About Tempe Sister City

Tempe Sister City Corporation, (TSC) founded in 1971, is a non-profit organization that provides student and educator exchange programs for residents of Tempe, Ariz.

More than 2,000 volunteers produce the three-day, outdoor event that attracts more than 150,000 attendees. All proceeds go directly to Tempe Sister City programs. This year TSC:

• Is sending 33 high school students to eight Tempe sister cities
• Is hosting foreign students from other sister cities in Tempe
• Is sending seven teachers to three of Tempe’s sister cities
• Is providing international education for more than 1,000 sixth graders
• Is providing multi-cultural programs and free field trips for children
• Has produced professional exchanges and humanitarian aid efforts including disaster relief to Haiti and Iraq.

Participation in Tempe Oktoberfest visibly reinforces your commitment to the community with a reputable 501(c)(3) organization. Tempe Oktoberfest is the monetary lifeline that provides vital programs for Tempe residents, students and educators. The event provides free admission, free entertainment and free access to vendors and sponsors. TSC has been honored five times as “the best overall program within its population demographic of 100,000 to 300,000” by Sister Cities International, the parent organization of Tempe Sister City. It has won more than 20 awards in other categories including best single project, Oktoberfest in 1976, overcoming geographical distance and developing local awareness within the community.

TSC maintains its roll as a leading sister city in the national arena. The organization attributes its success to strong leadership and strong community involvement. It continues to grow – and currently sisters with nine other cities:

• Skopje, Macedonia (1971), Regensburg, Germany (1976), Lower Hutt, New
• Zealand (1981), Zhenjiang, China (1990), Timbuktu, Mali (1990), Beaulieu sur
• Mer, France (1997), Carlow, Ireland (1998), Cuenca, Ecuador (2009) and
• Trollhätten, Sweden (pending).

Oktoberfest, the nationally recognized fundraiser, saw its greatest revenue in the organization’s history in 2009. This has given TSC the ability to expand and solidify a relationship with its eighth sister city, Cuenca, Ecuador. This year TSC increased the number of student ambassadors from 28 travelers to 33. This is a significant increase within a small timeframe.

“We work hard in life and we want to see reward,” says president and founder of Tempe Sister City, Richard Neuheisel. “To me, seeing our delegates is the reward. It’s touching. The international travel made available to both students and educators is a life-changing experience.”

In 2011, Tempe Sister City will celebrate 40 years of service to the community. The organization plans to grow and expand its programs, and is thankful to the thousands that help make these programs possible.