On Tuesday, the City of Kennesaw and the picturesque Italian town of Montepulciano officially became friends. In a ceremony that was less about pomp and more about partnership, officials from both cities inked a Friendship Agreement. Local bigwigs, including Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling and his Montepulciano counterpart, Mayor Michele Angiolini, were all smiles as they signed the documents that promise future collaboration across the Atlantic.
In a statement obtained by the City of Kennesaw's official website, Mayor Easterling expressed his enthusiasm: “This agreement reflects years of collaboration between our community, the Kennesaw Sister Cities Commission and our partners at Kennesaw State University.” He was optimistic about the exchanges that could strengthen cultural, educational, and economic ties with Montepulciano.
Not just your typical bureaucratic meet-and-greet, the ceremony featured a range of speakers, including Susanna Crociani, the vice president of the Consorzio del Vino Nobile, and Sheb True, a VP at Kennesaw State University who works on the Sister Cities Commission. The partnership has historical roots, with Kennesaw State University maintaining a quarter-century relationship with Montepulciano through study abroad programs and projects like the restoration of the historic Poliziana Fortress.
Initiatives between Kennesaw and Montepulciano have already borne fruit, such as nursing internships at Nottola Hospital and collaboration with local wineries on marketing and entrepreneurship. The Friendship Agreement, which was developed after a series of both virtual and in-person meetings, includes encouraging exchanges among civic groups, schools, universities, and businesses, as well as supporting cultural and educational programs, as per the city's announcement.
The ceremony concluded in high spirits, with representatives from both communities raising glasses of Montepulciano wine, the labels of which were designed by KSU students, to celebrate the new agreement.
