Cyber Sister Cities: Citrix Systems and Sister Cities International partnered in 2006 to pilot the first Cyber Sister City relationship between Agogo, Ghana and Fort Lauderdale, FL. Citrix provided the technological guidance and support to promote utilization of technology and exchange of business knowledge between Agoga and Ft. Lauderdale. Citrix primary involvement was in opening the Agogo Information and Communications Technology, offering Agoga residents access to computers, internet, and e-learning courses. In addition to the center, the Cyber City partnership has developed economic partnerships between Agoga and Ft. Lauderdale, including aquaculture and hydroponics projects. Expanding partnerships In addition to funding programs for partnerships already in place, Sister Cities dedicates resources to encouraging partnerships in non-traditional areas in the Middle East and Africa. Global Twinning Summit: Last year, Sister Cities held the first “Global Twinning Summit” in Cairo, to promote sister city relationships between Africa cities. African Regional Partners: African Regional Partners is made up of two associations: The Eastern Africa Sister Cities and the Africa Global Sister Cities foundation. Both work to build partnerships between U.S. and African cities. Muslim World Partnership Initiative: Since 2001, Sister Cities International has maintained a focus on increasing the number of partnerships with cities in predominately Muslim countries. Annual conferences Each summer, Sister Cities International holds a themed annual conference in a Sister City in America. SCI will be celebrating its 63rd anniversary in 2019 and will have a conference themed "Cities Mean Business" on July 17–19 in Houston, Texas. History Early years Despite isolated community partnerships and informal citizen relations, the people-to-people initiative did not gain momentum until U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's historic September 11–12, 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy. The post-World War II climate proved an ideal environment to launch this kind of effort. With enthusiastic response to the concept, tens of thousands of Americans pledged their support to create a free and peaceful world. Growing out of the two-day White House Conference, participants formed forty-two "People-to-People" committees. The autonomous nature of the federally backed movement meant that some committees flourished while others never left the ground. By 1960, thirty-three committees continued the original mission. People-to-People International also grew out of this umbrella group of committees. The sister city idea developed from the Civic Committee. Envisioned by President Eisenhower as the 'main cog' for citizen diplomacy, the sister city program grew throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The Civic Committee