Hays Sister Cities Marks Golden Anniversary of Paraguay Partnership
Local organization celebrates 50-year relationship with Santa María de Fe through special events and cultural displays.
HAYS, Kan. — Hays Sister Cities is celebrating 50 years of partnership with Santa María de Fe, Paraguay, kicking off year-long festivities with a special South American menu and multimedia display at Las Hefas Latin Cuisine on April 16. The commemoration highlights one of Kansas' longest-running international partnerships, which began in 1976 through the efforts of Hays resident Marianna Beach and her belief in the "people to people" philosophy of Sister Cities International.
The celebration features a striking photographic display created by artist Cody Custer, who traveled to Paraguay to capture images of the town and its people. The exhibit showcases Paraguayan artwork, history, and includes postcards for Hays residents to send messages to their sister city. The partnership has fostered significant cultural exchange over five decades, including Hays' contribution of $20,000 toward building the Museum of Jesuit Arts in Santa María de Fe, which preserves remarkable wood-carved sculptures created by Indigenous Guaraní artists. Hays currently maintains sister city relationships with Santa María de Fe and Xingzheng, China, plus a friendship city partnership with Bamenda, Cameroon, established in 2023.
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