2019 Annual Report - Sister Cities International

2018 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT AND 2019 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY2

Table of Contents

A Message from the Chairman

A Message from the President

Our Impact

What’s Unique About Sister Cities International?

Global Leaders Circle

2018 Activities

Where We Are (Partnership Maps)

Membership with Sister Cities International

Looking for a Sister City Partner?

Membership Resources and Discounts

Youth Leadership Programs

YAAS 2018 Winners & Finalists

2018 Youth Leadership Summit

Sister Cities International’s 2018 Annual Conference

in Aurora, Colorado

Annual Awards Program Winners

Special Education and Virtual Learning in the United

States and Palestine (SEVLUP) Grant

All Mexico-US Sister Cities Mayors’ Summit

Ambassadors Speakers Series

What We Are Doing In 2019

2018-2019 Board of Directors

Honorary Board

State Representatives

Global Awareness Team

National Staff

2019 Membership Directory Naming Policy

2019 Country Partnerships

2019 State Partnerships

2019 City Connection Marketplace

2019 Sister City Partnership Listing By U.S. State

2019 Sister City Partnership Listing By Country-Region

2019 Global Membership

Frequently Asked Questions

Membership Programs and Benefits

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2018 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT AND 2019 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY 1

2018 was a banner year for organizational change within Sister Cities International —both nationally and for the Sister Cities International network. The organizational, programmatic, and long-term sustainability developments that Sister Cities International has been working on will greatly strengthen our ability to pursue

our mission; financially sustain our operations and investments; raise our brand; enliven our membership

base after five years of flat growth; and enable better delivery of benefits and services to our members.

First, Mrs. Karen Pence, our Honorary Board Vice Chairperson, has continued her role as Sister Cities International’s lead advocate throughout her worldwide travels. In April, she was the well-received Guest of Honor as the Speaker for the Omaha Sister Cities Annual Gala Dinner. She asked the 20 attending Japanese exchange students to join her on stage and regale the audience with a hearty rendition of “UE O Muite Arukou,” popularly known in American Pop Culture as the ‘Sukiyaki” Song. Mrs. Pence clearly understands firsthand the value of citizen diplomacy from a people-to-people and community-to-community perspective.

Second, Roger-Mark De Souza formally joined as our President /CEO in January and immediately commenced an impressive National Network field oriented familiarization process that was, in scope, breathtaking and well received. His leadership with Mary Palko and Kathleen Roche-Tansey presented a 62nd Annual Conference program rich in content and enthusiasm which had an electrifying and energizing effect on our citizen diplomacy field. Additionally, he and Helene Schneider have guided a comprehensive Human Resource Staff reorganization.

Third, we made steady achievements in the SCI five-year Strategic Plan Goals. We have continued to:

“Improve our Long Term Sustainability” with two significant organizational and governance innovations: outsourcing the staff finance function as non core competence to a professional financial management company and formally establishing the Sister Cities International Foundation for unified investment portfolio management and growth.

“Raise Our Visibility” with dramatic developments within our Global Awareness Team under the leadership of our Global Envoys, Mary Palko and Nancy Huppert. We have continued our bi-national summit series with a very successful first ever All Mexico – US Sister Cities Mayors Summit Program in Guadalajara, Mexico, co-chaired by Peter Svarzbein. Additionally, Lorna Johnson for Africa, Shin Koyamada for Japan , Bill Boreum for Russia had standout contributions as Country Representatives this year. Finally, Suhail Arastu has assumed a new role as an Arts and Culture Representative.

“Grow the Membership” under Lee Guio’s and Jane Cahaly’s leadership by engaging our members more directly through the State Representative Field Team Framework and improving our benefits and services. Two examples of which are the Stevens Program Grant and the reestablished SCI Tour Services with our maiden “Trans Atlantic Cruise.”

A message from the Chairman

a.

b.

c.


Sincerely,

Ron Nirenberg. Chairman of the Board of Directors

As the oldest and largest global volunteer network of citizen diplomats, our mission remains to promote peace through people-to-people and sustained community-to-community connection based on mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation— one individual, one community at a time. Thanks to all of you for your strong dedication, teamwork and continued financial commitment to Sister Cities International. With your support, 2019 will be another banner year! We are well positioned for the future

US DOS ECA Grant

Membership

Contributions

Annual Conference

Programs

In Kind

Investments/Other

27%

22%

22%

16%

11%

5%

-0.02

2018 REVENUE $1,589,752

Personnel

Events

Facilities

Financial/Misc

Communications

Programs

Travel

In Kind

51%

16%

9%

6%

5%

4%

4%

2%

.03%

2018 EXPENSES $1,852,995

SCI FOUNDATION

* As of June 1, 2019

** Unaudited ** Unaudited

$209 K

$523 K

$5 K $30 K $5 K

-$318 K

WozarFund

VielberthFund

HermsmeyerReserve Fund

U.S. – ChinaEndowment

Rae SchultzEndowment

LOC


A message from the President

Dear Fellow Citizen Diplomats,

Since our inception in 1956, SCI has worked to create global relationships based on cultural, educational, information and trade exchanges. Every day you see reports of conflict, hatred and mistrust between people. SCI is successful at breaking down these barriers. Our progress in 2018 has convinced me that our mission is not only needed more than ever, but that it is achievable.

In this report we focus on telling our story. Over the past year, we have brought our communities closer through culture and arts. We have built sustainable economic development through trade and investment. We have developed leadership through investing in youth programs. As a result, we are building more stable communities that are connected culturally, economically and strategically. In 2019, we will continue to tell our story as we inspire new members, supporters and partners.

But we are changing how we tell our story. In this impact report, we capture the magic and opportunity of citizen diplomacy. The work of our 471 member communities in 138 countries stresses economic returns, cultural innovations, and building strong communities across geographies. This is the head, heart, and soul of our mission. This report documents what we are learning in citizen diplomacy, the impact that we are having as a movement, and the uniqueness of our approach.

Ultimately, we are trailblazing citizen diplomacy. SCI’s cross cutting approach to citizen diplomacy addresses the issues that matter most to our members, and to our communities across the United States, and the world. As we look ahead to 2019 and beyond, please see some of our plans on page 33 where we emphasize our trailblazing efforts in 2019. As we focus on new initiatives and ideas, we also want to support cutting-edge partnerships in traditionally underserved regions and communities.

Join us in realizing our full potential. We invite you to become a member of our Global Leaders Circle (page 6). Together, we celebrate that when we recognize our differences, and leverage our similarities across communities, we think globally, and make a difference locally.

Thank you for your support.

Roger-Mark De Souza. President and CEO


Our Impact

people in exchanges

Involved more than

Provided over

in humanitarian assistance to a variety

of communities

Trained

ages 14-18at our annual

Youth Leadership Summit

young citizen diplomats 99

Leveraged the support of over

who led more than 2,000 sistercity events in the United States

volunteers

citizen diplomats

Allowed over

through our network

Created approximately

to network in person at our annual conference


What’s Unique About Sister Cities International?

MissionWe promote national and international peace and security

Sister Cities International (SCI) is an American nonprofit founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower 62 years ago to be a champion for peace and prosperity by fostering bonds among people around the world. People-to-people “citizen diplomacy” enhances the ability of people from different cultures to understand, appreciate, and celebrate their differences while building partnerships that advance the interests of all humankind.

Our vision is to enhance our stature as the largest, premier global network connecting people and communities from all backgrounds within the United States, and around the world. Now, more than ever we need to find common ground, and to promote values of peace, understanding, and democracy.

OpportunityWe seize the opportunity to make a difference

SCI programs engage leaders from the community to the national level, as well as youth, and business leaders. These connections form on an intimate level, with citizen diplomacy offering individuals of all ages extraordinary opportunities for personal growth. Every day, the lives of millions are touched directly and indirectly through SCI’s economic, educational, environmental, and cultural programs.

ReachWe reach far and wide

Our geographical reach includes nearly every state, country, and continent in the world. Today, after more than 60 years, tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers in over 500 U.S. member communities enjoy more than 1,800 partnerships in 138 countries on 6 continents. Through our network, we emphasize both people-to-people, and community-to-community relationships, not just one-shot interactions but sustained connections.

Efficient NetworksWe leverage and sustain networks and partnerships

Not only do the highly-leveraged financial and volunteer models appeal to the discerning philanthropist, but the high visibility and status of SCI in the public and private sectors attract individuals and companies pursuing economic and altruistic interests. The in-kind contributions of our volunteers multiply our impact, reach, and cost-effectiveness. We work directly with approximately 200 active volunteer leaders throughout the United States whose reach multiples as we engage 100,000 citizens and 30,000 youth every year.

6 2018 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT AND 2019 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

Global Leaders Circle

Our Global Leaders Circle is a thriving network of our highest level and most prestigious citizen diplomats. The Global Leaders Circle is comprised of individuals, businesses, and organizations that have publicly demonstrated their support for global peace and prosperity. Their generous gifts to Sister Cities International lift our efforts to meet our aspirations in promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation — one individual, one community at a time. Membership in the Global Leaders Circle gives each donor the opportunity to align with a powerful, thriving global and local network of those most committed to our mission.

Sister Cities International gratefully acknowledges the support of the U.S. Department of State for its mission through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Thank You to Our 2018 Global Leaders Circle

Ambassador - $25,000+Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas LLC Mary Ellen & Michael E. Fox

Charge D’Affaires - $10,000+AMDBrooksHISPort of San AntonioCincinnati receptionRuth CotterSister Cities of HoustonMichael S. & Rae HyattHans & Erika Vielberth

Diplomat - $5,000+Albuquerque SC FoundationFrost BankHispano Chamber of Commerce,

AlbuquerqueTranstelcoUniverisity of New MexicoVisit San AntonioVist El Paso/El Paso Convention CenterEd & Cynthia AdamsRichard BucklerMayor Pro Tem CapehartCindy ElliottBill & Ann EvansA. M. KinneyMary PalkoTim QuigleyCarol Robertson LopezRandy TraskLarry UebnerJean Vanbuskirk

International Attache - $2,500+ADEC InnovationsAmerican UniversityCuidade of JuarezUnion PacificUniversity of Texas , El PasoSuhail Arastu

Fred BlantonMagdalena CarrascoDavid CorteseJohn DabeetWillow DarsieRoger-Mark De SouzaAlix DesulmeAlexander & Sharon DurtkaMae FergusonLee GuioBill HinkleNancy HuppertLorna JohnsonSteve KalishmanShin KoyamadaRoger LawrenceThomas LiskGinger MoxeyDick & Jane NeuheiselRon NirenbergClare PetrichCarolina RendeiroKathleen Roche-TanseyHelene SchneiderTeri SimmonsPeter SvarzbeinChristine WarnkePolly Yu

Special Envoy - $1,000+El Paso Community FoundationIBC BankLiUNA (Local 270)MCA Foundation San Antonio Economic Development

FoundationSt Rogers LLCBill Boerum

Constance and Donald GoertzGayle Stallings

Counselor - $500+Bill BehrensAndree BrissonJane CahalyCarlo CapuaGreg JacksonStacy LuksSandra McCormickBurga SantiagoFranklin ThompsonPaula WestKatie Willcockson

Citizen Diplomat - $100+Martiza AdonisJoseph CassidyJohn Roy CastilloJody EdgertonRenee FranklinRicki GarrettJane GehlhausenBob GreningerNorris HermsmeyerTim and Debra HoneyStarr HurleySiobhan LyonsPatricia Montemayor Neal PierceMary PointerJohn RaesidePat SallinKay SargentBarbara ShepardJane Wood


Hays Sister City Committee, Kansas – Ensuring “Worlds Apart, But Cities Connected”(Best Overall Program, Population Between 10,000-25,000)

The Hays Sister City Committee reached new levels of engagement in 2017 with its sister cities Xinzheng, China and Santa María, Paraguay. Hays and sister city Santa María re-signed their Memorandum of Understanding in front of more than 300 attendees at the official Hays sesquicentennial celebration. This renewed commitment led to a fundraiser to provide new lighting to a museum in Santa María that was built as a joint project between the two sister cities. A delegation from Xinzheng, China was also present at the sesquicentennial celebration and participated in the official inauguration “Worlds Apart, Cities Connected,” a sister cities-commissioned permanent art display, at the Hays Public Library. The sesquicentennial celebration cultivated a stronger relationship between all three cities that will lead to increased sister cities involvement in the upcoming years.

Sister Cities of Jasper, Indiana – Exploring What German Heritage Means to Me(Best Overall Program, Population Between 10,000-25,000)

Sister Cities of Jasper continues to expand the presence of their partnership with Pfaffenweiler, Germany from within the community into wider Dubois County. In addition to administering their annual high school student exchange, Sister Cities of Jasper celebrated German American Day, an annual county-wide dinner, on October 4, 2018. The dinner, which Sister Cities of Jasper puts on with the help of other local organizations, featured the German Heritage Award, presented to Fr. John Boeglin for his role in preserving and promoting German heritage in the area. A true “Citizen Diplomat”, Fr. John is an author, top notch tour guide, and someone who is not afraid to sport lederhosen. He is an enthusiastic promoter of all things German, especially Christmas. Students from each of the four county high schools also received scholarships from German American Bank for their winning essays on “What German Heritage Means to Me.” Sister Cities of Jasper continues to support the German teacher at both Jasper High School and Jasper Middle School in his efforts to promote the study of German language. Looking forward to 2019, Sister Cities of Jasper will again sponsor the student exchange with Staufen and Poessneck, Germany in June. Students from the 2019 exchange program are staffing the information booth at the annual Strassenfest, a German inspired street festival held the first weekend of August. The people of Jasper are proud of their Sister City partnership with Pfaffenweiler and continually strive to promote that partnership through personal, educational and economic interaction.

Best Overall Programs

2018 Activities

Danville, Kentucky and sister city Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland exchanged artists in 2018. This photo was taken during Brandon Long’s residency in Northern Ireland where he and his wife helped children with special needs create a mural for their school, Castle Tower Special School.

Through sister cities I’ve learned a lot. From my visit to Hyderabad,

India I learned that the people there have so little and do so much. We have so much and do so little.

Joy West Montgomery County Sister Cities, MD


Birmingham Sister Cities, Alabama – Harnessing Innovation to Build Strong Communities (Best Overall Program, Population Between 100,000-300,000)

Birmingham Sister Cities (BSC) successfully involved each of their

14 sister city relationships in meaningful exchanges in 2017. The exchanges included an educational trip to Ghana for local underserved students; a business exchange

with Anshan, China linking high tech incubators with Birmingham

Innovation Depot to develop projects like water permeable parking lots and medical

assistant robots; a donation of medical supplies to the victims of ongoing war in the Donbas region of their sister city Vinnytsia, Ukraine; and other activities ranging from sports diplomacy to food and arts exchange. BSC also established a pilot “passport” program in two underserved elementary schools which aims to expose over 500 students to local international events and festivals. The widespread community support and success highlight the cultures that make up the local community, and give local citizens the opportunity to become internationally aware and involved.

Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, England visits Friendship City Portsmouth, New Hampshire in September 2018.

Culver City Sister City Committee, California – Connecting Young People through Sport and Art(Best Overall Program, Population Between 50,000-100,000)

In 2017, the Culver City Sister City Committee (CCSCC) facilitated community-wide activities to foster international friendship and cultural understanding. In addition to elevating their relationship with Capo d’ Orlando, Italy from a friendship city into an official sister city during Culver City’s Centennial Celebration, CCSCC completed a student and runners exchange with sister cities Kaizuka, Japan and Iksan, South Korea. Culver City sent two runners to Kaizuka for a marathon, and two Kaizuka runners came to Culver City for the Los Angeles Marathon. Six Culver City High School students visited Iksan, and middle schoolers from Kaizuka came to visit in July. CCSCC also hosted its first local Young Artists and Authors Showcase, and provided the local winner with a scholarship to attend the 2017 Youth Leadership Summit. Additionally, CCSCC continued to provide donations to support two orphanages in Mexico: one in sister city Uruapan and the other in Puerto Escondido. CCSCC’s activities last year have increased awareness of and interest for sister cities in the community.


Fort Worth Sister Cities International, Texas - Broadening the Scope of the World for Its Citizens(Best Overall Program, Population Greater Than 300,000)

City of Issaquah, Washington – Wrapping Utility Boxes with Art(Innovation: Arts & Culture, Population Between 25,000-100,000)

The City of Issaquah’s utility wrap program, where the work of

local artists is used to wrap traffic signal boxes around the city, was expanded in 2017 to include artwork from its sister cities in Norway and

Morocco. This cross-cultural project increased knowledge

and awareness of Issaquah’s sister cities while celebrating the 10-year relationship with Chefchaouen, Morocco and rekindling the dormant relationship with Sunndal, Norway. Both Chefchaouen and Sunndal encouraged participation from their communities, and the selected artists’ work was unveiled for the annual Salmon Days Festival in Issaquah, with the artist from Sunndal attending as a featured artist. The utility boxes showcase the artwork and include a narrative about the art, the location of the sister city on a world map, the year the sister city was established, the country’s flag, and the mission of the Sister Cities Commission. By wrapping utility boxes with art from their sister cities, the City of Issaquah turned a positive community project into an extraordinary display of cross-cultural stewardship.

Greater Columbus Sister Cities International, Ohio – Using Portraits to Create Connections (Innovation: Arts & Culture, Population Greater Than 100,000)

Greater Columbus Sister Cities International (GCSCI), with the support of Columbus City Council, hosted photographer Emanuele Timothy Costa from Columbus’ sister city of Genoa, Italy, who is best known for his “Thousand People of Genoa” project. His project is a collection of portraits of people in Genoa that creates a sense of connection and understanding. In 2015, when Costa’s work was introduced to GCSCI during a GCSCI Young Professionals Exchange, GCSCI began planning for a two-week photo exchange of his work. Costa provided his portraits from Genoa for an exhibit which was displayed at five local Columbus locations, presenting the people of Columbus to the people of Genoa. Costa also took portraits of the people of Columbus for an exhibit that will be displayed in Genoa, Italy in October 2019. Through the promotion of art, GCSCI was able to create an awareness of the sister city relationship with Genoa, and allowed a variety of local organizations to collaborate and unite the community.

Innovative Programs: Arts & Culture

Fort Worth Sister Cities International (FWSCI), a non-profit organization contracted by the City of Fort Worth to manage its international partnerships, conducted 19 outbound exchanges and hosted 22 inbound delegations involving over 400 people in 2017. Outbound exchanges included visits to Fort Worth’s eight sister cities, as well as exploratory missions to Jordan and Cuba where discussions were held on how a beneficial partnership might broaden the scope of the world for Forth Worth citizens. An exploratory mission to Nîmes, France culminated in this French community becoming Fort Worth’s ninth sister city in February 2019. FWSCI also focused heavily on international education for Fort Worth students and

adults alike. This included cultural events, lectures and seminars focused on educating the community on the importance of cultural understanding and protocol; a three-week Spanish Immersion Camp for elementary school students partnering with the Fort Worth ISD; a bi-national conference centered around women’s empowerment held both in Fort Worth and Toluca, Mexico; and an international Leadership Academy that brought together over 150 students from Fort Worth and its sister cities for several weeks of team-building, and in-class instruction based on a sound curriculum. Through creative and strategic programming, Fort Worth is a city that is truly “connecting globally and thriving locally.”


