Accomplishments

2020 Best Overall Program 
For the second time in its history, the Hot Springs Sister City Program has been  appears to be an empty link with target https://www.hotsprings.org/media-room/press-releases/hot-springs-sister-city-program-wins-national-awar/#:~:text=HOT%20SPRINGS%20NATIONAL%20PARK%2C%20Arkansas,size%20by%20Sister%20Cities%20International named the best of its size in the country. The program, which is between Hot Springs and Hanamaki, Japan, won the Sister Cities International 2020 Award for Best Overall Program in America in a city with a  appears to be an empty link with target https://sistercities.org/what-we-do/programs/annualawards/  appears to be an empty link with target https://sistercities.org/what-we-do/programs/annualawards/ population between 25,001 and 50,000. The conference was held on July 8 and 9. The award recognizes sister city programs that demonstrate outstanding accomplishments in advancing the goals and mission of the sister cities movement.

Zunick named honorary consul

In 2018, the government of Japan announced that Mary Zunick, cultural affairs manager of Visit Hot Springs, has been appointed the honorary consul of Japan in Hot Springs. 

2013 Youth Leadership Award Winner, Caroline Cole
 Lakeside High School student, Caroline Cole, received the 2013 Youth Leadership award at the 2013 Sister Cities International Annual Conference held in San Antonio, Texas in July. Caroline received the award based on her willingness to go above and beyond what is normally expected of a student to promote and participate in the sister city experience. Caroline was a member of the 2012 Hanamaki student delegation that traveled to Hanamaki, Japan and in November of 2013 and was invited to become a youth board member of the Hot Springs National Park Sister City Foundation. 

2012 Best Overall Program

Hot Springs Sister City Program has won Sister Cities International's 2012 Best Overall Program Award for a city with a population between 25,001 and 50,000. The award recognizes sister city programs that demonstrate outstanding accomplishments in advancing the goals and mission of the sister cities movement.

2012 Leading Asia Exchange Funding

Hot Springs was one of seven United States cities selected by Sister Cities International to receive the Leading Asia: Renewing the U.S. and Japan Sister Cities Network exchange funding. The funding enabled a 10-day visit by the Hot Springs delegation to their Japanese sister city, Hanamaki, Japan.

Compassionate Exchange
Hot Springs’ program is mulch-faceted and includes citizen exchanges, cultural exchanges, and educational exchanges with sister city Hanamaki, Japan. In 2011, in the wake of the devastating tsunami in Japan, Hot Springs also included the “Compassionate Exchange.” Hot Springs assisted Hanamaki in caring for more than

1,000 evacuees from the coastal area streamed into the city. The program raised $25,000 through fundraising efforts. Their efforts were widely recognized by local and international media as well as the U.S. Department of State.