A class of Clark Elementary fifth-graders recently played the role of foreign diplomat when they crafted journals from scratch for students in Chefchaouen, Morocco, one of Issaquah’s Sister Cities.

The hand-made journals were created from cedar planks, recycled paper and copper strips to represent the Pacific Northwest. Each copper strip had an image pressed into the front, such as an owl, bear or salmon, and each journal was inscribed with a personalized message of friendship. A parent volunteer bound the pages with a leather cord.

The journals were part of a project to learn more about Moroccan culture, said teacher Julia Landa.

“It’s really important to realize that the world is bigger than who you are, and where you come from,” she said. “It’s so important to start learning about other cultures, regions and governments at a young age, and the kids just love it.”

The students are also learning about the small country’s culture through lessons, photos of a trip Landa took there with her husband, and visits from a Liberty High School student who founded the American Moroccan International Exchange.

The journals and some art supplies will be hand-delivered to students in Chefchaouen by Issaquah residents Dan and Portia Anderson, who will be traveling to Morocco in mid-April.

Issaquah and Chefchaouen have been Sister Cities since 2007, though the agreement is about to expire; in addition to the journals, the Andersons will be delivering a new Sister Cities agreement to the municipality.

“It’s great to see this agreement really working on a routine basis, and the outreach that comes from both sides,” Dan Anderson said. “And to see students getting involved with it at such a young age is just wonderful.”

The class traveled to the Blue Door — an arched doorway at City Hall given to Issaquah by Chefchaouen officials — Tuesday, March 24 where they were met by Mayor Ava Frisinger, City Councilman Fred Butler, and the Andersons, to ceremoniously present the journals to the Moroccan students.

The idea for the project developed through City Clerk Tina Eggers, whose daughter is in Landa’s class. Eggers knew the Andersons were traveling to Morocco and that the students were studying the country, and the idea just came together.

“And what’s great about this is it isn’t just an art project,” she said. “They’ve really created something personal that they put their hearts and souls into, and it’s been really neat to see this whole exchange come together.”