2018-5 Baltimore-Luxor Alexandria Sister City Committee professional chef Aida Mady leads class in Egyptian cooking in Baltimore

Hendersonville Sister Cities, North Carolina – Fostering First-time Local Ambassadors(Innovation: Youth & Education, Population Less Than 25,000)

Hendersonville Sister Cities (HSC) established the Hendersonville Student Ambassador Travel Scholarship in conjunction with Hendersonville Sister Cities’ 10th Anniversary celebration. The scholarship provided assistance to local high school, college, and graduate students between the ages of 16-26 to travel abroad for the purposes of education, internship, or work study. In its inaugural year, the scholarship program received applications from 13 local students ranging from high school to graduate school. HSC awarded a total of $3,000 to five local students studying abroad in coming semesters. The program will allow students to immerse themselves in a country that primarily speaks a different language, and travel internationally for the first time. The students will serve as global ambassadors to their peers and community. Through this scholarship opportunity, HSC is widening the perspective of its local youth who are not usually exposed to other cultures.

Highland Park, Illinois Sister Cities Foundation, Illinois – Opening up the World through Virtual Classrooms(Innovation: Youth & Education, Population Between 25,000-100,000)

In 2017, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation (HPSCF) established Virtual Classrooms, a program that connects students in Highland Park with students in sister cities Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Modena, Italy. The two virtual classrooms (one for each sister city) engage middle and high school students to learn about their sister city counterparts and culture through the medium of poetry. Both classrooms took turns sharing works by poets from their respective countries and answering study questions to promote analysis of these poems. The project was enthusiastically embraced by students and teachers alike, and reached more people in the Highland Park community beyond their in-person exchanges. The HPSCF virtual exchange program is an outstanding example of how citizens can find alternative ways to connect “face-to-face” with other countries and cultures.

Innovative Programs: Youth & Education


40-year relationship between the U.S. and China- Los Angeles-Guangzhou Sister City Association President Katherine Whitman and several directors attended the opening ceremony of an event hosted at the Whittier Museum.

Houston Guayaquil Sister City Association, Texas – Opening Doors Through Collaborative Research(Innovation: Youth & Education, Population Greater Than 100,000)

After deciding that strengthening the relationship between Houston and sister city Guayaquil was a priority, the Houston Guayaquil Sister City Association (HGSCA) established a science and technology-based relationship between Rice University and Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Ecuador. The relationship gave opportunities to Ecuadorian and U.S. students pursuing doctoral degrees in STEM careers to foster collaborative research relationships with their sister city counterparts. In 2018, the first doctoral student benefiting from the agreement arrived in Houston, and it is expected that around 10 Ecuadorian students pursuing doctoral programs will enroll at Rice University in 2019. Due to the planning and execution of this project, the two cities have opened doors in other areas such as tourism, trade, business, and civil engagement that will have a positive social and economic impact for both cities.

Indianapolis Hyderabad Sister City Committee, Indiana – Creating Jobs through Digital Transformation(Innovation: Business & Trade, Population Greater Than 100,000)

Indianapolis made history last year – bringing a surge of positivity, optimism, and a boost to job growth and the economy – by further strengthening bonds

between the United States and India. Thanks to relationship-building between

sister cities Indianapolis and Hyderabad, India for the past couple of years, Infosys, an India-based global tech giant focused on executing strategies for digital transformation, chose to locate their first ever U.S. Tech and Innovation Hub in Indianapolis in 2017. The hub is anticipated to create 10,000 U.S. jobs and marks the largest IT deal made in the history of Indiana. Additionally, Infosys announced the building of their cutting-edge Education Center on a 70.5-acre site that was formerly an Indianapolis airport terminal. The center will provide American workers with skills for the digital future.

Innovative Programs: Business & Trade


With Sister Cities International, if you’re volunteering, you’re helping to explain America.

Kate BentleyFormer State Department Diplomat and SCI volunteer

Atlanta-Montego Bay Sister Cities, Georgia – Building Skills through Medical Donations(Innovation: Humanitarian Assistance, Population Greater Than 100,000)

Innovative Programs: Humanitarian Assistance

Aspen Sister Cities: Aspen Bariloche Medical Exchange Program, Colorado – Improving Medical Services and Patient Care(Innovation: Professional & Technical Assistance, Population Less Than 25,000)

Aspen and sister city San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina have conducted an annual medical exchange program since 2003. The program began after medical professionals at Zonal Ramon Carillo, a public hospital located in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, requested assistance from Aspen to meet the demands of providing medical care to over 300,000 people in their community and surrounding region. In 2017, delegations from each city visited Aspen and Bariloche to view demonstration surgeries and discuss medical practices with professionals in their respective fields of physical therapy, pharmacy, nutrition, anesthesia, and orthopedics. Additionally, Dr. Mark Purnell, the director of the Aspen Bariloche Medical Exchange Program, was named an Honored Guest of Bariloche to mark his fifteen years of service to the community. The medical exchange program helps to improve medical services to over 300,000 patients in the Bariloche community, and has enabled professionals in both cities to better serve their patients.

Cincinnati – Kharkiv Sister City Partnership, Ohio – Using Video to Tell the Story of Citizen Diplomacy (Innovation: Professional & Technical Assistance, Population Greater Than 100,000)

The Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership (CKSCP) produced a video called “Cincinnati to Kharkiv, People to People” to show how Cincinnati citizens have assisted their counterparts in Kharkiv as they navigate their transition from being part of the Soviet Union to being the newly independent country of Ukraine. CKSCP has been providing professional and technical assistance to Kharkiv on multiple levels. At the formal level, CKSCP has secured U.S government and other prestigious grants, such as Community Connections and Open World, to provide professional programming. At an informal level, CKSCP provides professional and technical assistance at the level of one-on-one contact. CKSCP’s video has created more awareness within their community of the extensive work they have done in Kharkiv and the strong bond between their cities.

Innovative Programs: Professional & Technical Assistance

The Atlanta – Montego Bay Sister Cities Committee (AMBSCC) has directly impacted the lives of Jamaican citizens in education, technology, and medical care delivery for 25 years. In 2017, AMBSCC focused on providing humanitarian assistance to Montego Bay residents through health care and education. AMBSCC worked on a model for the effective integration of technology into schools within Montego Bay communities. The model would provide equipment and training to students and parents to enhance

their abilities to engage in a digital world. AMBSCC also provided extensive medical care to Montego Bay communities including medical equipment, basic necessities, medication, and treatment to over 2,000 people in more than 23 local health centers and a homeless shelter. AMBSCC also sent classroom supplies, a new industrial range, and computers to local Montego Bay schools, and continued their scholarship program for Jamaican students to help them complete educational programs.


Youth Leadership Bringing Youth into Grassroots Citizen

Diplomacy Efforts

Ria Grewal Santa Clara Sister Cities Association

(California)

Ria Grewal is the current Youth President at Santa Clara Sister Cities Association (SCSCA). Ria has been involved with SCSCA for the past three years and, as a youth leader, she expanded the involvement of Santa Clara youth in the grassroots efforts of citizen diplomacy in the local community. She has facilitated and mobilized student volunteers for multiple fundraisers for sister city delegation trips to Izumo, Japan; Coimbra, Portugal; and Limerick, Ireland. She is also instrumental in planning youth exchanges to Santa Clara’s sister cities, and has hosted many exchange students in her own home in return. Her dedication has notably increased the number of youth participants in SCSCA activities. She is destined to leave a positive mark on the Santa Clara community.

Volunteer of the Year Feminine Care Kits Build Connections Across Geographies, Faiths, Generations, Ethnicities

and Genders

LueRachelle Brim-Atkins Seattle-Limbé Sister City Association

(Washington)

LueRachelle Brim-Atkins has helped the Seattle-Limbé Sister City Association (SLSCA) launch an ambitious initiative to deliver thousands of handmade, reusable feminine care kits for use by schoolgirls in Cameroon, as well as build two wells for schools in the City of Limbé. Since becoming president in 2014, LueRachelle has led SLSCA in creating a cross-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-gender, intergenerational, interfaith organization that has grown steadily over the last four years. Prior to LueRachelle’s leadership, the SLSCA had approximately 12 members. By the end of 2017, SLSCA membership reached 250 active members at varying levels, including many students. LueRachelle tirelessly promotes SLSCA and inspires action in the community. She is a true model of what it means to be a citizen diplomat.


Where We Are (U.S. Partnerships Worldwide)

GermanyFranceItalyUnited KingdomIrelandSpainPolandUkraineCzech RepublicSwedenGreeceNorwayHungaryBelgiumSwitzerlandAustriaCroatiaPortugalFinland

100888155363327221714131110

997776

LithuaniaMoldovaRomaniaBulgariaNetherlandsSlovakiaDenmarkMacedoniaSloveniaBosnia and HerzegovinaEstoniaKosovoLatviaSerbiaIcelandMontenegroAlbaniaBelarusIsle of Man

5554443332222222111

16215758514739211595444

3333222111111

JapanChinaRussiaTaiwanSouth KoreaPhilippinesIndiaTurkeyVietnamIndonesiaArmeniaCambodiaMongolia

AfghanistanGeorgiaPakistanThailandAzerbaijanKyrgyzstanUzbekistanBurmaEast TimorKazakhstanNepalTajikistanTurkmenistan

17111

AustraliaNew ZealandAmerican Samoa

Europe

Sister City Relationships by Region

Asia

Oceania

Europe

Americas

Middle East/North Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa

Oceania

Asia

32 countries, and

374 relationships

The Americas

152018 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT AND 2019 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

447755

43111

IsraelIraqMoroccoEgyptJordan

Palestinian TerritoriesLebanonAlgeriaIranUnited Arab Emirates

2514108855443

GhanaNigeriaKenyaSouth AfricaTanzaniaLiberiaEthiopiaSenegalZambiaBurkina Faso

3332221111

CameroonMaliRwandaNamibiaSierra LeoneCôte d’IvoireAngolaBeninBotswanaCongo (Kinshasa)

111111111

GuineaLesothoMalawiMozambiqueUgandaZimbabweCape VerdeEswatiniSomalia

Sub Saharan Africa

Middle East and North Africa

168272115141313121199776644

433332211111111

MexicoCanadaBrazilPeruNicaraguaArgentinaHaitiEl SalvadorColombiaCosta RicaCubaChileEcuadorBahamasJamaicaBelizeDominican Republic

VenezuelaGuatemalaPanamaParaguayUruguayBoliviaPuerto RicoArubaBarbadosCayman IslandsGuyanaHondurasSaint Kitts and Nevis Trinidad and TobagoTurks and Caicos Islands

Americas

10 countries, and

81 relationships

Middle East/North Africa

38 countries, and

609 relationships

Europe

Asia26 countries, and

593 relationships

Asia

3 countries, and

29 relationships

Oceania

29 countries, and

114 relationships

Sub-SaharanAfrica


Where We Are (U.S. Member Communities and Partnerships)

s

100 +5111

1

----

995010

PartnershipsPartnershipsPartnershipsPartnerships

No MembersNo Partnerships

Number of Member CommunitieNumber of Partnerships

KEY

WASHINGTON

MONTANA

IDAHO

UTAH

NEVADA

OREGON

CALIFORNIA COLORADO

WYOMING

ARIZONA

NEW MEXICO

HAWAII

ALASKA

1121

1678

44

23

210

16

79356

1148 7

27

1556

229

27


1

MAINE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

VERMONT

MASSACHUSETTS

RHODE ISLAND

CONNECTICUT

NEW JERSEY

DELAWARE

MARYLAND

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

WESTVIRGINIA VIRGINIA

OHIOINDIANA

1227

MICHIGAN

KENTUCKY

WISCONSIN

ILLINOIS

3284

NORTHCAROLINA

SOUTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

FLORIDA

GEORGIAALABAMA

MISSISSIPPI

LOUISIANA

ARKANSAS

MISSOURI

MINNESOTA

IOWA

NORTH DAKOTA

SOUTH DAKOTA

NEBRASKA

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

TEXAS

DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA

29177

10

10

623

712

58

24

1636

1035

1433

539

412

421

629

32148

415

23625

17

1325

720

2179

1454

535

1140

35

114

852

17

38

411

421

12


Membership with Sister Cities International

Services

CommunicationsSister cities programs do inspiring work around the world, but finding the right audiences for your work and establishing your voice in the din of modern media can be difficult. Sister Cities International can help you:

• Publicize your program’s success stories through blog posts, social media, and press outreach.

• Promote upcoming exchanges and events through targeted emails, social media, and press outreach.

• Help your program effectively navigate crises or controversies.

Connecting with our NetworkSister Cities International’s greatest resource is our network of thousands of peers dedicated to citizen diplomacy. Sister Cities International provides:

• Peer-to-peer learning and cooperation with other sister cities organizations to host exchanges, lead delegations, and develop new policies to find solutions for your program.

• Connections to the diplomatic corps to gain insight and create your own network.

• Publicity in our flagship online publication: the Annual Membership Directory. This listing of all current member cities and their partnerships is distributed to our entire network, municipal and federal governments, and the diplomatic community.

Governance and PolicyIn our network, there is no such thing as “one size fits all” when it comes to governance. Programs range in size, partnerships, sectors, countries, and more—which can present unique obstacles.Sister Cities International can help you establish an internal structure that suits the needs of your program and takes advantage of your community’s resources through:

• Advice on internal governance, including providing sample bylaws and reviewing your draft bylaws.

• Development of new policies to address existing problems or future concerns.

• Connections to other members who may have had similar experiences or challenges in their own programs.

Subscribe to our three newsletters to see your success stories, other members’ success stories, and general updates from SCI at sistercities.org

Global Membership is open to non-U.S. cities, districts, counties, provinces, or other communities that wish to enjoy the benefits of the Sister Cities International network. Cities can only be registered by government employees, elected officials, or organizations formally recognized by local government as the representative of their sister city program. If you have questions about whether you are eligible, please contact us at [email protected].

Sister Cities International offers a number of services, resources, and discounts to help members find partners, promote their activities, expand and improve programming, and save time and money. Whether it is developing new skills, recognizing milestones or providing much needed information and connections, SCI is committed to boosting the impact of its membership. At the heart of all of our services is assistance by our knowledgeable staff and leadership, who have experience working with communities around the United States.

As city governments become more involved in their local sister city programs, assistance with governance issues is critical to ensuring a smooth transition and buy-in from your stakeholders. For more information on this program or assistance with governance and policy issues, please contact us at [email protected].

Member Tribute: Sue Mehaffey

In this member tribute, we acknowledge the huge and wonderful contributions of Omaha Sister City Board Member Sue Mehaffey who passed away in 2019.

Sue’s contributions to Sister Cites were wide ranging and

varied – and she is very much missed. She embodied all the best qualities of a citizen diplomat: passionate, curious, welcoming and dedicated. Her life was one of service and she gave her talents abundantly to the Sister Cities International network. We are grateful for the difference that she has made. Thank you Sue.

INT

E R N A T I O

NA

L

SIS

TERCITIES

MEMBER 2019


Looking for a Sister City Partner? Finding a new partner can be a long and difficult task, filled with questions. Where should we look? What type of activities do we want to do? Are there industries or geographic qualities we’re looking for? Who do we reach out to, and what do we say? Sister Cities International members have access to our services in helping to find new partners with hands-on assistance in establishing new sister city, county, or state partnerships. During the process, staff works directly with communities to help identify priorities, research potential partners, reach out to appropriate points of contact, exchange information, and assist in developing the actual partnership agreement.

Through our partnership program, Sister Cities International has helped dozens of cities start the partnership process and assisted many more at various stages of their search. Our staff can work with your volunteers and city officials from start to finish: debriefing you on your needs, researching cities, helping you narrow your search, reaching out to foreign cities, assisting in the discussion process, and helping to craft and sign an agreement.

With connections to foreign Embassies in Washington, D.C. as well as relationships with U.S. Foreign Service Officers around the globe, Sister Cities International is uniquely positioned to help you get in touch with decision-makers abroad. With our extensive experience brokering partnerships, our staff can help your community overcome the inevitable challenges along the way. Whether it’s your first partnership or your tenth, Sister Cities International staff is available to assist and guide you through the process. For more information on finding new partners email [email protected].



Sister Cities International provides its members with discounted travel medical insurance through Seven Corners to protect international travelers in case of unexpected medical costs or hospitalization. Affordable daily rates are available for:

• Inbound delegations.• Outbound delegations.• Individuals. • Groups.

All members receive access to discounted Intellicorp background check services for host families, chaperones, volunteers, and new hires to administer international exchanges. These background checks are widely considered to be a best practice in the field of exchanges, and are critical to ensuring your program earns the trust of the participants. The comprehensive services include:

• Preferred pricing.• System & product training sessions.• Compliance information/online sample forms.• Personalized customer support.• Criminal product validation.• Secure online report ordering & retrieval.

Sister Cities International partners with Passport Health to provide members with discounted immunizations and other medical services. A visit to Passport Health ahead of travel includes:

• Discussion of destination-specific health risks and strategies to mitigate them.

• Vaccine Record and Medical History Review to determine the vaccines you need.

• Vaccine consultation and education.• All travel and routine vaccines, based on your health history and

destination.• Complete malaria prophylaxis.

Sister Cities International has partnered with a number of immigration lawyers throughout the United States to provide pro bono consultations on questions you might have regarding inbound or outbound visas. Appointments include:

• Answers to basic immigration questions.• Visa, documentation, and travel tips to help delegations prepare for

inbound and outbound travel.

Sister Cities International provides members with a number of resources to help build and run your program. Some of these resources include:

• Templates for invitations and partnership agreements.• Guides to economic development, visa types, and sister city best practices• Toolkits on communications and program building.• Presentations from previous conference speakers and panels.• Certificates of recognition.• Webinars on topics such as fundraising, building new partnerships, and

communications.

Membership Resources and Discounts

Travel Insurance

Background Checks

Medical Services

Visa Consultations


Youth Leadership ProgramsDo you know a young person who can change the world? Sister Cities International offers several programs that foster the next generation of diplomatic leaders by connecting them with other students worldwide, providing them with critical leadership skills for success in an increasingly globalized world.

