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7.A. - Page 2 Aguililla, Mexico Aguililla is located in the State of Michoacan, Mexico, a Pacific Coast state. The current estimated population in Aguililla is 15,241. The history of Redwood City and Aguililla goes back to the late 1940's when the first recorded immigrants from Aguililla arrived in Redwood City. In November 2013, the City of Redwood City entered into a Friendship City relationship with Aguililla, Michoacan, Mexico, with the intent of becoming a Sister City. The Sister City request was initially brought forward informally by the Asociacion Civil Amigos de Aguililla (Aguililla's Sister City Organization in Mexico), and local community members Arnoldo Arreola, Israel Contreras and Zaira Contreras from Amigos de Aguililla in Redwood City (Aguililla's community sponsoring organization in Redwood City). The City received a formal Sister City request (Attachment 2) from Aguililla, Michoacan, Mexico in January 2017. Since 2013, representatives of Asociacion Civil Amigos de Aguililla, Amigos de Aguililla in Redwood City, and Comite Ciudades Hermanas (Aguililla's local Sister City Committee in Mexico) have discussed the goal of Aguililla becoming a Sister City with the City of Redwood City. Amigos de Aguililla in Redwood City has drafted a work plan (Attachment 3) for the establishment of a Sister City relationship to share the values, customs, music, traditions and gastronomy of Aguililla with the Redwood City community, and promote the exchange of cultural, educational, economic and social information. A number of Redwood City residents have immigrated from or are descendants of immigrants of Aguililla, Michoacan, Mexico. Amigos de Aguililla in Redwood City has worked closely with the City to develop and encourage partnerships since entering into the Friendship City relationship in 2013. They have hosted annual cultural celebrations including the Danzas to Virgen Fatima, Posadas and Judas, and have participated in City events including the celebrations of the City's 150th Anniversary and the City's Mexican Independence cultural event, Fiestas Patrias. ANALYSIS The City of Redwood City has drafted general Sister City Guidelines along with specific guidelines for selection of new Sister City relationships. In advance of this item, Amigos de Aguililla met with City staff and submitted a formal proposal providing a demographic profile, documentation of community support, a preliminary program plan, and a list of resources to support the relationship. The City of Aguililla meets the five selection guidelines in the draft Sister City Guidelines (also on the October 23 City Council agenda).