Tsunami Fund Ceremony And Seminar

From left, Joe Passanise, President of the St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee, and John Campisi, Chairman of the St. Louis County Council, are shown giving a $3,200 check to Daulat H.A. Pasaribu, Indonesian Consul General, to help support victims of the tsunami disaster. Witnessing is Alex Soetjipto, Principal/Board chairman of the St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee. The donation was made in ceremonies at World Trade Center Saint Louis on January 27, 2005.


St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee Donates $3,200 to Indonesia Tsunami Relief Effort

JANUARY 27, 2005, St. Louis, Missouri ...

The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee today donated $3,200 to representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia to help support victims of the tsunami disaster that to date has killed more than 85,000 Indonesian people.

The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund raised the money to help Indonesians who lost homes, family and friends after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake erupted 95 miles off Indonesia's Sumatra Island late, triggering a tidal wave that ripped across the Indian Ocean.

John Campisi, chairman of the St. Louis County Council, and Joe Passanise, president of the St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee, gave a $3,200 check to Daulat H.A. Pasaribu, Indonesian consul general, in ceremonies today at World Trade Center Saint Louis.

The tsunami struck Sumatra the hardest of 12 nations affected by the disaster late in December. Millions of Indonesians lack clean water and basic supplies. Authorities anticipate greater human loss with the potential spread of cholera and other diseases.

Passanise said, "We sincerely thank compassionate St. Louis citizens and companies who made financial contributions to this relief effort, and we will continue to raise donations to help Indonesia's disaster victims."

The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee initiated the relief effort with help from the Indonesian Consulate's office; Permias - the Indonesian Student Association of St. Louis; PLN, the Indonesian Electric Power Company; the St. Louis Center for International Relations; and World Trade Center Saint Louis.

Tax-deductible donations to the "St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities/Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund" should be mailed to Southwest Bank, 700 Corporate Park Drive, Clayton, MO 63105 .

St. Louis County and Bogor officially established a Sister Cities relationship last May to promote business, cultural and educational exchange. Bogor is a city of 700,000 near the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta. The non-profit St. Louis Center for International Relations ( http://www.slcir.org/) coordinates 14 sister cities programs in St. Louis City and County, and is affiliated with World Trade Center Saint Louis.

For more information about the "St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities/Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund," please contact Joe Passanise at 314-616-4216 or mailto:jpassanise@yahoo.com.

Indonesian Business Seminar and Market Meetings

Indonesian Business Seminar and Electric Power (PLN) Market Meetings

PLN is the Indonesian state owned electric power company serving 30 million customers throughout the more than 13,000 islands. The scope of activities includes construction, generation, operation and maintenance. Please visit PLN’s website: http://www.pln.co.id/. The PLN Procurements and Investments described below will be discussed in more detail at the Market Meeting following the Business Seminar.

PLN Procurements
Over the next five years, PLN plans to spend about $2 Billion U.S. dollars to operate and maintain power generation equipment (hydro, diesel, steam, gas) including 26,000 kmc transmission lines, 230,600 kmc distribution lines and 301,700 kmc low voltage lines for producing about 22,000 MW of electric power.

PLN Investments
Over the next five years, PLN will require investment to generate about 12,000 MW of additional electric power including 10,000 kmc transmission lines valued at about $28 Billion U.S. dollars.

PLN Market Meetings & Related Business Areas:
(1) Electrical Components/Equipment (2) Energy Management (3)Engineering Services for Power Plant & Transmission (4) Finance & Investment (5) Information Technology & Communication (6) Shipping/Transportation

When:
Thursday, January 27, 2005 Time: 8-11:00am
Where:
World Trade Center-Saint Louis, 121 South Meramec, Clayton, MO 63105
Agenda:
8:00 - 8:30 am: Registration and Networking with Continental Breakfast
8:30 - 8:40 am: WelcomeHonorable Charlie Dooley, St.Louis County Executive
Honorable Daulat Passaribu, Indonesian Consul General
8:40 - 9:35 am: Indonesian Business EnvironmentMr. Randy LaBounty, U.S. Commerce Department Mr. Wayne Forest, Director, Indonesian-American Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Eddie Widiono, President Director, PLN
9:35 - 9:45 am: Intermission and Transition to Market Meetings
9:45 - 11:00 am: Electric Power Market Meetings:
(1) Electrical Components/Equipment (2) Energy Management (3)Engineering Services for Power Plant & Transmission (4) Finance & Investment (5) Information Technology & Communication (6) Shipping/Transportation