High School Homestay

The High School Homestay Exchange Program allows Sister Cities International U. S. members to host students from other countries for a semester or year of high school in the United States through the J-1 Visa Program. High School Homestay is a life-changing experience for both visiting students and their host families, and builds deep-rooted bridges across cultures.

In 2016, Sister Cities International received J-1 designation from the U.S. Department of State. Our network of local and international J-1 coordinators help members navigate the exchange process, orient exchange students and host families, and assist as needed.

Over

came from

were hosted by

different countries9different communities 13

in 2018.

21 Youth

Sae Ataka aspires to be a future educator; she competed in the Educators Risings Alaska Leadership Conference. “I came here from Japan to study English, I have been here [Palmer, AK] for more than 7 months and have realized how different the [American] culture is from Japan. I thought it would be fun for American people to learn about Japanese culture, so I created a children’s book titled, ‘Welcome to Japan’


The winning pieces were showcased at the Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado before departing on a year-long tour to cities across the United States.

Each year, the Young Artists and Authors Showcase encourages youth from around the globe to express their creativity and global awareness through original artwork and literature. The competition is open to both U.S. member communities and their sister city partners. Works are sent from member cities to Washington, D.C. where a panel of judges selects winners based on originality, composition, and theme interpretation. Local sister city programs often host their own competition and send their community’s winner to compete at the national level. Grand prize winners in each category receive a $1,000 prize.

In 2018, young creatives interpreted the theme “The Art of Diplomacy”, highlighting the importance of citizen diplomacy and the innovative ways citizen diplomats achieve peace through people-to-people interaction.

I was inspired to create this work with the idea of both turmoil and

diplomacy. With all of the problems present in the world today, only diplomacy in action can take us back to the goodness and simplicity…

Tara RuhlandGrand Prize Winner, poem “Eden”

McKay Osborne

Nicolle Pico

Joshua Cortez

Isabella Bustanoby

Young Artists and Authors Showcase: The Art of Diplomacy


YAAS 2018 Winners & Finalists

Grand Prize:“Building the Bridge Between the Nations” McKay Osborne Mesa, Arizona“The Diary of 1000 Years” Minori Sakamoto Fukui, Japan

Finalists:Saori Arakawa Hanamaki, JapanAlex Avila Belvidere, IllinoisIsabella Bustanoby Culver City, CaliforniaJessica Clemont Delray Beach, FloridaVictoria E. Ibanez Barranquilla, Colombia Elizabeth Linn Lexington, KentuckyNuamah Mathias Accra, GhanaJodi Nguyen Hampton, VirginiaRyunosuke Sakano Osaka, JapanYuhe Zhao Shanghai, China

Art

Photography

Literature

Grand Prize:Anton Edward Kot New Haven, ConnecticutNicolle Pico Barranquilla, Colombia

Finalists:Marianna Bernardis Capo d’ Orlando, Italy Andres Hincapie Cardenas Barranquilla, ColombiaJoshua Cortez San Antonio, TexasJennifer Lam Aurora, ColoradoHayeong Park Icheon, Gyeongido, KoreaAntonella Tascone Capo d’ Orlando, ItalyCarmela Velasquez Santa Barbara, California

Grand Prize:“Be A Lion” Michelle Zhao Chandler, Arizona

Finalists:Deyona Burton Jacksonville, Florida Beibhinn Cullen Tullamore, IrelandSkye Gabbard Lexington, KentuckyJohn Guilfoil Lexington, KentuckyAlex Wilkerson Suffolk, Virginia

Grand Prize:“Eden” Tara Ruhland Mesa, Arizona

Finalists:Kaitlyn Adams Indianapolis, IndianaAlyssa Goden Suffolk, VirginiaRylee McNiff Lakeland, FloridaKyle Polen Scottsdale, ArizonaEmily Wang Lexington, Kentucky

pieces of art38

photos67

essays and poems

43Essays

Poems


Ninety-nine students from the United States, Jamaica and South Korea began their stay in

Aurora, Colorado with a tour of the University of Denver

where they were housed in dorms followed by dinner and orientation activities including an epic game of rock, paper, scissors!

2018 Youth Leadership Summit

Sister Cities International’s Youth Leadership Summit offers high school youth from around the world the opportunity to meet with like-minded peers and learn about global challenges while exploring the field of international affairs and diplomacy. The 2018 Youth Leadership Summit was organized around the theme “Immigrants and Refugees.”

Students participated in a variety of community service projects in the Aurora/Denver area. They:

• Provided volunteer support in gardening and artwork activities at the Asian Pacific Development Center;

• Stocked the pantry and conducted maintenance and cleaning activities at Mango House, which provides services for refugees and immigrants;

• Participated in art projects with young children, many of whom are refugees/immigrants, at Downtown Aurora Visual Arts;

• Engaged in morning movement/yoga, gardening and painting at Delaney Community Farm which grows food for the local community;

• Sorted medical supplies at Project C.U.R.E. which provides supplies and equipment to other countries; and

• Processed donations for local children and families at the non-profit organization A Precious Child.

Many of the youth delegates learned about these topics for the first time

while interacting with community organizations and volunteering.. Some local students even expressed interest in continuing their volunteer work!

Students participated in a walking tour of downtown Denver where

they learned about famous landmarks including “the

Blue Bear.” They also learned about the history of the local Aurora community at the Aurora History Museum.

Students Learn the Value of Community Service and Volunteering

Sister Cities International is a hands down phenomenal

experience, the activities we did were non-stop, the new people I met from all around the world

were great.

This experience has opened my eyes to different

cultures and their views in and outside of the United States. It made me think in a way that I

didn’t think was possible.


(SCI’s) Youth Leadership Summit provides the perfect opportunity for

students to come together, learn together, and leave with new friendships

based upon mutual appreciation and passion for world issues. The importance of Sister Cities International exchanges

cannot be overstated. Thank you for your passion for citizen diplomacy and for

creating a more peaceful world through exchanges and initiatives.

Ms. Karen PenceHonorary Vice Chair of Sister Cities

International; Second Lady of the United States

Diplomatic Experiences

The diplomatic simulation is a highlight for many of the student diplomats. After splitting into four groups, students assumed different roles and practiced their communication and negotiation skills as they worked together to attempt to resolve a fictitious international migration crisis. On the last full day, students finished the diplomatic simulation and prepared presentations for our Annual Conference attendees where they shared their experiences from the Youth Leadership Summit including lessons learned from the simulation.

Students wrapped up their week with a night of celebration, reflection and dancing at the Annual Awards Dinner and Gala. On the final day, students said their goodbyes to their new friends and returned home with a new passion for citizen diplomacy, more information about careers in international affairs, and a better understanding of issues surrounding support of refugees and immigrants in the United States.

Thinking about an International Career

Students also had an opportunity to meet with leaders in the field of diplomacy and international development. These included:

• Irina Karmanova, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State, who shared with the students her career path and her own experience immigrating to the United States.

• Anthony Catajan, from ADEC Innovations, who chatted with the students about his company and his experience working in communities globally on environmental and sustainability programs.

• Cynthia Matson, President of Texas A&M, San Antonio, who told the students about her role and emphasis on increasing diversity in her institution. She also got the students excited about study abroad opportunities available in college.

• John Thon Majok, Wilson Center in Washington D.C., presented on the issue of refugees, immigration and resilience, sharing his personal story as a ‘Lost Boy’ from Sudan and how engaging with refugees and welcoming them in the United States can help build stronger U.S. communities.

I gained an even better understanding of refugees and

immigrants, especially during the service project at Asian Pacific

Development Center.

This program was life changing for me with all the experiences that I was given. I changed how I interacted with others and was able to meet my new

best friends for life.


communities. Sessions covered successful Sister City models for mountain cities, the Smarter Cities initiative in India, and the positive impact of migration on U.S. cities. One keynote speaker, Derran Moss from the United Nations, discussed the importance of global communities and cultural exchange. Another keynoter, John Thon Majok of the Wilson Center, reminded us that we need to turn to each other in times of crisis.

Co-creating New Opportunities in Different Geographies

On the 3rd day of the conference, SCI members were able to network and brainstorm during several roundtable opportunities. Select Country and Regional Representatives shared current opportunities and programs internationally, while State Representatives and other members got into the nuts and bolts of how to strengthen local Sister City programs. Sharing Lessons, Services, and Culture Across Borders

We wrapped up our conference sessions with a presentation from the 2018 Youth Leadership Summit attendees, who shared the results of their diplomatic simulation on refugees and what they most enjoyed about their experience. We also thanked Chairman Tim Quigley for his dedicated service to SCI, and welcomed our new chair, Ron Nirenberg, to give remarks on Tim and share his vision for the future of Sister Cities International. The gala ended with a riveting performance from the Sister Cities jazz ensemble, including performers from Japan, Mexico, the United States and Trinidad and Tobago.

Each year, Sister Cities International, in tandem with a selected host city, holds an Annual Conference that brings together citizen diplomats from all over the world. These attendees, ranging from international city officials, to volunteers and members of the diplomatic corps, celebrate peace through people-to-people and community-to-community relationships by sharing best practices; and learning about the latest innovations in subnational diplomacy. The 2018 conference was held in Aurora, Colorado under the theme “Cities Leading the Way.” Opening a Global Discussion on Entrepreneurship and Governance

The conference attracted more than 500 attendees, including students who attended our Youth Leadership Summit. The official start of our Annual Conference, marked by our traditional Parade of Flags, included comments on the power of citizen diplomacy from Lt. Governor of Colorado Donna Lynne; Aurora Mayor Bob LeGare; Colorado 6th Congressional District Representative Mike Coffman; and Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro. We included an extra day of conference sessions with two tracks focused on NextGen/Entrepreneurship and the Terrestrial Silk Road. The NextGen/Entrepreneurship track explored several emerging topics, ranging from women’s leadership in the private sector to the power of sports diplomacy; while the Silk Road track analyzed the expansion of the region.

Building and Growing Our Communities

Experts from all over the world shared how Sister Cities can contribute to the modernization of their local

Sister Cities International’s 2018 Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado


Innovation: Business and TradePopulation Greater Than 100,000Indianapolis Hyderabad Sister City Committee (IN)

Innovation: Humanitarian AssistancePopulation Greater Than 100,000Atlanta – Montego Bay Sister Cities (GA)

Innovation: Professional and Technical Assistance

Population Less Than 25,000Aspen Sister Cities: Aspen Bariloche Medical Exchange Program (CO)

Innovation: Professional and Technical Assistance

Population Greater Than 100,000“Cincinnati to Kharkiv, People to People” Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership (OH)

Volunteer of the YearLueRachelle Brim-AtkinsSeattle-Limbe Sister City Association (WA)

Youth LeadershipRia GrewalSanta Clara Sister Cities Association (CA)

Annual Awards Winners

Best Overall ProgramPopulation Between 10,000-25,000Hays Sister City Committee (KS)

Population Between 10,000-25,000Sister Cities of Jasper (IN)

Population Between 50,000-100,000Culver City Sister City Committee (CA)

Population Between 100,000-300,000Birmingham Sister Cities (AL)

Population Greater Than 300,000Fort Worth Sister Cities International (TX)

Innovation: Arts and CulturePopulation Between 25,000-100,000City of Issaquah (WA)

Population Greater Than 100,000Greater Columbus Sister Cities International (OH)

Innovation: Youth and EducationPopulation Less Than 25,000Hendersonville Sister Cities (NC)

Population Less Than 25,000Highland Park, Illinois Sister Cities Foundation (IL)

Population Greater Than 100,000Houston Guayaquil Sister City Association (TX)

Sister Cities International’s Annual Awards Program recognizes our members for outstanding achievement in a number of programmatic areas that exemplify the mission of Sister Cities International. Winners are highlighted throughout the year by Sister Cities International and honored at Sister Cities International’s Annual Conference.


Reaching underserved populations

Despite logistical problems posed by the nature of the relationship between the United States and Palestine, the Gainesville program was driven by the passion of the students involved, whose relationship with deaf and hard of hearing students in sister city Qalqilya began in 2013. With funding from the Stevens Initiative, students from Gainesville chatted with Palestinian students virtually and collaborated on the first ASL-Palestinian sign language video dictionary. In developing 15 video dictionaries by the end of the program, this significant achievement has content tailored to simultaneously depict Palestinian Sign Language and American Sign Language. The development of these dictionaries made great improvements in both the range and quality of the exchanges as students were able to develop a tool that allowed them to better grasp the complexities of a language they are learning to master.

“By actually being able to communicate with them in real time, we were able to learn much more than we could have from reading a book.” – Niya Bennett, student at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, FL

The Special Education and Virtual Learning in the United States and Palestine (SEVLUP) Grant

Sister Cities International concluded a 1.5 year-long Stevens Initiative program. In collaboration with team members at the Sister City Program of Gainesville, Florida this program was initiated to connect American Sign Language students in the United States, to Palestinian Sign Language students in Qalqilya, Palestine. The Special Education and Virtual Learning in the United States and Palestine program is supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute.

According to Waleed Nazzal, General Manager of the Al-Amal Association for the Deaf “Of 43,000 deaf citizens in Palestine, less than two percent attend school and receive formal education”.


Opening up new spaces for citizen virtual exchanges

These weekly video exchanges have facilitated unique and irreplaceable experiences for all involved – experiences that would not have been possible without virtual exchange. Virtual exchange surpasses the geographic boundaries that would otherwise prohibit these students from connecting. It is a vital tool for the exchange of ideas, concepts, and cultures that makes our world a safer and more peaceful place. The connections made between both groups have expanded the horizons and challenged each student to step out of their comfort zone, while bridging the language gap, and shortening the distance between Gainesville and Palestine at the same time. Students and educators in both the Palestinian and American deaf communities credit the Stevens Initiative with the deepening of relationships and contribution to a common understanding between students.

Professor Michelle Freas said of her students in the program, “Their increasing motivation to learn more about Deaf culture and their peers in the Palestinian Territories is really impactful to me as their facilitator.”

The Stevens Initiative is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute. It is also supported by the Bezos Family Foundation and the governments of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.

Virtual exchanges are a vital tool for sharing ideas, concepts, and cultures that make a safer and more peaceful world.


All Mexico-US Sister Cities Mayors’ Summit

An Appreciation of our Independence and Interdependence

Addressed Key Emerging Issues for Both Countries

From February 15-17 2018, Sister Cities International worked with local partners and representatives from Albuquerque; El Paso; Ciudad Juarez; Guadalajara; the State of Maryland; the Federal Government of Mexico; San Antonio; San Jose; Silicon Valley; and the Federal Government of the United States to host the first Mexico-U.S. Sister Cities Mayors’ Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico. We welcomed 300 attendees, including 60 U.S. and Mexican mayors and locally elected officials from 70 communities. We covered

Our discussions included sessions on innovation; economic integration; climate change and resilient cities; technology; immigration; education; the role of local government in the urban agenda; trade and safety; and the power of culture and sports to transform lives.

During the Summit, we discussed transnational digital entrepreneurs; how to engage the private and public sectors as citizen diplomats; ways to incentivize the establishment of technology as clusters based in exchange between Mexican and U.S. Sister Cities; and we recognized that transportation could be a catalyst for new urbanism. We also learned about strategies

a number of important topics under the theme of independence and interdependence in order to help both countries advance citizen diplomacy.

The Summit was the result of a unique collaboration between both Mexican and U.S. national governments; Sister Cities International; municipal governments; citizen diplomats; civic leaders; and corporate and community sponsors from both Mexico and the United States.

between different trade corridors and the lessons that each region learns from their counterparts about trade and safety, and focused on exploring how we can leverage our assets as communities.


Signed Declaration of Collaboration: Enhancing Community Economic Vitality and Quality of Life The Summit culminated in a declaration signed by attending mayors wherein attendees recognized that the interaction between Mexico and the United States occurs at all levels, particularly at the local level.

As a follow up to the Summit and by agreement between Sister Cities mayors, Guadalajara shared the original founding documents of San Antonio and Bexar County for San Antonio’s Tricentennial celebrations in May 2018.

The All Mexico-U.S. Sister Cities Mayors’ Summit clearly helped binational representatives understand the

benefit and potential of using Sister Cities relationships to enhance community economic vitality and quality of life.

The Summit reinforced our shared commitment and mission, as citizen diplomats, to promote peace through people-to-people connections based on mutual respect, understanding and cooperation. It underscored the enduring value and vital importance of the citizen diplomat and the Sister Cities relationship as the connective tissue between our two peoples on an everyday basis, but especially when national issues put a strain on our historic friendship.


Ambassadors Speakers Series

Throughout the spring, SCI in conjunction with the City Club of Washington D.C., hosted a number of Diplomatic Luncheons to highlight bilateral relations, and the role citizen diplomacy plays in these relations. SCI hosted ambassadors from Afghanistan, Barbados, Costa Rica, Greece, Ghana, Kosovo, and Ireland. These ambassadors touched on trade, investment, tourism, climate change, and how citizens from their country and the United States can engage and develop relationships. They reaffirmed that people-to-people connections forge bonds that last and provide a context for meaningful engagement with multiple human, economic and community benefits.


What We Are Doing In 2019

Japanese-U.S. sister city relationships are some of the most longstanding, strongest, and most innovative relationships in our network. At this symposium we will build upon these partnerships, by highlighting successful business and trade ventures, how culture can lay the foundation for diplomacy, and the importance of leaning on the expertise of service members.

Japan – Texas Leadership Symposium: Business, Culture, and Diplomacy – Enhancing Competitiveness

At SCI, we understand the importance of highlighting our impact. In order to do this effectively, we are launching a monthly media series which will shed light on our Community Impact, Social Engagement, and Innovations to citizen diplomacy. This program will also facilitate the sharing of best practices and inspirational stories.

In 2019 SCI will be providing members with opportunities to foster people-to-people connections while experiencing new cultures. A cruise between Scandinavia, Russia, and the Baltic sea will provide attendees a number of networking and cultural opportunities. A trip to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan will combine tourism with diplomacy, and act as a follow up to our Silk Road series at our Annual Conference. A business delegation to Cuba in October, hosted by People-to-People International, will highlight Cuban economic and cultural development, and seek to highlight new practices and modes of thinking to Cuban business.

People to People and Business Connections in the Baltics, the Silk Road and Cuba

Telling Our Story Project

1

4

5

In partnership with TeamUp, SCI will award two grants to small or medium sized sister cities in the Japan-U.S. network, to facilitate student mobility programs. The programs will find creative ways to promote student exchange, expand the internationalization of education, and serve as examples for other communities of similar size.

SCI and TeamUp – Small Cities as Incubators for Learning and Leadership

Throughout 2019, SCI will be showcasing how U.S.-German sister cities are on the forefront of building stronger communities. Through conferences, community events, and cultural exchanges, local citizen diplomats will share how bolstering the social fabric of local communities helps strengthen democratic institutions while building community resilience.

