Literary and Photography Project

“Kindness Can Change The World....And It Costs Nothing©"

Photography Project

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Stockton Sister Cities Association and Parma, Italy’s Sister City relationship we are inviting residents of Stockton, and of Provincia di Parma to participate in the “Kindness Can Change The World....And It Costs Nothing” photography project.

Beginning May 1st-July 31st, 2023 the Stockton Sister Cities Association will be accepting original digital photos taken from Stocktonian’s and from residents of our Sister City the Provincia di Parma, Italy that they believe expresses the idea “Kindness Can Change The World....And It Costs Nothing”. 

All submitted photos will be exhibited digitally at a “Kindness Can Change The World....And It Costs Nothing© " photography event during the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Parma, Italy/Stockton, CA. Week in September 2023, with 20 selected photos being printed for display.


Location: Stockton City Hall Lobby

Date: September 19, 2023

Time: 12:00pm-2:00pm

Cost: No Charge

All photos submitted become the property of the Stockton Sister Cities Association.

Submit your photo entry

Stockton Sister Cities Association Parma, Italy Literary/Photography Grant Project

Thank you to a City of Stockton Cares Grant, Stockton Sister Cities Association Parma Projects and Diana Lowery Consulting for 100 award winning books having been donated to a children’s library and a hospital children’s ward within Stockton’s Sister City, Provincia Di Parma. 

We were pleased to have the opportunity to conference with several other children’s authors in Parma, share knowledge and to plan for a literary/photography continuation of the “Kindness Can Change The World….And It Costs Nothing” 2023 events. We thank our many Provincia di Parma friends Sister City friends, especially Dr.Michele Speroni for helping to develop a valuable and productive agenda. In addition, many thanks to co- author and Stockton Sister Cities Association teen member Mae Lowery, along with Stockton Sister Cities Association Vice President, Karen Rosson, for being excellent international ambassadors.

Edits Made For Clarification: D. Lowery


Cesare Groppi

Provincia di Parma, Italy-Fornovo

June 2022,

Stockton California

The first delegation visit started way back in 1998, along with relations and initiatives with Provinci di Parma-Fornovo and the Cultural Association “La Pergamena”. In recent days, the La Pergamena Association hosted a delegation from the Stockton Sister Cities Association in Provincia di Parma-Fornovo as part of a cultural exchange dedicated to a literary/photography exchanges.

Cristina Signifredi, Paola Mazza and Maria Luisa Bono representing La Pergamena welcomed President Diana Lowery, Vice President Karen Rosson and teen member Mae Lowery at Pasticceria Quagliotti for the tasting of the famous Pellegrino cake and then went to the Luigi Merusi Municipal Library where they met with Costanza Fadda representing the Cooperativa Lasse and the Councillors of the Municipality of Provincia di Parma, Italy-Fornovo, Lucia Cardi and Alessandro Savi, for a cultural exchange on the educational values of children's stories and on the methods of education within multi-ethnic communities, such as those of Provincia di Parma-Fornovo and Stockton, California.

Diana Lowery and Mae Lowery were authors of the books donated to the children's school library and children's ward in the Ospedale Maggiore Parma hospital.

Paola Mazza and Maria Luisa Bono, with the Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Fornovo Alessandro Savi, accompanied Stockton’s delegation to the Ospedale Maggiore Parma Hospital in Parma.

In this occasion, numerous copies of books written by Diana Lowery “Here Comes Sally-Save -Water©️” and the book written by both Diana Lowery and Mae Lowery “The Garden of the Alphabet of Kindness©️” were donated through a grant from the City of Stockton Cares Act Community Development Block Grant, the Stockton Sister Cities Association Stockton, Ca./ Parma, Italy Projects and Diana Lowery Consulting. These two books having been recognized with the 2022 Communicator Award Recognition of Distinction in international competition.

On this occasion, La Pergamena renewed the importance of the project "Giamo un Sorriso ai Bambini" by delivering, in turn, numerous copies of the book #IOLEGGOLEFAVOLE written during the lockdown, Re Pomodoro. The delivery of the latter book was also presented by Mrs. Adele Catelli who, with her family, supported La Pergamena. Mrs. Adele Catelli also attended as President of the Association of Doctors' Wives. The books were enthusiastically received by the medical and paramedical staff of Pediatrics, who gave important thanks from all the health personnel starting with the head of the health professions of the Maternal-Chimn department Rita Lombardini. She thanked support of the nursing coordinators of the departments involved, who will take charge of delivering the welcomed gifts of books to the patients. The choral of thanks by the operators of the Ospedale Maggiore Parma Hospital, expressed by Lombardini, aims to enhance "the exchange with charities in the name of a cultural message for children who spend so much time in the hospital".

His thanks were joined by Mara Cauli and Serafina Perrone, coordinator and director of Neonatology, Icilio Dodi, Maria Luisa Zou and Giuseppina Nicosia of General Pediatrics and Urgency, as well as Carlo Caffarelli. The meeting ended with the promise to meet in Stockton, California, but, above all to treasure the ideas and projects that emerged from this cultural exchange.

*A special invitation was extended to those present to be part of the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Parma, Italy / Stockton, California projects in 2023 in Stockton. It will include a photography gallery of "Expressions of Parma" submitted by Parmigiani to showcase their city.