Minister Barr: Canberra strengthens ties with US capital
- Written by ACT Government
Released 14/10/2015
The ACT Government is looking to establish closer ties with Washington D.C., the capital of the United States of America, as we continue to build Canberra's presence on the global stage.
During my recent visit to Washington, I met with Secretary Ms Lauren Vaughan from the City of Washington D.C. to explore synergies between our two cities. We both agreed that Washington and Canberra are very similar in both our purpose, history and economy.
There are a number of areas where we discussed further collaboration, including tourism and links between our education sectors. Both cities recognise the importance of education, particularly the roles of tertiary education institutions, and we agreed there is more we can do to facilitate mutually beneficial ties within these sectors.
One of the similarities between our cities are the national attractions we both host. I also met with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC to encourage more cultural and educational exchanges between the ACT Government, Canberra's national attractions and the Smithsonian. This collaboration will include the creation of new opportunities to exchange and share exhibitions, offer virtual tours or develop other digital assets. This will create even stronger content and attractions for Canberrans and visitors to our region.
We also discussed a possible MOU between the institution and the ACT Government that would see exchanges of educational staff between the Smithsonian and one of our many national attractions. As our city grows, it is important that we look to build stronger ties internationally to diversify our economy. This will be beneficial for Canberra businesses by opening up links to different markets and will enhance our ability to attract international investment into our own city.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
