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The Friendship Force of
Greater Milwaukee Chapter was formed in 1990 by a group of
enthusiasts following the vision of Wayne Smith in creating an
environment where personal friendships can be developed across
international boundaries. Since then our members have been
actively involved in promoting world peace both home and abroad
through varied activities.
In 1998, our club was honored
to be the first Friendship Force Chapter to go to Cuba since the
1962 U.S. economic embargo. This music mission has since
fostered U.S. exchanges by other clubs to enjoy home-stays with
our Cuban friends.
The Friendship Force
International Roadrunner trophy was awarded to FFGM at the
1998 Friendship Force International Conference in Istanbul for
traveling the greatest number of miles.
In 1999 we were selected as
one of the clubs to host members of the Russian Leadership
Program, (sponsored by Russia and the U.S. Library of Congress), comprised of politicians and community leaders chosen
to learn about and experience democracy in action. Since then,
each year, FFGM has continued to host many delegates of what is
now called the Open World Program.
In 2000, FFGM hosted the
first group ever to travel to the US since the 1962 U.S.
economic
embargo. A group of citizens sponsored by
the Cuban Council of Churches from Havana, Cuba enjoyed the
Milwaukee experience, followed by a visit to Atlanta.
In 2004, young Russian students were hosted by FFGM
which was declared the youngest group of ambassadors ever to
participate in an FF exchange.
Throughout the years, our members have volunteered
for non-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or taken part
or led medical
and humanitarian missions to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, (Burma), Peru and the
Philippines.
Below is a list of FFGM inbound and outbound
exchanges through the years.
Top of Page
Year
|
Date
|
Destination
|
1990
|
Jul. 26-Aug 2
|
West
Berlin, Germany, Inbound
|
1991
|
May 11-4
|
Tubercurry, Ireland,
Outbound
|
|
June 27
|
Hannover,
Germany, Inbound
|
1992
|
Feb. 28-Mar. 8
|
Riga, Latvia, ("Friend to Friend")
|
|
Apr. 11-25
|
Kaohsiung, Taiwan,
Outbound
|
|
Jun. 14-21
|
East Kilbride,
Scotland, Inbound
|
|
Dec. 4-11
|
Uzbekistan, Inbound
|
1993
|
Apr. 22-May 8
|
Hamburg Herne, and Germany,
Outbound
|
|
Jul. 8-13
|
FF-Portland, OR, Inbound, (Domestic)
|
|
Sept. 16-21
|
FF-Portland,
OR, Outbound (Domestic)
|
|
Aug. 1-8
|
San Cristobal,
Mexico, Inbound
|
1994
|
Apr. 28-May 16
|
Campinas
& São Paulo Jose dos Campos, Brazil,
Outbound
|
|
Aug. 1-8
|
Braunschweig/Peine,
Inbound
|
1995
|
Apr. 26-May 14
|
Yogyakarta, Indonesia,
Outbound Top of Page
|
|
Jul. 21-Aug. 6
|
Lugansk and Kiev, Ukraine,
Outbound
|
|
Jul. 15-16
|
FF-Northern Illinois, Inbound, (Domestic)
|
|
Sept. 19-24
|
Tweed
Valley, Australia, Inbound
|
|
Oct. 19-26
|
Kiev,
Ukraine, Inbound
Top of Page
|
1996
|
Apr. 13-15
|
FF-So.
Central MN, Outbound, (Domestic)
|
|
Apr. 27-May 4
|
Lugansk,
Ukraine, Inbound
|
|
May 5-19
|
Seoul and Pusan, Korea,
Outbound
|
|
Sept. 15-Oct. 1
|
Tweed Valley
& Mt. Gambier, Australia,
Outbound
|
1997
|
Apr. 23-30
|
Norderstedt,
Germany, Inbound
|
|
Sept. 17-23
|
Tuxtla-Gutierrez,
Mexico, Inbound
|
|
Oct. 13-31
|
Ehime and Oita, Japan,
Outbound (with FF-Olympia)
|
1998
|
Jan. 7-14
|
Havana
Cuba, Outbound, (Music Mission)
|
|
Jul. 29-Aug. 5
|
Olsztyn, Poland,
Outbound
|
|
Aug. 8-10
|
FF-So.
Central, MN, Inbound, (Domestic)
|
|
Sept. 9-16
|
Moscow,
Russia Inbound
|
1999
|
May 11-26
|
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England,
Outbound
|
|
Aug. 5-11
|
South
Seoul, Korea, Inbound
|
|
Sept. 22-29
|
FF-Los
Angeles, Inbound
|
|
Oct. 31-Nov. 19
|
Santiago, Chile,
Outbound Top of Page
|
2000
|
Mar. 7-28
|
Campinas and Ribeirão Preto, Brazil,
Outbound
|
|
May 4-11
|
Havana,
Cuba, Inbound
|
|
Jul. 13-21
|
Russian
Leadership Program Inbound
|
|
Aug. 12-Sept. 3
|
Outbound Hanoi, Vietnam
|
|
|
Dec.
27-Jan.2
|
Los
Angeles,
Outbound, (Domestic
Exchange)
|
2001
|
March
|
Thames-Coromandel/Wairarapa, New Zealand, Outbound
|
|
Aug. 15-23
|
So.
Australia , Inbound
|
2002
|
May 21-25
|
Nanjing, China, Inbound
|
|
|
June 11-18
|
Whangarei, NZ , Inbound
|
|
|
July 8-25
|
Nizhny Novgorad & St. Petersburg, Russia,
Outbound
|
|
|
Aug. 6-27
|
Jena & Kiel, Germany, Outbound
|
|
|
Sept. 19-27
|
Russian Leadership Program, Inbound
|
2003
|
Jul. 7-15
|
|
|
|
Sept. 11-19
|
Open World Program, Inbound
|
|
|
Sept. 25- Oct. 14
|
Libertad, Peru, Outbound
|
2004
|
Mar.
29-Apr. 7
|
Russian Student Exchange, Inbound
|
|
|
May
16-June 4
|
Nanjing, China,
Outbound
|
|
|
Sept.
11-19
|
Open World
Program, Inbound
|
|
|
Oct.
26-Nov. 2
|
Trujillo,
Peru University Students/Staff, Inbound
|
|
|
Nov. 10-27
|
Mispah, South Africa, Outbound
|
2005
|
Feb. 1-15
|
Alajuela,
Costa Rica,
Outbound
|
| |
August 8-15
|
Trujillo, Peru - Inbound
|
|
|
May
27-June 14
|
Adelaide &
the Sunshine Coast, Australia, Outbound
|
| |
September 17-25
|
|
|
October 25-29
|
FF-San Francisco, California - Outbound
|
2006
|
February 2
|
FF-Pharr, Texas - Outbound
|
|
|
June 23-30
|
Tokyo, Japan - Inbound
|
|
|
July 24-30
|
FF-San Francisco - Inbound
|
|
|
September 2-10
|
Open World Program
|
|
|
Sept. 29-Oct. 12
|
Slovenia/Croatia - Outbound
|
|
October 12-15
|
FF International Conference in
Dublin, Ireland
|
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October 15-20
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