Wunderbar Together: United States and Germany Leveraging Social Networks

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2


2018-2019 Board of Directors

Sister Cities International is governed by a 28-member Board of Directors who are elected by the voting membership of the organization. Board members serve three-year terms, and state, youth, and young professional representatives serve two-year terms. Board members are elected at Sister Cities International’s Annual Business Meeting during the Annual Conference each summer. Board members each generously support Sister Cities International through a $2,500 donation every year they serve on the Board.

Executive Committee ChairRon Nirenberg

President & CEO (ex officio)Roger-Mark De Souza

Vice ChairCarol Robertson-Lopez

Parliamentarian of the BoardTom Lisk

TreasurerLawrence F. Uebner

SecretaryClare Petrich

Executive Committee (At-Large)Lee GuioHelene Schneider

Young Professional RepresentativeCourtney Bennett

Directors

Ed Adams

Suhail Arastu

Sheri Capehart

Magdalena Carrasco

Willow Darsie

Alix Desulme

Cindy Elliott

Mae Ferguson

Greg Jackson

Lorna K. Johnson

Steve Kalishman

Shin Koyamada

Roger Lawrence

Tim Quigley

Carolina Rendeiro

Barbara Shepard

Teri Simmons

Peter Svarzbein

Christine Warnke

Polly Yu


Honorary Board Sister Cities International’s Honorary Board is comprised of key individuals who have shown great leadership in Sister Cities International through the years. They are long-standing volunteers from membership, former members of the Board of Directors, or former State Coordinators who, because

Chicago, ILLexington, KYTacoma, WATempe, AZPalatine, ILFort Lauderdale, FLLittle Rock, ARNew York, NYNew Providence, NJWashington, DCAtlanta, GASonoma, CAAnderson, SCSanta Clara, CABangor, NIRCarbondale, ILNoblesville, INSt. Louis, MOSonoma, CASanta Clara, CASanta Clara, CATempe, AZMuscatine, IASanta Rosa, CAHigh Point, NCStarkville, MSMilwaukee, WIKansas City, MOSanta Cruz, CASt. Louis, MOTacoma, WASolvang, CAFort Worth, TXHuntington Beach, CASaratoga, CASaratoga, CAVirginia Beach, VASan Mateo, CASanta Barbara, CASan Antonio, TXIndianapolis, INSanta Cruz, CAAlhambra/Pasadena, CAVashon Island, WAPrescott Valley, AZTulsa, OKBoulder, COSt. Louis, MONewington, AUSNewington, AUS

Leroy Allala James Amato

Tony Anderson Raveen Arora

Martha Atherton Randy Avon

Sherman Banks Mimi Barker

Gary Barnabo Bill Behrens

Dr. Carolyn BishopBill Boerum

Carol BurdetteA.J. Chahal

Alan ChambersBrad Cole

Henry C. ColeJames Conway

Mary CortDave Cortese

Ruth CotterMichael CurdJohn DabeetFrancis Dias

Rick DonohueJanet Downey

Al DurtkaJoanna Edgerton

Nancy EidamMary Jean Eisenhower

Bill EvansPat Fallin

Mae FergusonStelle Feuers

Mary Ellen Fox Michael FoxRuth Fraser

John Henry FullenGilbert Garcia

Jose Luis GarciaJane Gehlhausen

Roxana GoinAngie Gomez

Glenn Gray Bob GreningerPriscilla Harris

Norris HermsmeyerRobert Heuermann

Cheryl HillKevin Hill

of their outstanding support and involvement in the organization, were voted as Honorary Board members. As a self-governing body, the Honorary Board stands ready to assist Sister Cities International members with a wealth of institutional knowledge and experience.

Rochester, NYFort Worth, TXAnchorage, AKWashington, DCSan Jose, CACincinnati, OHJohns Greek, GALos Angeles, CABelvidere, ILRichmond, VACasablanca, MARLa Crosse, WICosta Mesa, CAEdgewater, MDJohns Island, SCPendleton, SCTempe, AZLondon, UKFort Worth, TXSan Diego, CAFort Collins, COSan Jose, CATel Aviv, ISRWest Olive, MITulsa, OKCoral Gables, FLWashington, DCWashington, DCSanta Fe, NMSan Solana Beach, CAPalo Alto, CALexington, KYTacoma, WABuffalo, NYThe Village, FLHartford, CTMenomonie, WIAtlanta, GABakersfield, CANew Brunswick, NJTowson, MDRegensburg, DEUCincinnati, OHWashington, DCNew York, NYPhoenix, AZKansas City, MORehoboth Beach, DECharlotte, NCJacksonville, FL

Nancy HuppertMichael Hyatt

Linda Jay JacksonLaverne Johnson

Ash KalraA.M. Kinney

Launa KowalskiTom LaBonge

Holly LazzeriniTom Lisk

Boubker MazozSandra McCormickGeorgiana McLeod

Norman MinetaSue Myrick

Jane NeuheiselRichard Neuheisel

Len OlenderMary Palko

Thelma PressBrian ProppTim Quigley

Avi RabinovitchJohn Raeside

Rodger RandleCarolina Rendeiro

Carlos ReyesShirley Rivens-Smith

Carol Robertson LopezKathleen Roche-Tansey

Patricia SandersKay Sargent

Sylvia SassLouise Schoene

Raymond SchultzBrian Smith

Charles StokkeGeorgianna Thomas

Frank TripicchioJane Tublin

Jean Van Buskirk Hans Vielberth

Carla WalkerJoshua Walker

Mark WaltonPaula West

Dr. Charles WheelerLinda WhittonWylie Williams

Jane Wood

Fred Blanton Staunton, VA

ChairCarlo Capua Fort Worth, TX

Secretary

Board


KansasCindy [email protected]

KentuckyKay [email protected]

MarylandLaura [email protected]

MichiganJohn Roy [email protected]

MinnesotaKaren [email protected]

FloridaCarolina [email protected]

GeorgiaTeri [email protected]

HawaiiLily [email protected]

IllinoisSue [email protected]

IndianaJane [email protected]

State Representatives

Sister Cities International’s State Representatives are a volunteer group of leaders in the sister cities network who provide expertise and assistance to members in their respective states. If you are interested in becoming a state representative, please email Jane Cahaly at [email protected]

AlabamaScotty [email protected]

AlaskaLinda [email protected]

ArizonaDick [email protected]

ArkansasHenry [email protected] 501-435-3297

California (Northern)Starr [email protected]

Brenda [email protected]

California (Southern)Pat [email protected]

Kathleen [email protected]

ColoradoGayle [email protected]

District of ColumbiaCourtney [email protected] President and CEO Roger-Mark De Souza and Jane S. Cahaly, State Representative

Liaison and South Carolina State Representative, at SCI National Headquarters in Washington D.C.


Texas (Northern)Mae [email protected]

Texas (Southern)Luis [email protected]

UtahOlga [email protected]

VirginiaRuth H. [email protected]

Fred [email protected]

WashingtonLori Ann [email protected]

WisconsinAlexander Durtka [email protected]

OhioJames [email protected]

OklahomaMary [email protected]

OregonChido [email protected]

PennsylvaniaSiobhan [email protected]

South CarolinaJane [email protected]

South DakotaAndree [email protected]

TennesseeHeather [email protected]

MississippiRicki [email protected]

MissouriRenee [email protected]

MontanaKatie [email protected]

NebraskaLarry [email protected]

New JerseyPricilla [email protected]

New MexicoRichard [email protected]

New YorkMimi [email protected]

North CarolinaBarbara [email protected]

Sister Cities International leads the way by building resilience, grooming citizen diplomats

who can build a more peaceful world, and integrating newcomers into their communities.

John Thon Majok, Woodrow Wilson Center


Global Awareness TeamMayors Leadership Council

Mayor Rodger Randle...............................

Eisenhower Distinguished Leadership CouncilAmbassador Barbara Barrett...................

Country/Regional RepresentativesRamune Abromaitis..................................Raveen Arora.............................................. Sherman Banks .........................................Joe Bice .....................................................Carolyn Bishop.......................................... Bill Boerum................................................ Rick Burns..................................................Carlo Capua............................................... Magdalena Carrasco................................Raj Chahal.................................................. John Dabeet..............................................Al Durtka.....................................................Cindy Elliott...............................................Mae Ferguson............................................John Henry Fullen.................................... Gil Garcia....................................................Lee Guio.....................................................Nancy Huppert..........................................Mike Hyatt..................................................Greg Jackson.............................................Mark Jackson.............................................Lorna Johnson..........................................Steve Kalishman........................................AM Kinney...................................................Shin Koyamada.......................................... Carol Robertson Lopez............................Nia Lyte........................................................Boubker Mazoz..........................................Ginger Moxey.............................................Mary Palko.................................................Tim Quigley...............................................Rodger Randle ..........................................Carolina Rendeiro..................................... Teri Simmons............................................Anna Stout ................................................Peter Svarzbein.........................................Jason Tateman..........................................Joshua Walker...........................................Christine Warnke ............................. ........Karim Wasfi................................................

Global EnvoysNancy Huppert .........................................Mary Palko .................................................Thelma Press..............................................Hans Vielberth ..........................................

Chair

Chair

Bahamas; Lithuania IndiaGhanaSaudi ArabiaChina; Korean PeninsulaPeru; RussiaAfghanistanSwazilandCentral America/ MexicoIndiaPalestineJapanChinaJordanPolandMexicoThailandIndiaMexicoHungaryJapanAfrican countriesMiddle EastGermanyEastern and Southern Asia/ JapanUzbekistanColombiaMaghrebCaribbeanArgentina; FranceIreland; ItalyUnited KingdomBrazil; Portugal EUEl SalvadorIsraelChinaTurkeyChile; Gibraltar; Greece; SerbiaEgypt; Iraq

Rochester, NYFort Worth, TXSan Diego, CAGermany (Regensburg, Germany)


National Staff

Finance and Administration

Operations Manager202.650.5085

[email protected]

Harpreet Bhathal

International Affairs Analyst202.347.8635

[email protected]

Shambhavi Thakur

Administrative Assistant202.347.8252

[email protected]

Shelby Bunker

Executive

President & CEO202.347-8630

[email protected]

Roger-Mark De Souza

Membership

Membership Manager202.347.8638

[email protected]

Shakarra McGuire

Communications

Advancement and Communications Manager202.347.4876

[email protected]

Carolina Krauskopf

Development

Director of Advancement and Events 202.347.8637

[email protected]

Leletha Marshall

Connect with Sister Cities International

on social media:

Sister Cities International

Sister Cities International@SisterCitiesInt

@SisterCitiesInt


areas of special sovereignty may also be listed under their sovereignty (e.g. Le Marin, Martinique, France or Curaçao, Netherlands). Cities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are listed under the United Kingdom along with their respective country/region. If a sister city relationship is formed with a city that subsequently changes its name the original name, is listed in parentheses (e.g. Tamba (Kasuga), Japan).

Country and area names are short-formed according to the U.S. Department of State. If the sovereignty of an area is disputed, Sister Cities International shall refer to the policy of the U.S. Department of State for the purpose of identifying in which country the community is located. Country names are listed solely for clarity of location; Sister Cities International takes no formal stance on the status of borders or territorial disputes. For a list of countries and other areas recognized by the U.S. Department of State please visit their website at http://www.state.gov/misc/list/.

2019 Membership Directory Naming PolicyThe following policy is applicable to the names of cities, states, countries, and other administrative areas (provinces, oblasts, prefectures, protectorates, et al.). In Sister Cities International’s printed and online directories, community names are listed in Latinate form, either in common English or in their local form with respective diacritical marks (e.g. Gothenburg or Göteborg).

U.S. cities are listed with their respective state and may not include a country designation. Cities outside the United States may include a regional designation such as a prefecture or province when necessary to differentiate cities (e.g. Santa Fe, Cebu, Philippines and Santa Fe, Leyte, Philippines). Districts, boroughs, and other such communities may include the city in the listing (e.g. Brooklyn, New York City, New York or Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China). Communities listed may also include regional markers (e.g. Milwaukee County, Wisconsin or Warsaw Province, Poland). Dependencies, protectorates, departments, and

Although Sister Cities International is primarily an association for U.S. sister city organizations, some international communities join as Global Members to take advantage of Sister Cities International resources and to have their international partnerships listed in Sister Cities International’s Membership Directory.

To request edits, additions, designations as Charter Sister Cities, or any other changes to the Directory, please email [email protected].

Sister Cities:Permanent relationships formalized when the mayors or highest elected/appointed officials from two communities sign a partnership agreement to establish a sister city relationship.

Friendship Cities: Less formal relationships which nonetheless are initiated by a partnership agreement between two cities. The nature of friendship city agreements varies from city to city depending on tradition and/or city policy. Although they are less formal, many friendship cities are as active as sister city relationships.

Emeritus Cities: Sister city relationships which have been put into Emeritus status by a mayor or highest elected official, usually due to dormancy. Emeritus relationships are sometimes returned to full sister city status by citizens who revitalize the partnership.

Charter Sister Cities: When two U.S. communities have the same sister city, the partnership that was first signed is acknowledged as the “Charter Sister City” relationship.

Requests to alter the name of a city, region, or country in Sister Cities International’s directory may be directed to the Membership Department and may be subjected to approval by Sister Cities International’s Executive Staff or Board of Directors for final judgement.


PanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalPuerto RicoRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Kitts and Nevis IslandsSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamZambiaZimbabwe

HungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKosovoKyrgyzstanLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLithuaniaMacedoniaMalawiMaliMexicoMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueNamibiaNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorwayPakistanPalestinian Territories

2019 Country Partnerships

AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican Samoa AngolaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurmaCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsChileChinaColombiaCongo (Kinshasa)Costa RicaCôte d’IvoireCroatiaCubaCzech RepublicDenmarkDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaGuyanaHaitiHonduras

31111

1341

1772611941221

2143143

27117

1571119279

1734175

122156

883

1002513311

131

102

21517

361

44816

16251

102223155313

16854271214

1114141134

33

153927

725

58314224318

4733149

511831

15111

221

55324941

Country/Region Country/Region Country/RegionPartnerships Partnerships Partnerships

St Charles-Ludwigsburg Sister Cities hosts Trivia Night 2018 to raise funds to support their local student exchange program.


Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District Of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin

2019 State Partnerships

4

2

11

4

79

15

4

1

1

32

6

2

4

33

12

14

7

13

1

3

8

4

7

16

1

5

2

5

1

3

7

11

23

21

6

11

5

4

2

5

29

2

1

14

16

10

21

7

48

12

356

56

11

7

14

148

29

29

4

84

27

33

12

25

0

5

52

21

20

36

0

39

3

8

6

8

27

40

62

79

23

21

35

15

4

17

177

10

2

54

78

35

Country/Region Country/RegionMembers MembersPartners Partners

(On our sister cities trip), we were more than campers, we were diplomats…This gave the whole experience a sense of

major importance, as if we were leaving our mark.

Mateen Kane, High School Citizen Diplomat, Baltimore, MD


GreenMiamiOxfordTrotwood

OregonAlbanyJohn Day

South CarolinaBamberg CountyFountain InnPickens CountySpartanburg

TexasBriarcliffOdessaPalmviewPort ArthurSaginawWeatherford

VirginiaStanardsville

WashingtonLongviewLynnwood

KansasBonner SpringsWilson

KentuckyGraysonLawrenceburgMidway

LouisianaBaton Rouge

MaineEastport

MassachusettsWest Springfield

MichiganBoyne City

MinnesotaLuverne

MississippiClinton

NebraskaNebraska CityPapillion

New JerseyManasquan

New YorkLittle FallsTrumansburg

North CarolinaCarthageKernersvilleOriental

OhioAthensFairborn

2019 City Connection Marketplace

AlabamaJasperMadison

ArizonaGila Bend

ArkansasFayetteville

CaliforniaMaywoodMcFarlandNeedlesPlacer CountySanta AnaTruckeeWeed

ColoradoCommerce CityGrand Junction

FloridaApalachicolaFort PierceGulfportPembroke ParkPinellas CountySurfsideWest Park

GeorgiaPeachtree Corners

IdahoTwin Falls

IllinoisHavanaHazel Crest

IowaDecorahMarshalltown

Our City Connection Marketplace is available to members to provide hands-on assistance in establishing new sister city, county, or state partnerships. We help dozens of cities start the partnership process from scratch and assist many more at various stages of their search.

Global Connection Marketplace

GibraltarGibraltar

Turkey AlsancakSisli Municipality, Istanbul

Japan Kanagawa


Regensburg, GermanyAgra, IndiaAl-Hilla, Iraq Carlow, IrelandSkopje, MacedoniaTimbuktu, MaliLower Hutt, New ZealandCusco, PeruTrollhättan, Sweden

ArkansasGilbert Bride, Isle of Man

Hot Springs Hanamaki, Japan

Little Rock Mons, Belgium Caxias do Sul, BrazilChangchun, ChinaLa Petite Roche, France Ragusa, Italy Pachuca, Mexico Hanam, South KoreaKaohsiung Municipality, TaiwanJining, China Newcastle upon Tyne, United

Kingdom

CaliforniaAlamedaJiangyin, China Dumaguete, Philippines

Phoenix Calgary, CanadaChengdu, ChinaPrague, Czech RepublicGrenoble, FranceEnnis, IrelandRamat-Gan, IsraelCatania, ItalyHimeji, JapanHermosillo, MexicoTaipei Municipality, Taiwan

Prescott Suchitoto, El SalvadorZeitz, GermanyCaborca, Mexico

Scottsdale Cairns, AustraliaKingston, CanadaHaikou, Hainan, ChinaUasin Gishu County, KenyaAlamos, MexicoMarrakech, MoroccoInterlaken, Switzerland

Sierra Vista Radebeul, GermanyCananea, Mexico

Tempe Zhenjiang, ChinaCuenca, EcuadorBeaulieu-sur-Mer, France

2019 Sister City Partnership Listing By U.S. StateAlabamaBirmingham Anshan, ChinaChao Yang District, Beijing, ChinaPlzen, Czech RepublicWinneba, GhanaApaaso, GhanaSzekesfehervar, HungaryRosh Ha’ayin, IsraelKingston, JamaicaMaebashi, JapanHitachi, Japan Al-Karak, JordanGuediawaye, Senegal Vinnytsya, UkraineLiverpool, United Kingdom

Tuscaloosa Schorndorf, GermanySunyani-Techiman, GhanaNarashino, Japan

AlaskaJuneau Whitehorse, CanadaMishan, China Kalibo, Aklan, PhilippinesCamiling, Philippines Vladivostok, RussiaChia-Yi, Taiwan

Palmer Saroma, Japan

ArizonaChandler Tullamore, IrelandTainan City, Taiwan

Fountain Hills Kasterlee, BelgiumAtaco, El SalvadorDierdorf, GermanyZamość, Poland

Gilbert Leshan, ChinaAntrim-Newtownabbey, Northern

Ireland, United Kingdom

Glendale Ørland, Norway

Mesa Burnaby, CanadaKaiping, ChinaGuaymas, MexicoUpper Hutt, New ZealandCaraz, Peru

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg speaks during a Commemorative Ceremony honoring the 30th anniversary of the San Antonio-Kumamoto, Japan Sister City relationship. The ceremony was held at the San Antonio Botanical Center, steps away from the Kumamoto-En - a Japanese garden that Kumamoto gifted to San Antonio in 1989. Since their twinning in 1987, San Antonio and Kumamoto have carried out multiple diverse exchanges.

