Mayor Sara Presler points to a picture from China. (Photo: Kyle Anderson/NAZT)
FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today) – The story of a small town mayor visiting one of the biggest countries in the world was shared this afternoon at city hall.
Mayor Sara Presler presented hundreds of pictures she took while visiting China on an American Council of Young Leaders trip in August and explained what she gained from the experience.
“If we work together in this global economy, and we better understand each other, we’re all going to benefit,” said Presler.
Establishing connections and mutual appreciation for differences and similarities between political, cultural, social and economical aspects of China and the U.S. was the mayor’s main goal as she met with several of China’s leaders.
“As young leaders across the country, experiencing other cultures, political systems, communities and villages, we increase our mutual understanding of each other,” said the mayor.
But one strong similarity that Presler noticed between Flagstaff and China was in the style of public art. Presler witnessed groups of Chinese citizens dancing to Salsa music and saw the mutual appreciation for the arts, regardless of the censorship the communist government imposes on free speech.
On the topic of free speech, some controversy stemmed from news of her trip during the summer. Some Flagstaff citizens openly questioned the funding of the trip and how much of it was coming out of the city’s pockets.
According to Presler, the trip was entirely funded by the Department of State, and all expenses, including airfare from Flagstaff to Washington D.C., was paid for by the mayor herself. The only city expense was on City of Flagstaff pins Presler gave as gifts to children.
The trip was about sharing cultures and ideas, said Presler. “Just as much as I shared with them, they shared with us.”
Additional Images:
Mayor Presler poses with children in WahYoo Village outside of Xian, China. (Photo: Sara Presler)
Mayor Presler and a physician at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in a rural hospital. (Photo: Sara Presler)
A sign with quirky translation at the Great Wall of China. (Photo: Sara Presler)
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