Denver Sister Cities International brought together committee leaders, volunteers, and members on Saturday, April 25 for a Communications Workshop designed to strengthen storytelling, improve shared tools, and build greater visibility across the organization’s international partnerships.
Thanks to our members and supporters at Geotech Environmental Equipment, a Denver-Based business manufacturing performance driven environmental equipment and supplies the workshop marked an important step in DSCI’s continuing effort to support committee leadership while strengthening the systems that connect Denver’s sister city relationships across cultures, programs, and public engagement.
Participants from multiple committees and several new DSCI supporters spent the day examining how committees communicate today, how stories help communities understand the value of international relationships, and how shared tools can make committee work more visible to members and the broader public.
A central theme emerged early in the session: committees often focus first on announcing events, but public engagement grows most when people understand the human meaning behind exchanges, visits, cultural programs, and long-standing relationships.
Using examples from Brest, Takayama, Potenza, Ulaanbaatar, and other DSCI relationships, participants explored several communication approaches, including reporting, invitation storytelling, testimonial formats, place-based storytelling, and narrative structures such as the Hero’s Journey and micro-storytelling.
The workshop also introduced the communication infrastructure now available across DSCI, including Ghost for website publishing and newsletters, Zeffy for public event registration and donations, and Stripe for membership and transaction management. Participants reviewed how events move from committee idea to public visibility through a shared submission and publishing process.
In the afternoon session, discussion shifted to organizational structure and growth. Participants reviewed how DSCI currently functions as a volunteer-led organization operating under shared nonprofit oversight, including insurance, financial accountability, and 501(c)(3) responsibilities that support committee activities across the network.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of strengthening committee membership. Participants noted that strong committees depend on both long-standing experience and new voices, and that broader participation can lead to stronger attendance, more ideas, more visible programs, and greater fundraising potential.
Several practical follow-up items emerged from the day, including website improvements, updated event submission links, the creation of DSCI email addresses for committee leaders who wish to communicate through a shared organizational identity, and the need for more regular written content generated directly by committees.
Participants also expressed interest in gathering again soon to discuss future funding strategies, including grants and outreach to organizations that may support committee and city relationship initiatives.
The workshop reflected a shared commitment not only to communication, but to strengthening how Denver’s international relationships are understood, supported, and sustained.