Friendship City Emeritus Status



HemetKushimoto, JapanMarumori, Japan

IrvineTsukuba, JapanHermosillo, MexicoSeocho, South KoreaNowon, South Korea Taoyuan, Taiwan

La Cañada FlintridgeVillanueva de la Cañada, Spain

Laguna BeachMenton, FranceSan Jose del Cabo, MexicoSt. Ives, Cornwall, England, United

Kingdom

LivermoreQuezaltenango, GuatemalaYotsukaido, JapanSnezhinsk, Russia

LivingstonYingtan City, ChinaWakami-Machi, Japan

LodiLodi, ItalyKofu, Japan

Long BeachPhnom Penh, CambodiaQingdao, ChinaSan Pablo de Manta, EcuadorYokkaichi, JapanMombasa, KenyaBacolod, Philippines Sochi, RussiaRosarito Beach, Mexico Venice, Italy Izmir, Turkey

Los AngelesYerevan, ArmeniaSalvador, BrazilVancouver, CanadaGuangzhou, ChinaSplit, CroatiaGiza, EgyptSan Salvador, El SalvadorBordeaux, FranceBerlin, GermanyAthens, GreeceMumbai, IndiaJakarta, IndonesiaTehran, IranEilat, IsraelIschia, Italy

Parañaque, PhilippinesLa Carlota, Philippines Wanju-Gu County, South Korea

Cathedral CityTequila, Mexico

Culver CityLethbridge, CanadaCapo d’Orlando, ItalyKaizuka, JapanUruapan, MexicoIksan, South Korea

CupertinoBhubaneswar, IndiaCopertino, ItalyToyokawa, JapanHsinchu, Taiwan

Elk GroveConcepción de Ataco, El Salvador

FresnoChâteauroux, France

GardenaIchikawa, JapanHuatabampo, Mexico

HaywardGhazni, AfghanistanFunabashi, JapanSan Felipe, MexicoFaro, Portugal

AnaheimMito, JapanVitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

BakersfieldPartyzanski District, Minsk, BelarusCixi, ChinaAmritsar, IndiaWakayama, JapanQueretaro, MexicoBucheon, South Korea

BeniciaTula, Mexico

Beverly HillsPudong District, Shanghai, China Cannes, FranceHerzliya, Israel Acapulco, Mexico

Big Bear LakeAbtenau, Austria

BurbankGaborone, BotswanaOta, JapanIncheon, South KoreaSolna, Sweden

CarlsbadKarlovy Vary, Czech RepublicFuttsu, Japan

CarsonSoka, Japan

Fort Worth student plays with local children in Mbabane, Eswatini.



Palo AltoAlbi, FranceYangpu, ChinaHeidelberg, GermanyTsuchiura, JapanOaxaca, MexicoEnschede, NetherlandsPalo, PhilippinesLinkoping, Sweden

PasadenaVanadzor, ArmeniaXicheng District, ChinaJärvenpää, FinlandLudwigshafen Am Rhein, GermanyMishima, JapanKasukabe, Japan Paju, South Korea

Rancho CordovaTurrialba, Costa Rica

RedlandsLinli, ChinaHino, JapanSan Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Redondo BeachZhangjiagang, ChinaItoman, Japan Ensenada, MexicoLa Paz, Mexico

Redwood CityZhuhai, ChinaColima, MexicoCiudad Guzman, Mexico

RichmondZhoushan, chinaRegla, CubaShimada, Japan

RiversideJiangmen, ChinaErlangen, GermanyObuasi, GhanaHyderabad, IndiaSendai, JapanCuautla, MexicoEnsenada, MexicoGangnam-Gu, South KoreaCan Tho, Vietnam

SacramentoJinan, ChinaAshkelon, IsraelMatsuyama, JapanMexicali, MexicoChisinau, MoldovaHamilton, New Zealand

San Martin de Hidalgo, MexicoAmeca, MexicoSeferihisar, Turkey

Mountain ViewHasselt, BelgiumIwata, Japan

Newport BeachAntibes, FranceOkazaki, JapanCabo San Lucas, MexicoYochon, South Korea Vung Tau Provence, Vietnam

OaklandDalian, ChinaFoshan, ChinaGuangzhou, China Qingdao, China Chengdu, China Haikou, Hainan, China Weifang, China Changping District, China Jingan District, China Jinzhou, China Jurong, China Maoming, China Mianyang, China Nanning, China Pudong, China SongShang, China Tanggu District, Tianjin, China Santiago de Cuba, CubaBahir Dar, Ethiopia Sekondi-Takoradi, GhanaPort-de-Paix, HaitiLivorno, ItalyOcho Rios, JamaicaFukuoka, JapanUlaanbaatar, Mongolia Agadir, Morocco Benin City, NigeriaBauchi, NigeriaFunchal, PortugalNakhodka, RussiaDa Nang, Vietnam

OntarioBrockville, CanadaGuamuchil, MexicoMocorito, MexicoWinterhuir, Switzerland

OrindaTabor, Czech RepublicLanphun, Thailand

Palm DesertIxtapa Zihuatanejo, MexicoGisborne, New Zealand

Nagoya, JapanBeirut, LebanonKaunas, LithuaniaMexico City, MexicoAuckland, New ZealandMakati, PhilippinesSt. Petersburg, RussiaBusan, South KoreaTaipei Municipality, TaiwanLusaka, Zambia

MalibuLijiang, China

MartinezHanchuan, ChinaMilazzo, ItalyStresa, ItalyDunbar, Scotland, United Kingdom

MendocinoMiasa-Omachi, Japan

Menlo ParkGalway, Ireland

MillbraeHuadu District, Guangzhou City, China Lengshuijian City, Hunan, China Hanyū, Japan

MilpitasHuizhou Municipality, ChinaFigline Valdarno, ItalyTsukuba, JapanKukizaki, JapanDagupan, Philippines

ModestoVernon, British Columbia, CanadaMengzi, ChinaLaval, FranceVijayawada, IndiaKurume, JapanAguascalientes, MexicoKhmelnytskyi, Ukraine

MontereyLankaran, AzerbaijanDubrovnik, CroatiaIsola delle Femmine, ItalyNanao, JapanLleida, SpainTainan City, TaiwanKusadasi, Turkey

Morgan HillHeadford, IrelandSan Casciano in Val di Pesa, ItalyMizuho, Japan




Limerick City and County, IrelandIzumo, JapanCoimbra, Portugal

Santa ClaritaTena, EcuadorSariaya, Philippines

Santa CruzChiverico, Cuba Sestri Levante, ItalyRiva Trigoso, ItalyShingu, JapanJinotepe, NicaraguaKasese, Uganda Alushta, UkrainePuerto La Cruz, Venezuela

Santa Fe SpringsTirschenreuth, GermanyNavojoa, Mexico

Santa MonicaHamm, GermanyFujinomiya, JapanMazatlan, Mexico

SausalitoViña del Mar, ChileSakaide, JapanCascais, Portugal

Pune, IndiaDublin, IrelandOkayama, JapanVeracruz, MexicoGuadalajara, MexicoEkaterinburg, RussiaTainan City, Taiwan

San MateoVarde, DenmarkToyonaka, Japan

San PabloManzanillo, Mexico

Santa BarbaraWeihai, ChinaPatras, GreeceDingle, IrelandToba, JapanPuerto Vallarta, MexicoKotor, MontenegroSan Juan, Philippines

Santa Clara CountyMetropolitan City of Florence, ItalyMoscow, RussiaHsinchu County, Taiwan

Santa ClaraNagpur, India

San Juan de Oriente, NicaraguaBethlehem, Palestinian TerritoriesPasay, PhilippinesManila, PhilippinesYongsan-Gu, South KoreaLiestal, Switzerland

San BernardinoYushu, ChinaHerzliya, IsraelTachikawa, JapanMexicali, MexicoVillahermosa, MexicoTauranga, New ZealandIle-Ife, NigeriaRoxas, PhilippinesZavolzhie, RussiaKigali, Rwanda

San DiegoJalalabad, AfghanistanPerth, AustraliaCampinas, BrazilYantai, ChinaTema, GhanaYokohama, JapanLeon, MexicoTijuana, MexicoPanama City, PanamaCavite City, PhilippinesWarsaw Province, PolandVladivostok, RussiaJeonju, South KoreaAlcala de Henares, SpainTaichung, TaiwanEdinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

San FranciscoSydney, AustraliaShanghai, ChinaParis, France Kiel, GermanyThessaloniki, GreeceBangalore, India Cork, IrelandHaifa, IsraelAssisi, ItalyAbidjan, Ivory CoastOsaka, JapanAmman, JordanManila, PhilippinesKraków, Poland Seoul, South KoreaBarcelona, Spain Zurich, SwitzerlandTaipei Municipality, TaiwanCaracas, Venezuela Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

San JoseSan Jose, Costa Rica

A San Jose City delegation visits Sister City Okayama, Japan in 2018. The delegration was invited to play taiko with the Gakugeikan High School taiko group who had performed the year before at the Hammer Theater in downtown San Jose as part of the 60th Anniversary celebration of its Sister City relationship.




Jocotepec, MexicoTangancícuaro, Mexico

WhittierChangshu, China

ColoradoArvadaMechelen, BelgiumJinzhou, ChinaKyzylorda, Kazakhstan

AspenSan Carlos de Bariloche, ArgentinaChamonix, FranceGarmisch-Partenkirchen, GermanyAbetone, ItalyShimukappu, JapanQueenstown, New ZealandDavos, Switzerland

BoulderLhasa, ChinaYateras, CubaYamagata, JapanKisumu, KenyaCiudad Mante, MexicoJalapa, Nicaragua Nablus, Palestinian TerritoriesDushanbe, Tajikistan

BrightonZiebice, Poland

Colorado SpringsBankstown, AustraliaAncient Olympia, GreeceFujiyoshida, JapanBishkek, KyrgyzstanNuevo Casas Grandes, MexicoSmolensk, RussiaKaohsiung Municipality, Taiwan

Denver Regional Council of Governments

Baghdad, Iraq

DenverKunming, ChinaAxum, EthiopiaBrest, FranceAkureyri, Iceland Chennai, IndiaKarmiel, IsraelRamat HaNegev, Israel Potenza, ItalyTakayama, JapanNairobi, KenyaCuernavaca, Mexico

TemeculaDaisen (Nakayama), JapanLeidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands

UplandMildura, AustraliaCaborca, Mexico

VallejoLa Spezia, ItalyAkashi, JapanTrondheim, NorwayBaguio, PhilippinesJincheon, South KoreaBagamoyo, Tanzania

Walnut CreekSiofok, HungaryNoceto, Italy

WalnutCalamba City, Phillipines

WatsonvillePinghu City, ChinaCavtat, CroatiaSan Pedro Masahuat, El SalvadorKawakami-Mura, Japan

SebastopolTakeo, JapanChyhyryn, Ukraine

SonomaPenglai, ChinaAswan, EgyptChambolle-Musigny, FranceTokaj, HungaryGreve-in-Chianti, ItalyPatzcuaro, MexicoKaniv, Ukraine

South San FranciscoSt. Jean Pied de Port, FranceLucca, ItalyKishiwada, JapanAtotonilco, MexicoPasig City, Philippines

StocktonBattambang, CambodiaFoshan, ChinaParma, ItalyShimizu/Shizuoka, JapanEmpalme, MexicoAsaba, NigeriaIloilo, Philippines

The Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation brought tenor Gianni Coletta from its sister city, Modena, Italy, to celebrate Highland Park’s Italian community.




Kfar Saba, IsraelDeir Alla, JordanMejdlaya, LebanonMatagalpa, NicaraguaQalqilya, Palestinian TerritoriesRzeszow, PolandNovorossiysk, Russia

JacksonvilleBahia Blanca, ArgentinaCuritiba, BrazilYingkou, ChinaSuzhou, China Ningbo, China Shaoxing, China Nantes, FranceSan Juan, Puerto RicoMurmansk, RussiaNelson Mandela Bay Municipality,

South AfricaChangwon City, South Korea

KissimmeeMiaoli, Taiwan

LakelandRichmond Hill, CanadaChongming County, ChinaFengxian District, Shanghai, China Jiaxing, China Xingcheng City, China Portmore St. Catherine, JamaicaImabari, JapanBalti, MoldovaRybnitsa, Moldova

Miami BeachFortaleza, BrazilRio de Janeiro, BrazilBrampton, CanadaSanta Marta, ColombiaCesky Krumlov, Czech RepublicNahariya, IsraelRamat Gan, IsraelPescara, ItalyFujisawa, JapanCozumel, MexicoIca, PeruAlmonte, SpainBasel, Switzerland

Miami Dade CountyMendoza, ArgentinaThe Bahamas, BahamasSanta Cruz, Bolivia Sao Paulo, BrazilCayman Islands Iquique, Chile Pereira, Colombia

Osogbo, NigeriaWatford, England, United Kingdom

District Of ColumbiaWashingtonBrussels, BelgiumBrasilia, BrazilBeijing, ChinaAddis Ababa, EthiopiaParis, FranceAccra, GhanaAthens, GreeceRome, ItalyDakar, SenegalTshwane Metropolitan Municipality,

South AfricaSeoul, South KoreaBangkok, ThailandAnkara, TurkeySunderland, England, United Kingdom

FloridaBoynton BeachQufu, ChinaRauma, FinlandLes Cayes, Haiti

ClearwaterWyong, AustraliaKalamaria, GreeceNagano, Japan

Coral GablesCartagena, ColombiaQuito, EcuadorAix-en-Provence, FranceLa Antigua, GuatemalaPisa, ItalyEl Puerto de Santa Maria, SpainGranada, Spain

CrestviewNoirmoutier, France

Delray BeachAquin, HaitiPesaro, ItalyMiyazu, JapanMoshi, Tanzania

Doral Oranjestad, Aruba

GainesvilleManizales, Colombia Jacmel, HaitiTegucigalpa, Honduras Duhok, Iraq

Ulaanbaatar, MongoliaPanama City, Panama

Estes ParkMonteverde, Costa Rica

GunnisonMajkhali, India

LakewoodSutherland Shire, AustraliaStade, GermanyChester, England, United KingdomPortsmouth, England, United Kingdom

LongmontChino, JapanCiudad Guzman, Mexico

PuebloWeifang, ChinaBergamo, ItalyLucca Sicula, ItalyChihuahua, MexicoPuebla, MexicoMaribor, Slovenia

Steamboat SpringsSan Martin de los Andes, ArgentinaSaasfee, Switzerland

ConnecticutEnfieldRonneby, SwedenChung Li, Taoyuan City, Taiwan

EssexDeschapelles, Haiti

New HavenAvignon, FranceAfula-Gilboa, IsraelAmalfi, ItalyTetlanohcan, MexicoLeón, NicaraguaFreetown, Sierra LeoneHue, Vietnam

NorwalkNagarote, Nicaragua

DelawareWilmingtonFulda, GermanyKalmar, SwedenNingbo, China Nemours, FranceOlevano sul Tusciano, Italy




Ancient Olympia, GreeceRa’anana, IsraelMontego Bay, JamaicaFukuoka, JapanLagos, NigeriaBucharest, RomaniaDaegu, South KoreaTaipei Municipality, TaiwanPort of Spain, Trinidad and TobagoNewcastle upon Tyne, England, United

Kingdom

AugustaBiarritz, FranceTakarazuka, Japan

DecaturBousse, Burkina FasoOuahigouya, Burkina FasoTrujillo, Peru

LaGrangePoti, GeorgiaAso, JapanCraigavon, County Armagh, Northern


MariettaSeongdong-Gu, South Korea

HawaiiHawaii CountyOrmoc, Phillippines

MauiRapa Nui, ChileHainan Province, ChinaSanya County, Hainan, ChinaSan Cristobal Island, Ecuador Albi, FranceHirara (Miyakujima), JapanHachijo Island, JapanFukuyama, JapanArequipa, PeruManila, PhilippinesQuezon City, PhilippinesBacarra, PhilippinesPuerto Princesa, PhilippinesZambales Province, PhilippinesSarrat, PhilippinesBadoc, PhilippinesCabugao, PhilippinesSan Nicolas, PhilippinesSan Juan, PhilippinesSanta, PhilippinesFunchal, PortugalSao Miguel Island, PortugalGoyang, South KoreaMadrid, SpainPingtung, Taiwan

Tel Mond, IsraelTreviso, ItalyMerida, MexicoVladimir, RussiaDunfermline, Scotland, United

Kingdom

St. AugustineGeorge-Town, Great Exuma, The

BahamasCartagena de Indias, ColombiaSan Miguel de Allende, MexicoAviles, SpainCiudadella de Menorca, Spain

St. PetersburgTakamatsu, JapanIsla Mujeres, MexicoSt. Petersburg, Russia Figueres, Spain

Sunny Isles BeachNetanya, IsraelTaormina, ItalyHengchun, TaiwanPunta del Este, Uruguay

TampaPorto Alegre, BrazilLanzhou, Gansu Province, ChinaBarranquilla, ColombiaLe Havre, FranceSouth Dublin County, IrelandAshdod, IsraelAgrigento, ItalyVeracruz/Boca del Rio, MexicoOviedo, SpainIzmir, Turkey

TavaresXindian, Taiwan

West Palm BeachTzahar Region, IsraelSan Miguel de Allende, MexicoBudva, MontenegroMersin, Turkey

GeorgiaAtlantaSalzburg, AustriaBrussels, BelgiumCotonou, BeninRio de Janeiro, BrazilNanjing, China Shenzhen, China Salcedo, Dominican RepublicToulouse, FranceTbilisi, GeorgiaNuremberg, Germany

San Jose, Costa RicaPrague, Czech RepublicSanto Domingo, Dominican RepublicAix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis,

FranceLamentin, Guadeloupe, France Petit Goave, HaitiProvincia di Asti, ItalyKingston, JamaicaVeracruz, MexicoAsuncion, ParaguayPucallpa, Peru Saint Kitts and Nevis Islands Dakar, SenegalCape Town, South AfricaCabildo de Tenerife, SpainStockholm County, SwedenTaipei Municipality, TaiwanTurks and Caicos Islands Maldonado, UruguayMonagas State, VenezuelaAntolín del Campo, Venezuela

