Lawrence’s Sister Cities program has won an award for a newspaper column series it did in conjunction with Eutin, Germany.

Sister Cities Lawrence has won the Sister Cities International 2021 Annual Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture for a city with a population between 25,000 and 100,000, according to a news release from the program. The awards competition, which is open to sister city programs worldwide, recognizes the accomplishment of outstanding individuals and community sister city programs that are promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation.

Sister Cities Lawrence initiated a series of newspaper columns in German for publication in the daily newspaper of its sister city in Eutin, Germany, called “Ostholsteiner Anzeiger.” Several articles have been published since its inception and the series of newspaper columns from Lawrence and Eutin will continue to keep them connected. Topics throughout 2020 mostly centered on how COVID-19 affected different aspects of life in Lawrence, such as university lifestyles and the U.S. presidential election.

“Sister Cities Lawrence has adopted a unique way to communicate the events, culture, and lifestyle of their city to Eutin,” Sister Cities International President and CEO Leroy Allala said in the release. “Using media not only to reach those already involved in the relationship, but all citizens of Eutin, is crucial to citizen diplomacy. Education about one another’s culture has never been more important.”

Ken Albrecht, president of the Friends of Eutin organization, said in the news release that the articles were written by several different Sister Cities Lawrence members and he recognized them for their time and effort in portraying Lawrence. Bill Keel, chair of the Sister Cities Lawrence Governing Board, also recognized Achim Krauskopf, editor of “Ostholsteiner Anzeiger.”

Lawrence has three sister cities: Eutin, Germany; Hiratsuka, Japan; and Iniades, Greece.