, encourage intellectual exchange and build goodwill.
DH: Despite these challenges, the organization remains committed to strengthening its other partnerships. That includes Merida, on the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. That’s one of its longest-standing relationships, and Sister Cities will celebrate it with a Hispanic festival in Sarasota this September 17. A councilmember from Merida will be at hand.
When asked about adding new sister cities, Toder emphasized that the decision is driven by local interest.
MT: The single most important thing about cultivating new sister cities is to make sure that we have a community here in Sarasota that is interested in being a part of that. We’re going to be focusing on potential sister cities that reflect the diversity ethnically, religiously, culturally that we have in Sarasota. Our most successful sister cities have been those with the most active local communities in the city and the county of Sarasota.
DH: Toder says the organization is working on potential new partnerships. He mentions Poland and South Africa, countries he has served in. But he says the process takes time and is a “delicate dance at the beginning,” so he cannot publicly disclose them yet. The selection is based on both a strategic and community-driven approach.
As Toder works to expand the organization, he is also focused on attracting a younger generation to get involved.
MT: Having young people participating in our sister cities is great because we’re making an investment in the future. Again, younger people bring a lot more enthusiasm, and they look at things differently, and they don’t suffer from some of the biases and prejudices that us older folks may have. This is all about bringing young people together.
DH: This is Dania Hefley reporting for WSLR News. For more information, go to sarasotasistercities.org.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.