MiamiBuenos Aires, ArgentinaSantiago, ChileCali, ColombiaLima, Peru

MiramarSanta Ana, El Salvador

Mount DoraForres, Scotland, United Kingdom

North MiamiArcahaie, Haiti Saint-Louis-du-Nord, HaitiDelmas, Haiti

PensacolaEscazu, Costa RicaGero, JapanIsla Mujeres, MexicoChimbote, PeruMiraflores, PeruMacharaviaya, SpainKaohsiung City, TaiwanGorlovka, UkraineBorobia, Spain

Pompano BeachItajai, BrazilTermoli, Italy

SarasotaHamilton, CanadaSiming District, Xiamen, ChinaPerpignan, France




Highland Sursee, Switzerland

Hoffman Estates Angoulême, France

Lake Zurich Nittenau, Germany

Lockport Asiago, Italy

Millstadt Gross-Bieberau, Germany

Naperville Patzcuaro, MexicoNitra, Slovakia

Palatine Fontenay-le-Comte, France

Park Ridge Kinver, England, United Kingdom

Quincy Herford, Germany

Richton Park Cat Island, The Bahamas

Rockford Changzhou, ChinaTaszár, Hungary

Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

Sydney, Australia

Columbia Gedern, Germany

DecaturSeevetal, GermanyTokorozawa, Japan

DixonHerzberg, GermanyCastlebar, IrelandThika, KenyaDickson, Russia

Elk Grove Village Termini Imerese Sicily, Italy

Galena Agen, France

Hanover Park Cape Coast, GhanaValparaiso, Mexico

Highland Park Yerucham, IsraelKiryat Gat, Israel Modena, ItalyFerrara, ItalyPuerto Vallarta, Mexico

Embo, Scotland, United KingdomSaipan, Northern Mariana Island,

United StatesAmerican Samoa, United States

IdahoIdaho Falls Tokai-Mura, Japan

Moscow Villa El Carmen, Nicaragua

Pocatello Kwaremanguel, Burkina FasoIwamizawa, Japan

IllinoisBartlett Miaoli, Taiwan

Belleville Paderborn, Germany

Belvidere Vaux-le-Penil, FranceSchwieberdingen, Germany

Charleston Fengshan, TaiwanFengshan District, Taiwan

Chicago Toronto, CanadaShenyang, ChinaShanghai, ChinaBogotá, ColombiaPrague, Czech RepublicParis, FranceSydney, AustraliaHamburg, GermanyAccra, GhanaAthens, GreeceDelhi, IndiaGalway, IrelandPetach Tikva, IsraelMilan, ItalyOsaka, JapanAmman, JordanVilnius, LithuaniaMexico City, MexicoCasablanca, MoroccoLahore, PakistanWarsaw, PolandMoscow, RussiaBelgrade, SerbiaDurban, South AfricaBusan, South KoreaGothenburg, SwedenLucerne, SwitzerlandKyiv, Ukraine

Photo from St Charles-Ludwigsburg Sister Cities - Ludwigsburg Germany hosts the Venetian Festival every two years. Each of Ludwigsburg’s five sister cities is represented.




Johnston Peja, Kosovo

Muscatine Crespo, ArgentinaParana, ArgentinaZhengding, ChinaLudwigslust, GermanyIchikawadaimon, JapanRamallah, Palestinian TerritoriesLomza, PolandKislovodsk, RussiaDrohobych, UkrainePaysandu, Uruguay

Newton Wuchi Town, TaiwanSmila, Ukraine

Osage Lermontov, Russia

Shenandoah Tisovek, Slovakia

Waverly Eisenach, Germany

West Des Moines Mateh Asher, Israel

KansasAbilene Omitama (Minori), Japan

Hays Xinzheng, ChinaNeustadt an der Waldnaab, Germany Santa Maria, Paraguay

Lawrence Eutin, GermanyIniades, GreeceHiratsuka, Japan

Victoria Kubelstein Stadt Schesslitz, Germany

Wichita Kaifeng, ChinaOrleans, FranceCancun, MexicoTlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico

KentuckyDanville Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland,

United Kingdom

Indianapolis Campinas, BrazilHangzhou, China Cologne, GermanyHyderabad, India Monza, ItalyOnitsha, NigeriaPiran, SloveniaTaipei Municipality, TaiwanNorthamptonshire County, England,

United Kingdom

Jasper Pfaffenweiler, Germany

Lafayette Longkou, ChinaOta, Japan

Newburgh Newburgh, England, United Kingdom

Noblesville Nova Prata, BrazilCittadella, Italy

Vincennes Vincennes, FranceWasserburg, Germany

IowaClarinda Tamana, Japan

Council Bluffs Herat, AfghanistanKaradah Baghdad, IraqEl Hajeb, MoroccoTobolsk, Russia

Davenport Ilheus, BrazilKaiserslautern, GermanyCarlow County, Ireland

Des Moines Shijiazhuang, ChinaPristina, KosovoSaint-Etienne, FranceKofu, JapanStavropol, Russia

Dubuque Dornbirn, AustriaHandan, ChinaPyatigorsk, Russia

Elkader Mascara, Algeria

Ferentino, ItalyTokmok, KyrgyzstanCluj-Napoca, RomaniaBorgholm, SwedenBrovary, Ukraine

Roselle Bochnia, Poland

Schaumburg Schaumburg, GermanyNamerikawa, JapanSafranbolu, Turkey

Springfield Killarney, Ireland Ashikaga, JapanSan Pedro de las Colonias, Mexico

Urbana Haizhu District, Guangzhou, ChinaThionville, FranceZomba, Malawi

Waterloo Porta Westfalica, Germany

West Chicago Taufkirchen, Germany

West DundeeDundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

Wilmette Mona Vale, Australia

IndianaBloomington Santa Clara, CubaPosoltega, Nicaragua

Carmel Xiangyang, ChinaKawachinagano, Japan

Columbus Löhne, Germany

Elkhart Kurdjali, BulgariaTongxiang, ChinaBurton upon Trent, England, United

Kingdom

Fort Wayne Mawlamyine, Burma

Greenfield Kakuda, Japan




Salisbury Dalian, China Tartu, EstoniaSalisbury, England, United Kingdom

MassachusettsBoston Melbourne, AustraliaPraia, Cape VerdeHangzhou, ChinaStrasbourg, FranceSekondi-Takoradi, GhanaPadua, ItalyKyoto, JapanBeira, MozambiqueBarcelona, SpainTaipei Municipality, TaiwanBelfast, Northern Ireland, United

Kingdom

Cambridge Yerevan, ArmeniaCienfuegos, CubaSan Jose Las Flores, El SalvadorGalway, IrelandGaeta, ItalyIschia, ItalyCoimbra, Portugal

Somerville Yucuaiqu, El SalvadorGaeta, ItalyTiznit, Morocco

MichiganChelsea Shimizu, Hokkaido, Japan

Grand Rapids Ga West District, GhanaGa East District, GhanaPerugia, ItalyOmihachiman, JapanZapopan, MexicoBielsko-Biala, Poland

Lansing Sanming, ChinaAkuapem South District, GhanaNsawam Adoagyiri Municipality,

GhanaPianezza, ItalyOtsu, JapanGuadalajara, MexicoTipitapa, Nicaragua Asan, South KoreaDar es Salaam, Tanzania

Port Huron Chiquimula, Guatemala

Piraeus, GreeceEly O’Carroll, Ireland Ashkelon, IsraelGenoa, Italy Kawasaki, JapanGbarnga, LiberiaRotterdam, NetherlandsChangwon City, South KoreaOdessa, Ukraine

Columbia Liyang, ChinaCergy-Pontoise, FranceTema, GhanaCap-Haitien, HaitiTres Cantos, Spain

District Heights Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of

Congo (Kinshasa)Thomonde, Haiti

Hagerstown Wesel, Germany

Maryland State Walloon Region, BelgiumState of Rio de Janeiro, BrazilAnhui Province, ChinaHarju County, EstoniaNord-Pas de Calais, FranceCounty Cork, IrelandRamat HaNegev, IsraelKanagawa Prefecture, JapanMaryland County, LiberiaBong County, LiberiaState of Jalisco, MexicoOndo State, NigeriaCross River State, NigeriaLodz Region, PolandLeningrad Region, RussiaSt. Petersburg, RussiaKwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaGyeongsangnam-Do, South KoreaJeollanamdo, KoreaKocaeli Metropolitan Municipality,

TurkeyNinh Thuan Province, Vietnam

Montgomery County Xi’an, ChinaMorazán, El SalvadorGondar, EthiopiaHyderabad, IndiaDaejon, South Korea

Rockville Jiaxing, China Pinneberg, Germany

Frankfort Shimamoto-cho, Japan

Georgetown Tahara, Japan

Hopkinsville Carentan-les-Marais, France

Lexington Deauville, FranceCounty Kildare, IrelandShinhidaka, JapanNewmarket, Suffolk, England, United

Kingdom

LouisvilleLa Plata, ArgentinaJiujiang, ChinaChengdu, China Quito, EcuadorMontpellier, FranceMainz, GermanyTamale, GhanaPerm, RussiaAdapazari, TurkeyLeeds, England, United Kingdom

Morehead Yangshuo County, ChinaBallymena, Northern Ireland, United

Kingdom

Owensboro Olomouc, Czech RepublicOlomouc Kraj, Czech RepublicNisshin, Japan

Paris Lamotte-Beuvron, France

Pikeville Dundalk, Ireland

MainePortlandMytilene, GreeceCap-Haitien, HaitiShinagawa, JapanArkhangelsk, Russia

WatervilleKotlas, Russia

MarylandBaltimore Xiamen, ChinaAlexandria, EgyptLuxor, EgyptBremerhaven, Germany




St. Anthony Salo, Finland

MissouriColumbia Laoshan District, ChinaK’ut’aisi, GeorgiaHakusan (Matto), JapanSibiu, RomaniaSuncheon, South Korea

Kansas City Xi’an, ChinaYan’an, ChinaMetz, FranceHannover, GermanyRamla, IsraelKurashiki, JapanGuadalajara, MexicoMorelia, MexicoSan Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico Port Harcourt, NigeriaFreetown, Sierra LeoneSeville, SpainTainan City, TaiwanArusha, Tanzania

Springfield Isesaki, JapanTlaquepaque, Mexico

St. Charles Ludwigsburg, GermanyCarndonagh/Inishowen, Ireland

St. Louis Rosario, Santa Fe Province, ArgentinaBrčko, Bosnia and HerzegovinaNanjing, ChinaWuhan, ChinaLyon, FranceStuttgart, GermanyGeorgetown, GuyanaBogor, IndonesiaGalway, IrelandDonegal, IrelandBologna, ItalySuwa, JapanSan Luis Potosi, MexicoSzczecin, PolandSamara, RussiaSt. Louis, Senegal

MontanaLivingston Naganohara, Japan

Missoula Neckargemünd, GermanyPalmerston North, New Zealand

Little Canada Thunder Bay, Canada

Melrose Buhl, GermanyLegden, Germany

Minneapolis Winnipeg, CanadaSantiago, ChileHarbin, ChinaKuopio, FinlandTours, FranceNajaf, IraqIbaraki, Osaka, JapanEldoret, KenyaCuernavaca, MexicoNovosibirsk, RussiaBosaso, SomaliaUppsala, Sweden

New Ulm Neu-Ulm, GermanyUlm, Germany

Red Wing Quzhou, ChinaIkata, JapanKongsberg, Norway

Saint Peter Petatlan, Mexico

Shoreview Einhausen, Germany

Saline Lindenberg, GermanyBrecon, Wales, United Kingdom

South Haven Quilali, Nicaragua

MinnesotaCambridge Beli Manastir, CroatiaYuasa, JapanRattvik, Sweden

Columbia Heights Lomianki, Poland

Duluth Thunder Bay, CanadaRania, IraqIsumi-shi, JapanPetrozavodsk, RussiaVäxjö, Sweden

Elbow Lake Flekkefjord, Norway

Fergus Falls Nordhordland Region, Norway

Hibbing Waldsrode, Germany

Lindstrom Tingsryd, Sweden

Musicians from San Antonio’s Sister and Friendship Cities perform for a full house during the Sister City Jazz Ensemble in February of 2018. The innovative concert featured 12 artists who had never met, coming together to perform a piece composed by a local San Antonio composer titled ‘Sister Cities.’




Kanazawa, JapanAbuja, NigeriaRzeszow, PolandTver, RussiaMuhanga District, RwandaYeongcheon, South KoreaBursa Yildirim, TurkeyDrohobych, UkraineHorlivka, Ukraine

Canisteo Wauchope, Australia

CorningSan Giovanni Valdarno, ItalyKakegawa (Osuka), JapanLviv, Ukraine

Honeoye Falls Borgne, Haiti

Horseheads Nakagawa-machi, Tochigi, Japan

Northport Sochi, Russia

Rochester Xiangyang, ChinaPuerta Plata, Dominican RepublicRennes, FranceWürzburg, GermanyWaterford, IrelandRehovot, IsraelCaltanissetta, ItalyHamamatsu, Japan

Las Cruces Nienburg, GermanyCiudad Lerdo, Mexico

Los Alamos Sarov, Russia

Santa Fe Zhangjiajie, ChinaHolguin, CubaSorrento, ItalyTsuyama, JapanParral, MexicoSan Miguel de Allende, MexicoIcheon, South KoreaSanta Fe de la Vega, SpainNevsehir, Turkey Bukhara, UzbekistanLivingston, Zambia

New YorkBrooklyn, New York City, New York Üsküdar, Turkey

Buffalo Changzhou, ChinaBani, Dominican RepublicLille, FranceDortmund, GermanyAboadze, GhanaCape Coast, GhanaKiryat Gat, IsraelSiena, ItalyTorremaggiore, ItalySt. Ann, Jamaica

NebraskaBoys Town Ballymoe, Ireland

Kearney Opava, Czech Republic

Omaha Yantai, ChinaBraunschweig, GermanyNaas, IrelandShizuoka, JapanSiauliai, LithuaniaXalapa, Mexico

NevadaRenoHatzor, IsraelGuadalupe, Nuevo León, MexicoWanganui, New ZealandSan Sabastian, SpainTaichung, TaiwanUdonthani, Thailand

New JerseyMontclair Graz, Austria Laguna de Perlas, NicaraguaCherepovets, RussiaBarnet, England, United Kingdom

New Brunswick Debrecen, HungaryLimerick City and County, IrelandFukui, JapanTsuruoka, Japan

New MexicoAlbuquerque Lanzhou, ChinaHelmstedt, GermanyRehovot, IsraelSasebo, JapanChihuahua, MexicoGuadalajara, MexicoAlburquerque, SpainHua Lien City, TaiwanAshgabat, TurkmenistanLusaka, Zambia

Angel Fire Quang Tri Town, Vietnam

AscensiónMesilla, New Mexico

Clovis Kasama, Zambia

Students from Hampton Roads enjoying a three-week experience in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. All students and chaperones were home stayed. Norfolk Sister City Association provided scholarship support for one student to participate in this program and support for one student to participate in its Toulon, France exchange program.




Cincinnati Liuzhou, ChinaNancy, FranceMunich, GermanyMysore, IndiaGifu, JapanAmman, JordanNew Taipei City, TaiwanKharkiv, UkraineHarare, Zimbabwe

Cleveland Fieri, AlbaniaAlexandria, EgyptSegundo Montes, El SalvadorBahir Dar, EthiopiaRouen, FranceHeidenheim, GermanyConakry, GuineaMiskolc, HungaryBangalore, IndiaWest Mayo, IrelandHolon, IsraelBeit She’an, IsraelVincenza, ItalyKlaipeda, LithuaniaIbadan, NigeriaLima, PeruGdansk, PolandBrasov, RomaniaVolgograd, RussiaBratislava, SlovakiaLjubljana, SloveniaTaipei Municipality, TaiwanCleveland County, England, United

KingdomCleveland, England, United

Kingdom

Columbus Curitiba, BrazilHefei, ChinaOdense, DenmarkDresden, GermanyAccra, GhanaAhmedabad, IndiaHerzliya, IsraelGenoa, ItalySeville, SpainTainan City, Taiwan

Dayton Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaAugsburg, GermanyHolon, IsraelOiso, JapanMonrovia, Liberia

Delaware Sakata, Japan

Greensboro Montbeliard, FranceBuiucani District, Chişinău, Moldova

Greenville Incheon, South Korea

Hendersonville Verbania, ItalyAlmuñécar, Spain

Laurinburg Oban, Scotland, United Kingdom

Matthews Sainte Maxime, France

Mooresville-South Iredell Hockenheim, Germany

Raleigh Xiangyang, ChinaCompiegne, FranceRostock, GermanyNairobi, KenyaKingston-upon-Hull, England, United

Kingdom

Saluda Carunchio, Italy

Sanford Yixing, China

Southern Pines Newry and Mourne District, Northern


Wilmington Bridgetown, BarbadosSan Pedro, BelizeDandong, ChinaDoncaster, England, United Kingdom

Winston-Salem Nassau, BahamasFreeport, Grand BahamasYangpu District, Shanghai, ChinaKumasi, GhanaBuchanan, LiberiaUngheni, Moldova

North Dakota Grand Forks Kanuma, Japan

Ohio Centerville Waterloo, CanadaBad Zwischenahn, Germany

Alytus, LithuaniaBamako, MaliKraków, PolandVelikiy Novgorod, Russia

Village of Great Neck Plaza Tiberias, Israel

North CarolinaAsheville Saumur, FranceKarpenisi, GreeceSan Cristobal de las Casas, MexicoValladolid, MexicoOsogbo, NigeriaVladikavkaz, RussiaDunkeld and Birnam, Scotland

Boone Collingwood, Canada

Burlington-Alamance Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, San

Luis Potosi, MexicoGwacheon, South Korea

Cary Markham, CanadaLe Touquet, FranceCounty Meath, IrelandHsinchu, Taiwan

Charlotte Baoding, ChinaLimoges, FranceKrefeld, GermanyKumasi, GhanaHadera, IsraelArequipa, PeruWroclaw, PolandVoronezh, Russia

Concord Freeport, Grand BahamasKillarney, IrelandSiena, Italy

Durham Zhuzhou, ChinaKunshan, China Xianning, China Kavala, GreeceToyama, JapanKostroma, RussiaArusha, TanzaniaTilarán, Costa RicaDurham, England

Gastonia Gotha, GermanySantiago de Surco, Peru




PennsylvaniaHazleton Lambro and Mingardo, Italy

Morrisville Bloléquin, Ivory Coast

Northampton Stegersbach, Austria

Philadelphia Douala, CameroonTianjin, ChinaAix-en-Provence, FranceFrankfurt am Main, GermanyTel Aviv - Yafo, IsraelAbruzzo, ItalyFlorence, ItalyKobe, JapanTorun, PolandNizhny Novgorod, RussiaIncheon, South Korea