For Further Information on Market Meetings - Contact:
Mr. Supriadi (Yadi) Legino, U.S. Coordinator, PLN 314-498-0904
Registration:Please contact the World Trade Center Saint Louis at 314.615.8141. Registration $15/person

Partners:
City of St. Louis
Indonesian Consulate General
St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Comm.
St. Louis County
World Trade Center Saint Louis
IndoSuccess, LLC
RCGA
St. Louis Center for Int. Relations
Global Exchange Enterprise, LLC

Press Release for Indonesian Business Seminar and Market Meeting

For Immediate Release

NEW CONNECTION BETWEEN ST. LOUIS AND INDONESIA GENERATES FIRST ST. LOUIS BUSINESS SEMINAR TO FOCUS ON THE $30 BILLION NEEDS OF THE INDONESIAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY (PLN) HOSTED BY WORLD TRADE CENTER – SAINT LOUIS

CEO of the PLN Electric Power Company as well as U.S. Commerce Dept. Executive and American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce President will be featured to speak.

January __ 2005, St. Louis, Missouri …

PLN is the Indonesian state owned electric power company serving 13 million customers on more than 13,000 islands. The scope of activities includes construction, generation, operation and maintenance. Over the next five years, PLN plans to spend about $2 Billion U.S. dollars to operate and maintain power generation equipment (hydro, diesel, steam, gas) for producing about 22,000 MW of electric power. Also, over the next five years, PLN will require investment to generate about 12,000 MW of additional electric power including 10,000 kmc transmission lines valued at about $28 Billion U.S. dollars. For more information, please visit PLN’s website: www.pln.co.id.

The first St. Louis Business Seminar and Indonesian Electric Power Market Meeting will be at the World Trade Center Saint Louis, 121 South Meramec Avenue on Thursday, January 27th between 8:00 and 11:00am. This business event was the result of a cooperative effort between Rob Heuermann, Director, World Trade Center-Saint Louis and Principals, Joe Passanise and Alex Soetjipto, of the newly established St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee and IndoSuccess.

The Seminar will feature Mr. Wayne Forest, President, American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce PLN, Mr. Randall LaBounty, Director, U.S. Export Assistance Center in St. Louis, and. Mr. Eddie Widiono, President Director, PLN. St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley and Indonesian Consul General Daulat Passaribu will make opening comments.

"Executives expected to attend will be from companies that focus on (1) Electrical Components/Equipment (2) Energy Management (3)Engineering Services for Power Plant & Transmission (4) Finance & Investment (5) Information Technology & Communication (6) Shipping/Transportation" said, Mr. Supriadi (Yadi) Legino, PLN spokesman. Following the Seminar, there will be breakout market meetings on these various electric power needs. For more information, please contact Yadi at 314-498-0904, yadi71@hotmail.com.

Co-sponsors of the Indonesia Business Seminar and Electric Power Breakout Market Meeting include the Indonesian Consulate General’s Office, World Trade Center Saint Louis, the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, IndoSuccess, St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee, Global Exchange Enterprise, and PLN Power Company.

The $15 admission fee for members of the World Trade Center – Saint Louis covers the Indonesian Seminar and Electric Power Market Meeting along with a continental breakfast. To register, please contact World Trade Center Saint Louis at 314.615.8141 or visit the website www.worldtradecenter-stl.com.

* * *

Thank you St. Louis Center for International Relations

St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee Creates Indonesia Relief Fund Indonesian Island of Sumatra Hard Hit by Tsunami Disaster

On behalf of so many people who are positively impacted by this effort, we thank St. Louis Center for International Relations. Special thank to Mr. Robert Heuermann, Jr., Executive Director of the World Trade Center Saint Louis and St. Louis Center for International Relations, Mr. Jeff Dunlap, President of Powerline Public Relations, LLC and Mr. Joseph Passanise for organizing this effort.

Alex Soetjipto
Principal
" St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Organization "

Thank you St. Louis Metro Baptist Association

Tsunami Response: An Effort by the Churches of the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association

On behalf of the people who are positively impacted by this effort, we thank St. Louis Metro Baptist Association. Special thanks to Pastor Timothy Cowin and Mr. Bill Lail from Rock Hill Baptist Church for supporting and organizing this effort. May God bless you all.

Alex Soetjipto
Principal
" St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Organization "

Thank You Saint Louis.

The last several days have been sad days for me and millions other people from the 12 countries in Asia that were affected by the earthquake and tsunami disaster. This killer tsunami killed our people, destroyed our houses, our schools, our hospitals, our churches, our mosques, and a lot more. So far, according to the 'Jakarta Post', the earthquake and tsunami killed up 100,000 people on Sumatra island alone.

