“For each of us, it’s the voyage of a lifetime,” Lawrence Mayor Brad Finkeldei said as a delegation from Kansas prepared to travel abroad.
A delegation of citizens from Kansas arrives in Algeria on Monday for a friendship visit that runs through Nov. 15, algeriepatriotique.com reported. The Kansas City Star described the journey as a geste de réciprocité de la part des Algériens, qui avaient été accueillis avec tant d’amitié et d’affection par les habitants de Lawrence durant l’été dernier
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The journey follows a summer where residents of Kansas City and Lawrence hosted the Algerian national football team and thousands of supporters during the 2026 World Cup.
During the tournament, spontaneous scenes of solidarity captured international attention. Local artist Stan Herd painted a massive mural of the Algerian flag, drawing crowds of American and Algerian supporters together.
Fans brandished national colors, sang the national anthem, and chanted “One, Two, Three, Viva l’Algérie.” These gestures forged a human and cultural bridge between the two populations.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune praised the warm welcome in July and extended formal invitations to the cities’ leaders and citizens. The Council of Ministers also advanced plans for a partnership agreement between Tipaza and one of the Kansas cities, ordered during a previous Council of Ministers meeting in recognition of the warm welcome given to Algerian supporters and the importance of bilateral relations.
The visiting delegation’s itinerary features cultural and tourist stops across Tipaza, including examining cooperation prospects between local authorities of the Tipaza wilaya and Lawrence officials. Members will also tour historic landmarks in Algiers, including Riadh El Feth, the Central Army Museum, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Hamma Botanical Garden, Djamâa El-Djazaïr, and the ancient Casbah.
The timing coincides with the national team’s training camp at the Sidi Moussa Center. The American visitors will watch a practice session, experience the atmosphere of the Greens’ training, and meet the players for souvenir photographs.
The trip concludes with a journey to Ghardaïa, where the delegation will explore the ancient ksour and traditional architecture of the M’zab Valley.