Pittsburgh Sofia, BulgariaWuhan, ChinaZagreb, CroatiaMatanzas, CubaOstrava, Czech RepublicSaarbrucken, GermanyKarmiel, IsraelMisgav, IsraelOmiya, JapanSaitama (Urawa), JapanSkopje, MacedoniaNaucalpan, MexicoSan Isidro, NicaraguaFernando de la Mora, ParaguayPresov, SlovakiaBilbao, SpainGaziantep, TurkeyDonetsk, UkraineSheffield, England, United KingdomDa Nang, Vietnam

South CarolinaAnderson Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland,

United KingdomWestern Isles, Scotland, United

Kingdom

Charleston Spoleto, ItalyPanama City, Panama

Columbia Plovdiv, BulgariaYibin, ChinaKaiserslautern, Germany

Ulyanovsk, RussiaKigali, RwandaTainan City, TaiwanTaipei Municipality, Taiwan

Stillwater Kameoka, Japan

Tulsa Beihai, ChinaAmiens, FranceCelle, GermanyTiberias, IsraelUtsunomiya, JapanSan Luis Potosi, MexicoZelenograd, RussiaKaohsiung Municipality, Taiwan

Yukon Krnov, Czech Republic

OregonAshland Guanajuato, Mexico

Astoria Walldorf, Germany

Eugene Kakegawa (Osuka), JapanKathmandu, NepalIrkutsk, RussiaChinju, South Korea

Grants Pass Rubtsovsk, Russia

Hood River Tsuruta, Japan

Medford Alba, Italy

Ontario Osakasayama, Japan

Oregon City Tateshina, Japan

Portland Suzhou, ChinaAshkelon, IsraelBologna, ItalySapporo, JapanGuadalajara, MexicoUtrecht, Netherlands Khabarovsk, RussiaUlsan, South KoreaKaohsiung Municipality, TaiwanMutare, Zimbabwe

Kettering Steyr, AustriaKettering, England, United Kingdom

Lima Harima-cho, Japan

Montgomery Neuilly-Plaisance, France

Oakwood Outremont, CanadaLe Vésinet, FranceUnterhaching, Germany

Portsmouth Zittau, GermanyOrizaba, MexicoCorby, England, United Kingdom

South Euclid Kraljevo, Serbia

Toledo Londrina, BrazilQinhuangdao, ChinaDelmenhorst, GermanyCoburg, Germany Szeged, HungaryCsongrad County, HungaryCoimbatore, IndiaToyohashi, JapanBekaa Valley, LebanonHyderabad, PakistanPoznan, PolandToledo, SpainTanga, Tanzania

Vandalia Lichtenfels, GermanyPrestwick, Scotland, United Kingdom

Westlake Kingsville, Ontario, CanadaTralee, Ireland

OklahomaEdmond Qingyang, ChinaEngels, Russia

NormanClermont-Ferrand, FranceArezzo, ItalySeika, JapanColima, Mexico

Oklahoma City Rio de Janeiro, BrazilHaikou, Hainan, ChinaPuebla, Mexico




Grand PrairieBaden bei Wien, AustriaCharlesbourg, CanadaGueishan, TaiwanKalush, Ukraine

Houston Luanda, AngolaPerth, AustraliaBaku, AzerbaijanShenzhen, ChinaShanghai, China Guayaquil, EcuadorNice, FranceLeipzig, GermanyBasrah, IraqChiba City, JapanTampico, MexicoStavanger, NorwayKarachi, PakistanTyumen, RussiaHuelva, SpainTaipei Municipality, TaiwanIstanbul, TurkeyAbu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesGrampian Region, Aberdeen, Scotland,

United Kingdom

Irving Espoo, FinlandBoulogne-Billancourt, FranceMarino, ItalyLeon, MexicoDarkhan, MongoliaMerton, England, United Kingdom

Killeen San Juan, Puerto Rico Osan, South Korea

La Grange Frenstat, Czech RepublicOlfen, Germany

Laredo San Antonio de Areco, ArgentinaMurray Bridge, AustraliaChenzhou, ChinaZixing, ChinaWuwei, ChinaWenzhou, ChinaLa Cruz, Costa RicaAcambaro, MexicoCienega de Flores, MexicoJerez de Garcia Salinas, MexicoLampazos, MexicoMexticacan, MexicoMoncolva, MexicoNuevo Laredo, MexicoMontemorelos, Mexico

Villefranche Sur Mer, France Koblenz, GermanyOita, JapanMaseru, LesothoSaltillo, MexicoTehuacan, Mexico Orlu, NigeriaLima, PeruGwangmyeong, South KoreaTaichung, TaiwanAntalya Kepez, TurkeyLondon Borough of Hackney, England,

United Kingdom

Bandera Strzelce Opolskie County, PolandTysmenytsia, Ukraine

Bryan-College Station Bastogne, BelgiumGreifswald, GermanySalamanca, Mexico

Corpus Christi Agen, FranceYokosuka, JapanVeracruz, MexicoToledo, SpainKeelung City, Taiwan

Dallas Brno, Czech RepublicDijon, FranceRiga, LatviaMonterrey, MexicoSaratov, RussiaTaipei Municipality, Taiwan

Denison Cognac, France

El Paso Hadera, IsraelCiudad Juárez, Mexico

Farmers Branch Garbsen, GermanySchonebeck, Germany Bassetlaw District, England, United

Kingdom

Fort Worth Guiyang, ChinaTrier, GermanyBudapest, HungaryBandung, IndonesiaReggio Emilia, ItalyNagaoka, JapanToluca, MexicoNîmes, FranceMbabane, Eswatini

Accra, GhanaCluj-Napoca, RomaniaChelyabinsk, RussiaTaichung, Taiwan

Greenville Kortrijk, BelgiumTianjin, ChinaVadodara, IndiaBergamo, Italy

South DakotaRapid City Apolda, GermanyNikko, Japan

Sioux Falls Potsdam, GermanyNewry and Mourne District, Northern


TennesseeFranklin Carleton Place, CanadaBad Soden am Taunus, GermanyCounty Laois, Ireland

Germantown Konigs Wusterhausen, Germany

Johnson City Rybinsk, RussiaRonneby, Sweden

Nashville Mendoza, ArgentinaTamworth, AustraliaEdmonton, CanadaTaiyuan, ChinaCaen, FranceCrouy, France Magdeburg, GermanyKamakura, JapanPort de la Selva, Spain Belfast, Northern Ireland, United

KingdomNakashi (Naka Machi), Japan

Oak Ridge Obninsk, Russia

TexasArlington Bad Königshofen, Germany

Austin Adelaide, AustraliaSiem Reap, Cambodia Xishuangbanna, ChinaAngers, France




UtahPark City Courchevel, France

Salt Lake City Oruro, BoliviaThurles, IrelandTorino, ItalyMatsumoto, JapanTrujillo, Peru Quezon City, PhilippinesIzhevsk, RussiaKeelung City, TaiwanChernivtsi, Ukraine

VermontHartford Cenon, FranceKratovo, Macedonia

VirginiaAlexandria Gyumri, ArmeniaCaen, FranceHelsingborg, SwedenDundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

Arlington San Miguel, El SalvadorReims, FranceAachen, GermanyCoyoacan, MexicoIvano-Frankivsk, Ukraine

Charlottesville Pleven, BulgariaBesancon, France

San AntonioWuxi, ChinaSuzhou, China Darmstadt, GermanyChennai, IndiaTel Aviv - Yafo, Israel Kumamoto, JapanGuadalajara, MexicoMonterrey, MexicoWindhoek, NamibiaGwangju, South KoreaLas Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainSanta Cruz de Tenerife, SpainKaohsiung Municipality, Taiwan

San Elizario Casas Grandes, MexicoMunicipio de Janos, MexicoGuerrero del Real de Rio Grande,

MexicoSanta Barbara, MexicoSatevo, MexicoValle de Zaragoza, Mexico

Southlake Wuzhong District, Suzhou, China Tome (Toyoma), Japan

Tomball Telgte, Germany

Tyler Lo Barnechea, ChileLiberia, Costa RicaYachiyo, Chiba, JapanSan Miguel de Allende, MexicoJelenia Gora, Poland

Torreon, MexicoTepatitlán, MexicoTonala, MexicoCiudad Valles, MexicoLos Herreras, MexicoPapantla, MexicoSan Miguel de Allende, MexicoGuadalupe, Nuevo León, MexicoCampeche, MexicoCerralvo, MexicoEscobedo, MexicoGeneral Teran, MexicoTlahualilo Durango, MexicoTijuana, MexicoCuautla, MexicoAngostura, MexicoJalpan de Serra, MexicoCuernavaca, MexicoLazaro Cardenas, MexicoLeon, MexicoGuadalajara, MexicoLeón Guanajuato, MexicoVeracruz, Mexico Lower Hutt, New ZealandLaredo, SpainCantabria, SpainTainan City, TaiwanTainan Hsien, Taiwan

McAllenBelize City, BelizeSaint Laurent, CanadaGanzhou, ChinaSan Jose, Costa RicaAcapulco, MexicoIrapuato, Guanajuato, MexicoIxtapa Zihuatanejo, MexicoMonterrey, MexicoReynosa, MexicoTampico, MexicoGuadalupe, Nuevo León, MexicoCadereyta Jiménez, MexicoGarcia, Nuevo León, MexicoCiudad Victoria, MexicoSan Miguel de Allende, MexicoOaxaca de Juarez, MexicoTaxco, MexicoSan Luis Potosi, Mexico

Prairie View Belize City, BelizePunta Gorda, BelizeGuachené, ColombiaManta, ColombiaSantander de Quilichao, ColombiaSanta Tecla, El SalvadorAseseeso, GhanaPabellón de Arteaga, Mexico

Tacoma-Brovary Committee receives title to ambulance to be donated to Brovary, Ukraine (Slavic Christian Center, Tacoma, WA).




Bellevue Kladno, Czech RepublicYao, JapanLiepaja, LatviaHualien, Taiwan

Bellingham Port Stephens, AustraliaPunta Arenas, ChileVaasa, FinlandTateyama, JapanTsetserleg, MongoliaNakhodka, RussiaCheongju, South Korea

Camas Hosoecho, JapanTaki-Cho, JapanKrapkowice, PolandMorawica, PolandZabierzow, Poland

Issaquah Chaouen, MoroccoSunndal, Norway

Lakewood Danzhou, China Okinawa City, JapanBauang La Union, PhilippinesGimhae, South Korea

Mercer IslandThonon-les-Bains, France

Point Roberts Campobello Island, Canada

SeattleSihanoukville, CambodiaLimbe, CameroonChongqing, China

Segou, MaliWindhoek, NamibiaRichmond upon Thames, England,

United Kingdom

Roanoke Florianopolis, BrasilLijiang, ChinaSaint-Lo, FranceKisumu, KenyaOpole, PolandPskov, RussiaWonju, South Korea

Suffolk Oderzo, ItalySuffolk, United Kingdom

Virginia BeachWaiblingen, GermanyMiyazaki, JapanSan Juan del Sur, Nicaragua Moss, NorwayOlongapo, PhilippinesArds and North Down Borough,

Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

WashingtonAnacortesSidney, CanadaVela Luka, CroatiaNikaho, JapanLomonosov, Russia

Auburn Yuhang District, ChinaGuanghan, China Mola di Bari, ItalyTamba (Kasuga), JapanPyeongchang, South Korea

Winneba, Ghana Poggio a Caiano, Italy

Chesapeake Joinville, Brazil

Gordonsville Thoré-la-Rochette, France

Hampton Vendome, FrancePietermaritzburg Msunduzi, South

AfricaAnyang, South KoreaSouthampton, England, United

Kingdom

Lynchburg Rueil Malmaison, FranceGlauchau, Germany

Newport News Taizhou, ChinaGreifswald, GermanyNeyagawa, Japan

Norfolk Halifax, CanadaNingbo, ChinaToulon, FranceWilhelmshaven, GermanyTema, GhanaKochi, IndiaKitakyushu, JapanCagayan de Oro, PhilippinesKaliningrad, RussiaNorfolk County, England, United

Kingdom

Richmond Zhengzhou, ChinaSaitama (Urawa), Japan

The Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation sent three teachers to teach poetry classes in Puerto Vallarta. Its Virtual Classroom teachers collaborated from Virtual to Reality.




Madison Ainaro, East Timor

Marshfield Jauregui-Lujan, Argentina

Milwaukee Ningbo, China Zadar, CroatiaMedan, IndonesiaGalway, IrelandBomet, KenyauMhlathuze, South AfricaDaegu, South KoreaTarime, TanzaniaIrpin, Ukraine

Racine Fortaleza, Brazil Aalborg, DenmarkMontélimar , FranceOiso, JapanZapotlanejo, MexicoBluefields, Nicaragua

Rice Lake Zamberk, Czech RepublicMiharu-Machi, Japan

Stevens Point Gulcz, PolandRostov Veliky, Russia

Two Rivers Domažlice, Czech Republic

Kitakyushu, JapanPuerto Vallarta, Mexico El Jadida, MoroccoÅlesund, NorwayDavao, PhilippinesVladivostok, RussiaGeorge, South AfricaGunsan, South KoreaTaichung, TaiwanBrovary, Ukraine

Walla WallaCannara, Italy

WisconsinDoor County Jingdezhen, China

Kenosha Douai, FranceWolfenbuttel, GermanyCosenza, ItalyQuezon City, PhilippinesMoshi, Tanzania

La Crosse Kumbo, CameroonLuoyang, ChinaEpinal, FranceFriedberg, GermanyBantry, IrelandFørde, NorwayDubna, Russia

Lublin Lublin, Poland

Nantes, FrancePecs, HungaryReykjavik, IcelandSurabaya, IndonesiaGalway, IrelandBeer Sheva, IsraelPerugia, ItalyKobe, JapanMombasa, KenyaMazatlan, MexicoChristchurch, New ZealandBergen, NorwayCebu City, PhilippinesGdynia, PolandDaejon, South KoreaKaohsiung Municipality, TaiwanTashkent, UzbekistanHaiphong, Vietnam

SnoqualmieChaclacayo, PeruGangjin, South Korea

SpokaneJilin, ChinaLimerick, IrelandCagli, ItalyNishinomiya, JapanSan Luis Potosi, MexicoJecheon, South Korea

TacomaBoca Del Rio, MexicoFuzhou, ChinaCienfuegos, CubaBiot, FranceKiryat Motzkin, Israel

We recognize the importance of Sister Cities’ role in assisting municipal officials to empower their communities and

citizens to participate in international affairs, particularly in terms of economic development. It is estimated Sister Cities programs contribute over half a billion dollars to the U.S. economy each year.

Elizabeth McKay, U.S. Department of State Public Diplomat in Residence, USC Annenberg




TamworthNashville, Tennessee

WauchopeCanisteo, New York

WyongClearwater, Florida

AustriaAbtenauBig Bear Lake, California

Baden bei WienGrand Prairie, Texas

DornbirnDubuque, Iowa

GrazMontclair, New Jersey

SalzburgAtlanta, Georgia

StegersbachNorthampton, Pennsylvania

SteyrKettering, Ohio

AzerbaijanLankaranMonterey, California

BakuHouston, Texas

BahamasCat IslandRichton Park, Illinois

Freeport, Grand BahamaConcord, North CarolinaWinston-Salem, North Carolina

Yerevan Los Angeles, CaliforniaCambridge, Massachusetts

ArubaOranjestadDoral, Florida

AustraliaAdelaide Austin, Texas

BankstownColorado Springs, Colorado

CairnsScottsdale, Arizona

MelbourneBoston, Massachusetts

Mildura Upland, California

Mona ValeWilmette, Illinois

Murray BridgeLaredo, Texas

PerthSan Diego, CaliforniaHouston, Texas

Port StephensBellingham, Washington

Sutherland ShireLakewood, Colorado

Sydney San Francisco, CaliforniaChicago, Illinois

Sister Cities International Oklahoma City President Mary Blankenship Pointer and Secretary Nancy Hyde during a visit to Kigali in Rwanda.