In the CNN Special News Report last Saturday night, I watched thousands and thousands of my people's dead bodies being burned and bulldozed into mass graveyards. In the meantime, thousands of others are suffering. They are at risk of disease from contaminated water. Heavy rains in Indonesia's Aceh province have increased the risk of an outbreak of diseases like cholera and dysentery. More help is needed. Through this TV special news report I heard one of my people screamed for help in my language. He said, as translated by the CNN reporter: " We need help! Where is America?"

The Americans heard these screams for help. And together with several other nations in the globe, America responded in a great way. The US Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell said the following during a remark in the United Nations Headquarters in New York:

"On the part of the United States, we indicated in the first day of the crisis an initial infusion of $4 million, which became $15 million on the second day, and then $35 million on the third day as we made our assessment of what the needs were going to be over time. And as we indicated throughout the week, the United States was prepared to do more once we had a better understanding of what the requirements would be. And as a result of assessments that have been made over the last couple of days by representatives of the United States Agency for International Development and recommendations that were given to me early this morning by Administrator Natsios of USAID and then a phone conversation I subsequently had with President Bush this morning, President Bush has decided and we announced from the Crawford White House a little while ago that the United States contribution would now go up to $350 million. That includes the $35 million earlier allocated. So this tenfold increase is indicative of American generosity, but it also is indicative of the need. The need is great, and not just for immediate relief but for long-term reconstruction, rehabilitation, family support, and economic support that's going to be needed for these countries to get back up on their feet. "

In the meantime, in Saint Louis, thousands of people have been showing their supports in the form of prayers and donations. From the eight-year old child, who donated his entire week's allowance to aid the cause, to companies and organizations, who pledge their resources to help. As the principal of St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Organization, through my telephone and e-mail, I have received an unbelievable outpouring of loves, sympathies and prayers from friends in Saint Louis and other cities in the US. For all of those, Thank you Saint Louis. And also, Thank you America.

Saint Louis has a sister city relationship with a city in Indonesia, namely Bogor City. As the only organization in Saint Louis that is recognized by the government of Indonesia and the US (locally), which connect the people of Indonesia and the people of this great region, "St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Organization" desires to continue working hard connecting the people from the two communities. As of today, the works to assist the victims and survivors of the tsunami tragedy are still in progress. The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Organization in coordination with Indonesian Consulate General and Indonesian Embassy in the US will continue these works in progress. The prayers and the contibutions are still needed. To help with your contributions, please send them to:

St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities / Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund
Southwest Bank
700 Corporate Park Drive
Clayton, MO 63105

Thank you again Saint Louis.

Sincerely,
Alex Soetjipto
Principal
" St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Organization "

(Please also read the following press release)

Press Release Regarding Tsunami Disaster

For Immediate Release:

St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee Creates Indonesia Relief Fund

Indonesian Island of Sumatra Hard Hit by Tsunami Disaster

January 2, 2005, St. Louis, Missouri ... The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee has organized a relief effort for Indonesian victims of the tsunami disaster that to date has killed more than 85,000 people in Indonesia. Much of Indonesia’s island of Sumatra was devastated after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake erupted about 95 miles off the coastline, triggering a tidal wave that ripped across the Indian Ocean to Africa. The tsunami struck Sumatra the hardest of 12 nations affected by the disaster. Millions of Indonesians lack clean water and basic supplies. Authorities anticipate greater human loss with the potential spread of cholera and other diseases.

Joe Passanise, President, St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee, said, "We appeal to compassionate St. Louis citizens and companies to make a tax-deductible financial contribution of any size to this relief effort." Tax-deductible donations to the "St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities/Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund" should be mailed to Southwest Bank, 700 Corporate Park Drive, Clayton, MO 63105.

The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee initiated the relief effort with help from several organizations, including the Indonesian Consulate’s office; Permias – the Indonesian Student Association of St. Louis; PLN, the Indonesian Electric Power Company; the St. Louis Center for International Relations; and World Trade Center-Saint Louis.

St. Louis County and Bogor officially established a Sister Cities relationship last May to promote business, cultural and educational exchange. Bogor is a city of 700,000 near the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta. The non-profit St. Louis Center for International Relations (www.slcir.org) coordinates 14 sister cities programs in St. Louis City and County.

For more information about the "St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities/Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund," contact Joe Passanise at 314-616-4216 or jpassanise@yahoo.com.