Bruce Green's Ghazni Trip

1. Phase 2 of Slideshow by
US State Dept. Bruce Green
Program which Chairman,
Utilized the Ghazni-Hayward
Sister City Sister City
Committee
June 5 - 11, 2011
Most of the delegation from Ghazni, Afghanistan, in front of the Hayward City Hall with
City Councilman Bill Quirk (front, second from right) and Humira Ghilzai, (front far left)
co-founder of the Ghazni-Hayward Sister City Committee.

2. Slideshow Contents:
INTRODUCTION: Examples of Good Governance:
Ÿ Cal State East Bay
This was the highest Ÿ Local City Administration
level delegation from Ÿ Union Sanitary District
Afghanistan ever to Ÿ Ardenwood Historic Park
come to this area of + Media Adventures &
California where so Future Sister City Initiatives
many of their
Dr. Mo Qayoumi, president of Cal
fellow Afghans now
State University East Bay leads a tour
of the campus with Governor Musa reside. To prepare for
Khan of Ghazni Provence. their visit I worked
hard with other
Mayor Michael Sweeney of Hayward members of the
meets Mayor Basir of Ghazni City. committee to set up
the schedule and
meet the criteria of
the State
Department which
was to expose
them to models of
good governance. The Mayor and Governor of Ghazni observe a
peaceful demonstration on the steps of San
Francisco City Hall–an unplanned example of
good governance?

3. I noted the sense of awe
from the Ghazni delegates
during their tour of Cal
State University East Bay
(CSUEB) as they realized
the size & sophistication
of the campus that Dr.
Qayoumi has been leading
for the last 5 years. Visiting the CSUEB History Dept. Exhibit on
#1 Afghanistan. (Left to Right: Dr. Mo Qayoumi,
m ple Minister Pushtun said he Minister Pushtun (Special Advisor to the
a has a new respect for Dr.
Ex Qayoumi as a new breed
President of Afghanistan), Governor Musa
Khan, Stetson Sanders, State Dept. Officer
of Afghan hero. assigned to Ghazni Provencal Reconstruction
Team (PRT), and Omar Sultan, Deputy
Now that Dr. Qayoumi is
Director of Ministry of Culture in Afghanistan.
taking the helm of an even
larger institution, San
SJSU already has an
Jose State University exchange program with the
(SJSU) he will have even University of Herat in Afghanistan.
more influence as an If you are willing to help form a
f
Stuf
Afghan-American. Sister City partnership between
San Jose and Herat, please
ge
Ed
contact me. g
ttin
Cu

4. Good Governance? # 2
Example
Yes! City Administration
We found
examples of good governance
in San Francisco and Hayward!
Besides the tour of San Francisco
City Hall & photo ops with Mayor Lee
(top and bottom), the workshop with
controller Harvey Rose was tops!ð
Above, the delegation is
honored at the Hayward
City Council meeting.
At left, they are in a
workshop with Hayward
Mayor Michael Sweeney
and Councilman Salinas.

5. Good Governance: Union Sanitary District
Example # 3
Districts are unique regional governing bodies
with an elected board that handle specific tasks
like sewage treatment. The entire board of USD
welcomed the Ghazni delegation and shared a
relevant slide presentation with a tour of the
facility. A good report is on their website
http://www.unionsanitary.com/whatsNew.htm
(where I got these photos). Special Thanks to
Andy Morrison (in hardhat), my friend and former
neighbor and one of the USD managers .

6. Example # 4 The tour of the Patterson Mansion
was a highlight for the delegates
because the preserved Victorian
culture reminded them of home.
“That’s still how we do it back in
Afghanistan!” they exclaimed.
Blacksmithing, spinning wheels,
cooking with word-burning stoves,
ironing clothes with an iron heated The Guest Room
on the stove, etc.
This visit was relevant
because Ghazni is being
honored in 2013 as a
Center of Islamic
Civilization and they The fanciest room
was to honor guests, which
want to showcase their
resonated with the Afghan
rich history. culture of hospitality.

7. The Ghazni journalists were included in the delegation for more than just
covering the story back in Afghanistan. They were also to be exposed to their
professional counterparts and inspired to better practices and higher
aspirations in their profession. So I tried to find a way to enable the
journalists to have some special activities away Meeting with Channel 7 managing news editor
from the shadow of the dignitaries. This
happened primarily through a tour I arranged at A film crew was going to join us for the ferry trip
Channel 7 News studio in San Francisco. to SF, but this story was preempted by the
breaking news of Congressman Weiner’s
(L to R) Director Sarwary, Ghazni Department of sextext scandal.
Information; Mirwais Arya, producer for TOLO
News TV, Aref Yaqobi, reporter for the BBC
Radio Dari Service; Hussain Murtazawi, deputy
director for Hasht Sob Magazine
The first time these
land-locked Afghans
had been on the ocean.

8. Future aSister City Action
On October 29, I will share PowerPoint presentation about the Ghazni-Hayward exchange
Sister Cities were launched in
the early 50’s with the active
adventure at the NorCal Sister Cities Conference in Orinda, CA, and will join the NorCal board. support of President Dwight D.
Eisenhower, a victorious general
Here are some opportunities: of WW2. The first sister cities
u September 11, 2011:9-11 Curse into Blessing;
Turning the
Tenth Anniversary Memorial were established to help rebuild
war-ravaged cities in Japan and
Germany.
Where do we go from here?
At this interfaith event we will introduce initiatives to start two new
sister city relationships. See flyer for details: 9-11 Memorial flyer
v Celebrate Ghazni Afghanistan Yesterday and Today
November 3, 2011: The Hayward Ghazni Sister City presents:
Featuring Arif Yakobi and his amazing photography gallery and
more. Check out the HGSCC facebook page for updates.
Ribbon cutting ceremony in Afghanistan Why try to start new Sister City
with Ambassador Karl Eikenberry (R) initiatives in Fremont and San Jose?
and Governor Musa Khan opening the Fremont is the natural location for a Sister City
photography exhibit of Arif Yakobi (L), relationship with Kabul, the capitol of Afghanistan. To
one of the journalists & photographers
that participated in the Ghazni Afghans, Fremont is famous as “Little Kabul” because
Delegation visit to California in June. of the large number of Afghans who live there.
The Ghazni-Hayward Sister City San Jose is a good candidate for a new Sister City
Committee plans to have him back in relationship with Herat, Afghanistan. San Jose State
November for a special exhibit of his University (SJSU) has an exchange program with their
photography at their November 3rd School of Journalism and Herat University. And the new
event. Mark your calendar! president of SJSU is Dr. Mo Qayoumi.
www.sister-cities.org -President Dwight D. Eisenhower

9. Rev. Bruce Green
Executive Facilitator
Board Member, Afghan Coalition
Chairman, Ghazni-Hayward Sister City Committee
Cell: (510) 828-4561 Email: greenbbf@aol.com
For tax exempt donations to support Bridge Building
make check out to "FCM Foundation"
c/o Centerville Presbyterian Church
4360 Central Ave. Fremont, CA 94536
Special thanks to
and the US Embassy in Kabul
for the generous grant that
(510) 745-1680 AfghanCoal@aol.com made this exchange possible.