“A group from the Switzer Highland neighborhood, a section of about 150 homes, started working on the unique relationship (between their neighbourhood and the Nizami district of Baku) about three years ago and has obtained the assistance of the Citizens Diplomacy Council.

To explain the Sister Neighborhood relationship, the Switzer Highland people are having a private reception on Nov. 4 for Consul General Elin Suleymanov of Azerbaijan’s Los Angeles office. It will be at Café 21 in University Heights, owned by Alex and Lela Javadov, who are originally from Baku.

“It’s been an incredible journey, this funky neighborhood learning about international relations,” says Martin Kruming, a Switzer Highland resident who teaches media law and ethics at San Diego State. “There are all kinds of cultural and economic possibilities.”

One of the first efforts of the Sister Neighborhood relationship will be a tree planting — one at McKinley Elementary School and one in Baku.

“As far as we can tell, there is no Sister Neighborhood partnerships like this in the world,” says Kruming.
But the relationship with Baku is probably only the beginning for the enterprising people of Switzer Highland. “We’ll maybe go to New Zealand for the next one,” says Kruming.

Its funky neighbourhoods learning about international relations!