SCI Board Chair Carlo Capua, CEO Dr. Ricki Garrett, HS Sister City Executive Director Mary Zunick, Chair of HS National Park Sister City Foundation Board of Directors, Corey Alderdice. Photo Courtesy Visit HS
Hot Springs’ Sister City Program, in which the city is paired with Hanamaki, Japan, has received the award for best overall program in the United States for cities its size.
The 2025 Sister Cities International Best Overall Program Award for cities with a population of 25,001 to 100,000 was presented to Mary Zunick, executive director of the Hot Springs program, and Corey Alderdice, chair of the Hot Springs National Park Sister City Foundation Board of Directors, Tuesday in Fort Worth, Texas. The occasion was the Sister Cities International summer leadership meeting and annual business meeting.
“We are honored to accept this 2025 Best Overall Award on behalf of all the people who work so hard all year round to make the Hot Springs Sister Cities Program and our partners in Hanamaki, Japan, such a wonderful experience,” Zunick said Wednesday. “We expect the Hot Springs-Hanamaki relationship to continue to grow and foster greater understanding between our two cities.”
Zunick, who is also the cultural affairs manager for Visit Hot Springs and manages the city’s Sister City program, said, “Over the course of three decades, Hot Springs’ program has established an intimate relationship with Hanamaki that has seen our cultural exchanges grow and attract even more participation.”
“Mary and the Hot Springs Sister City program are a great asset for our city,” Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison said. “The program continues to be a major promoter of tourism, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival, which brings more and more visitors to town every year.”
For more information, contact Mary Zunick, 501-321-2027.