AfghanistanGhazniHayward, California

JalalabadSan Diego, California

HeratCouncil Bluffs, Iowa

AlbaniaFieriCleveland, Ohio

AlgeriaMascaraElkader, Iowa

AngolaLuandaHouston, Texas

Argentina Bahia BlancaJacksonville, Florida

Buenos AiresMiami, Florida

CrespoMuscatine, Iowa

Jauregui-LujanMarshfield, Wisconsin

La PlataLouisville, Kentucky

MendozaMiami Dade County, FloridaNashville, Tennessee

ParanaMuscatine, Iowa

Rosario, Santa Fe ProvinceSt. Louis, Missouri

San Antonio de ArecoLaredo, Texas

San Carlos de BarilocheAspen, Colorado

San Martin de los AndesSteamboat Springs, Colorado

ArmeniaGyumriAlexandria, Virginia

VanadzorPasadena, California


Friendship City Emeritus Status Global Member


BulgariaKurdjaliElkhart, Indiana

PlevenCharlottesville, Virginia

PlovdivColumbia, South Carolina

SofiaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Burkina FasoBousseDecatur, Georgia

KwaremanguelPocatello, Idaho

OuahigouyaDecatur, Georgia

BurmaMawlamyine Fort Wayne, Indiana

CambodiaBattambangStockton, California

Phnom PenhLong Beach, California

Siem ReapAustin, Texas

SihanoukvilleSeattle, Washington

CameroonDoualaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

KumboLa Crosse, Wisconsin

LimbeSeattle, Washington

CanadaBramptonMiami Beach, Florida

BrockvilleOntario, California

BurnabyMesa, Arizona

CalgaryPhoenix, Arizona

Campobello IslandPoint Roberts, Washington

Bosnia and HerzegovinaBrčkoSt. Louis, Missouri

SarajevoDayton, Ohio

BotswanaGaboroneCalifornia

BrazilBrasiliaWashington, District of Columbia

CampinasSan Diego, CaliforniaIndianapolis, Indiana

Caxias do SulLittle Rock, Arkansas

CuritibaJacksonville, FloridaColumbus, Ohio

FlorianopolisRoanoke, Virginia

FortalezaMiami Beach, FloridaRacine, Wisconsin

IlheusDavenport, Iowa

ItajaiPompano Beach, Florida

JoinvilleChesapeake, Virginia

LondrinaToledo, Ohio

Nova PrataNoblesville, Indiana

Porto AlegreTampa, Florida

Rio de Janeiro Miami Beach, FloridaAtlanta, GeorgiaOklahoma City, Oklahoma

SalvadorLos Angeles, California

Sao PauloMiami Dade County, Florida

State of Rio de JaneiroMaryland State, Maryland

George-Town, Great ExumaSt. Augustine, Florida

NassauWinston-Salem, North Carolina

The BahamasMiami Dade County, Florida

BarbadosBridgetownWilmington, North Carolina

BelarusPartyzanski District, MinskBakersfield, California

BelgiumBastogneBryan-College Station, Texas

BrusselsWashington, District of ColumbiaAtlanta, Georgia

HasseltMountain View, California

KasterleeFountain Hills, Arizona

KortrijkGreenville, South Carolina

MechelenArvada, Colorado

MonsLittle Rock, Arkansas

Walloon RegionMaryland State, Maryland

BelizeBelize CityMcAllen, TexasPrairie View, Texas

Punta GordaPrairie View, Texas

San PedroWilmington, North Carolina

BeninCotonouAtlanta, Georgia

BoliviaSanta CruzMiami Dade County, Florida ok. se escuchó raro eso de “manuel la”OruroSalt Lake City, Utah




Viña del MarSausalito, California

ChinaAnhui ProvinceMaryland State, Maryland

AnshanBirmingham, Alabama

BaodingCharlotte, North Carolina

BeihaiTulsa, Oklahoma

Beijing Washington, District of Columbia

ChangchunLittle Rock, Arkansas

Changping DistrictOakland, California

ChangshuWhittier, California

ChangzhouRockford, IllinoisBuffalo, New York

Chao Yang District, BeijingBirmingham, Alabama

ChengduPhoenix, ArizonaOakland, California Louisville, Kentucky

ChenzhouLaredo, Texas

Chongming CountyLakeland, Florida

Toronto Chicago, Illinois

VancouverLos Angeles, California

Vernon, British ColumbiaModesto, California

WaterlooCenterville, Ohio

WhitehorseJuneau, Alaska

WinnipegMinneapolis, Minnesota

Cape VerdePraiaBoston, Massachusetts

Cayman IslandsCayman IslandsMiami Dade County, Florida

ChileIquiqueMiami Dade County, Florida

Lo BarnecheaTyler, Texas

Punta ArenasBellingham, Washington

Rapa NuiMaui, Hawaii

SantiagoMiami, FloridaMinneapolis, Minnesota

Carleton PlaceFranklin, Tennessee

CharlesbourgGrand Prairie, Texas

CollingwoodBoone, North Carolina

EdmontonNashville, Tennessee

HalifaxNorfolk, Virginia

HamiltonSarasota, Florida

KingstonScottsdale, Arizona

Kingsville, OntarioWestlake, Ohio

LethbridgeCulver City, California

MarkhamCary, North Carolina

OutremontOakwood, Ohio

Richmond HillLakeland, Florida

Saint LaurentMcAllen, Texas

SidneyAnacortes, Washington

Thunder Bay Duluth, MinnesotaLittle Canada, Minnesota

Photo from the 50th Anniversary celebration of the relationship between Dayton, Ohio and Oiso, Kanagawa. Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, City Manager Shelley Dickstein and Dayton Sister City Committee’s Oiso Chair Kevin Lydy present Oiso Mayor Hisao Nakajima with gifts. Joining the Dayton delegation are three high school students from Dayton.




KaifengWichita, Kansas

KaipingMesa, Arizona

KunmingDenver, Colorado

KunshanDurham, North Carolina

LanzhouAlbuquerque, New MexicoTampa, Florida

Laoshan DistrictColumbia, Missouri

Lengshuijian City, HunanMillbrae, California

LeshanGilbert, Arizona

LhasaBoulder, Colorado

LijiangMalibu, CaliforniaRoanoke, Virginia

LinliRedlands, California

LiuzhouCincinnati, Ohio

Huizhou MunicipalityMilpitas, California

JiangmenRiverside, California

JiangyinAlameda, California

JiaxingLakeland, Florida Rockville, Maryland

JilinSpokane, Washington

JinanSacramento, California

Jingan DistrictOakland, California

JingdezhenDoor County, Wisconsin

JiningLittle Rock, Arkansas

JinzhouOakland, California Arvada, Colorado

Jiujiang Louisville, Kentucky

Jurong Oakland, California

ChongqingSeattle, Washington

CixiBakersfield, California

DalianOakland, CaliforniaSalisbury, Maryland

DandongWilmington, North Carolina

DanzhouLakewood, Washington

Fengxian District, ShanghaiLakeland, Florida

FoshanOakland, CaliforniaStockton, California

FuzhouTacoma, Washington

GanzhouMcAllen, Texas

GuanghanAuburn, Washington

GuangzhouLos Angeles, CaliforniaOakland, California

Guiyang Fort Worth, Texas

Haikou, Hainan Scottsdale, ArizonaOakland, California Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Hainan ProvinceMaui, Hawaii

Haizhu District, GuangzhouUrbana, Illinois

HanchuanMartinez, California

HandanDubuque, Iowa

HangzhouIndianapolis, Indiana Boston, Massachusetts

HarbinMinneapolis, Minnesota

HefeiColumbus, Ohio

Huadu District, Guangzhou CityMillbrae, California

The San Jose Dublin Sister City Board of Directors participate in team building activities during its 2018 board retreat in the Santa Cruz Mountains.




Kansas City, Missouri

XiamenBaltimore, Maryland

XiangyangCarmel, IndianaRochester, New YorkRaleigh, North Carolina

XianningDurham, North Carolina

Xicheng DistrictPasadena, California

Xingcheng CityLakeland, Florida

XinzhengHays, Kansas

XishuangbannaAustin, Texas

Yan’anKansas City, Missouri

YangpuPalo Alto, California

Yangpu District, ShanghaiWinston-Salem, North Carolina

Yangshuo CountyMorehead, Kentucky

YantaiSan Diego, CaliforniaOmaha, Nebraska

YibinColumbia, South Carolina

YingkouJacksonville, Florida

Yingtan CityLivingston, California

YixingSanford, North Carolina

Yuhang DistrictAuburn, Washington

YushuSan Bernardino, California

ZhangjiagangRedondo Beach, California

ZhangjiajieSanta Fe, New Mexico

ZhengdingMuscatine, Iowa

Chicago, IllinoisHouston, Texas

ShaoxingJacksonville, Florida

ShenyangChicago, Illinois

ShenzhenAtlanta, Georgia Houston, Texas

ShijiazhuangDes Moines, Iowa

Siming District, XiamenSarasota, Florida

SongShangOakland, California

SuzhouJacksonville, Florida Portland, OregonSan Antonio, Texas

TaiyuanNashville, Tennessee

TaizhouNewport News, Virginia

Tanggu District, TianjinOakland, California

TianjinPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaGreenville, South Carolina

TongxiangElkhart, Indiana

WeifangOakland, California Pueblo, Colorado

WeihaiSanta Barbara, California

Wenzhou Laredo, Texas

WuhanSt. Louis, MissouriPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

WuweiLaredo, Texas

WuxiSan Antonio, Texas

Wuzhong District, SuzhouSouthlake, Texas

Xi’anMontgomery County, Maryland

LiyangColumbia, Maryland

LongkouLafayette, Indiana

LuoyangLa Crosse, Wisconsin

MaomingOakland, California

MengziModesto, California

MianyangOakland, California

MishanJuneau, Alaska

NanjingAtlanta, Georgia St. Louis, Missouri

NanningOakland, California

NingboWilmington, Delaware Jacksonville, Florida Norfolk, VirginiaMilwaukee, Wisconsin

PenglaiSonoma, California

Pinghu CityWatsonville, California

PudongOakland, California Beverly Hills, California

QingdaoLong Beach, CaliforniaOakland, California

QingyangEdmond, Oklahoma

QinhuangdaoToledo, Ohio

QufuBoynton Beach, Florida

QuzhouRed Wing, Minnesota

SanmingLansing, Michigan

Sanya County, HainanMaui, Hawaii

ShanghaiSan Francisco, California




CroatiaBeli ManastirCambridge, Minnesota

CavtatWatsonville, California

DubrovnikMonterey, California

SplitLos Angeles, California

Vela LukaAnacortes, Washington

ZadarMilwaukee, Wisconsin

ZagrebPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

CubaChiviricoSanta Cruz, California

Cienfuegos Cambridge, MassachusettsTacoma, Washington

HolguinSanta Fe, New Mexico

MatanzasPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

ReglaRichmond, California

Santa ClaraBloomington, Indiana

Santiago de CubaOakland, California

YaterasBoulder, Colorado

Czech RepublicBrnoDallas, Texas

Cesky KrumlovMiami Beach, Florida

DomažliceTwo Rivers, Wisconsin

FrenstatLa Grange, Texas

Karlovy VaryCarlsbad, California

KladnoBellevue, Washington

MantaPrairie View, Texas

PereiraMiami Dade County, Florida

Santa MartaMiami Beach, Florida

Santander de QuilichaoPrairie View, Texas

Congo (Kinshasa)Mbuji-Mayi, District Heights, Maryland

Costa RicaEscazuPensacola, Florida

La CruzLaredo, Texas

LiberiaTyler, Texas

MonteverdeEstes Park, Colorado

San JoseSan Jose, CaliforniaMiami Dade County, FloridaMcAllen, Texas

TilaránDurham, North Carolina

TurrialbaRancho Cordova, California

ZhengzhouRichmond, Virginia

ZhenjiangTempe, Arizona

ZhoushanRichmond, California

ZhuhaiRedwood City, California

ZhuzhouDurham, North Carolina

ZixingLaredo, Texas

ColombiaBarranquilla Tampa, Florida

Bogotá Chicago, Illinois

CaliMiami, Florida

CartagenaCoral Gables, Florida

Cartagena de IndiasSt. Augustine, Florida

GuachenéPrairie View, Texas

ManizalesGainesville, Florida

Lansing Regional Sister Cities Commission (LRSCC) built a clinic in Nsakye, Ghana and renovated two clinics in and near Aburi. On this trip, LRSCC asked for a list of local needs and purchased every item on the list. LRSCC received a grant from Lansing Rotary Club and will be providing an air conditioning and air purification system to the maternity and neonatal wards this summer.




EswatiniMbabaneFort Worth, Texas

EthiopiaAddis AbabaWashington, District of Columbia

AxumDenver, Colorado

Bahir DarOakland, California Cleveland, Ohio

GondarMontgomery County, Maryland

FinlandEspooIrving, Texas

JärvenpääPasadena, California

KuopioMinneapolis, Minnesota

RaumaBoynton Beach, Florida

SaloSt. Anthony, Minnesota

VaasaBellingham, Washington

FranceAgenGalena, IllinoisCorpus Christi, Texas

Aix-en-ProvenceCoral Gables, FloridaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

Aix-Marseille-Provence MetropolisMiami Dade County, Florida

AlbiPalo Alto, CaliforniaMaui, Hawaii

AmiensTulsa, Oklahoma

AngersAustin, Texas

AngoulêmeHoffman Estates, Illinois

AntibesNewport Beach, California

AvignonNew Haven, Connecticut

San Cristobal IslandMaui, Hawaii

San Pablo de MantaLong Beach, California

TenaSanta Clarita, California

EgyptAlexandriaBaltimore, MarylandCleveland, Ohio

AswanSonoma, California

GizaLos Angeles, California

LuxorBaltimore, Maryland

El SalvadorAtacoFountain Hills, Arizona

Concepción de AtacoElk Grove, California

MorazánMontgomery County, Maryland

San Jose Las FloresCambridge, Massachusetts

San MiguelArlington, Virginia

San Pedro MasahuatWatsonville, California

San SalvadorLos Angeles, California

Santa AnaMiramar, Florida

Santa TeclaPrairie View, Texas

Segundo MontesCleveland, Ohio

SuchitotoPrescott, Arizona

YucuaiquSomerville, Massachusetts

EstoniaHarju CountyMaryland State, Maryland

TartuSalisbury, Maryland

KrnovYukon, Oklahoma

OlomoucOwensboro, Kentucky

Olomouc KrajOwensboro, Kentucky

OpavaKearney, Nebraska

OstravaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

PlzenBirmingham, Alabama

PraguePhoenix, ArizonaMiami Dade County, FloridaChicago, Illinois

TaborOrinda, California

ZamberkRice Lake, Wisconsin

DenmarkAalborgRacine, Wisconsin

OdenseColumbus, Ohio

VardeSan Mateo, California

Dominican RepublicBaniBuffalo, New York

Puerta PlataRochester, New York

SalcedoAtlanta, Georgia

Santo DomingoMiami Dade County, Florida

East TimorAinaroMadison, Wisconsin

EcuadorCuencaTempe, Arizona

GuayaquilHouston, Texas

QuitoCoral Gables, FloridaLouisville, Kentucky




NiceHouston, Texas

NîmesFort Worth, Texas

NoirmoutierCrestview, Florida

Nord-Pas de CalaisMaryland State, Maryland

OrléansWichita, Kansas

ParisSan Francisco, California Washington, District of ColumbiaChicago, Illinois

PerpignanSarasota, Florida

ReimsArlington, Virginia

RennesRochester, New York

RouenCleveland, Ohio

Rueil MalmaisonLynchburg, Virginia

Saint-EtienneDes Moines, Iowa

Saint-LoRoanoke, Virginia

Sainte MaximeMatthews, North Carolina

SaumurAsheville, North Carolina

St. Jean Pied de PortSouth San Francisco, California

StrasbourgBoston, Massachusetts

ThionvilleUrbana, Illinois

Thonon-les-BainsMercer Island, Washington

Thoré-la-RochetteGordonsville, Virginia

ToulonNorfolk, Virginia

ToulouseAtlanta, Georgia

EpinalLa Crosse, Wisconsin

Fontenay-le-ComtePalatine, Illinois

GrenoblePhoenix, Arizona

La Petite RocheLittle Rock, Arkansas

Lamentin, GuadeloupeMiami Dade County, Florida

Lamotte-BeuvronParis, Kentucky

LavalModesto, California

Le HavreTampa, Florida

Le TouquetCary, North Carolina

Le VésinetOakwood, Ohio

LilleBuffalo, New York

LimogesCharlotte, North Carolina

LyonSt. Louis, Missouri

MentonLaguna Beach, California

MetzKansas City, Missouri

Montbéliard Greensboro, North Carolina

Montélimar Racine, Wisconsin

MontpellierLouisville, Kentucky

NancyCincinnati, Ohio

NantesJacksonville, FloridaSeattle, Washington

NemoursWilmington, Delaware

Neuilly-PlaisanceMontgomery, Ohio

Beaulieu-sur-MerTempe, Arizona

BesançonCharlottesville, Virginia

BiarritzAugusta, Georgia

BiotTacoma, Washington

BordeauxLos Angeles, California

Boulogne-BillancourtIrving, Texas

BrestDenver, Colorado

CaenNashville, TennesseeAlexandria, Virginia

CannesBeverly Hills, California

Carentan-les-MaraisHopkinsville, Kentucky

CenonHartford, Vermont

Cergy-PontoiseColumbia, Maryland

Chambolle-MusignySonoma, California

ChamonixAspen, Colorado

ChâteaurouxFresno, California

Clermont-FerrandNorman, Oklahoma

CognacDenison, Texas

CompiègneRaleigh, North Carolina

CourchevelPark City, Utah

CrouyNashville, Tennessee

DeauvilleLexington, Kentucky

DijonDallas, Texas

DouaiKenosha, Wisconsin




EisenachWaverly, Iowa

ErlangenRiverside, California

EutinLawrence, Kansas

Frankfurt am MainPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

FriedbergLa Crosse, Wisconsin

FuldaWilmington, Delaware

GarbsenFarmers Branch, Texas

Garmisch-PartenkirchenAspen, Colorado

GedernColumbia, Illinois

GlauchauLynchburg, Virginia

GothaGastonia, North Carolina

GreifswaldBryan-College Station, TexasNewport News, Virginia

Gross-BieberauMillstadt, Illinois

HamburgChicago, Illinois

HammSanta Monica, California

HannoverKansas City, Missouri

HeidelbergPalo Alto, California

HeidenheimCleveland, Ohio

HelmstedtAlbuquerque, New Mexico

HerfordQuincy, Illinois

HerzbergDixon, Illinois

HockenheimMooresville-South Iredell, North Carolina

Bad ZwischenahnCenterville, Ohio

BerlinLos Angeles, California

BraunschweigOmaha, Nebraska

BremerhavenBaltimore, Maryland

BuhlMelrose, Minnesota

CelleTulsa, Oklahoma

CoburgToledo, Ohio

CologneIndianapolis, Indiana

DarmstadtSan Antonio, Texas

DelmenhorstToledo, Ohio

DierdorfFountain Hills, Arizona

DortmundBuffalo, New York

DresdenColumbus, Ohio

EinhausenShoreview, Minnesota

ToursMinneapolis, Minnesota

Vaux-le-PenilBelvidere, Illinois

VendômeHampton, Virginia

Villefranche Sur MerAustin, Texas

VincennesVincennes, Indiana

GeorgiaK’ut’aisiColumbia, Missouri

PotiLaGrange, Georgia

TbilisiAtlanta, Georgia

GermanyAachenArlington, Virginia

ApoldaRapid City, South Dakota

AugsburgDayton, Ohio

Bad KönigshofenArlington, Texas

Bad Soden am TaunusFranklin, Tennessee

Danville, Kentucky and sister city Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland exchanged artists in 2018. Community members including Habitat for Humanity, Centre College and the Danville Sister Cities Commission all pitched in to install a mural by international mural artist, Dee Craig. Dee was selected as Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland’s exchange artist to Danville, Kentucky.




WaiblingenVirginia Beach, Virginia

WaldsrodeHibbing, Minnesota

WalldorfAstoria, Oregon

WasserburgVincennes, Indiana

WeselHagerstown, Maryland

WilhelmshavenNorfolk, Virginia

WolfenbuttelKenosha, Wisconsin

WürzburgRochester, New York

ZeitzPrescott, Arizona

ZittauPortsmouth, Ohio

GhanaAboadzeBuffalo, New York

AccraWashington, District of ColumbiaChicago, IllinoisColumbus, OhioColumbia, South Carolina

Akuapem South DistrictLansing, Michigan

ApaasoBirmingham, Alabama

AseseesoPrairie View, Texas

Cape CoastHanover Park, IllinoisBuffalo, New York

Ga East DistrictGrand Rapids, Michigan

Ga West DistrictGrand Rapids, Michigan

KumasiCharlotte, North CarolinaWinston-Salem, North Carolina

Nsawam Adoagyiri MunicipalityLansing, Michigan

ObuasiRiverside, California

OlfenLa Grange, Texas

PaderbornBelleville, Illinois

PfaffenweilerJasper, Indiana

PinnebergRockville, Maryland

Porta WestfalicaWaterloo, Illinois

PotsdamSioux Falls, South Dakota

RadebeulSierra Vista, Arizona

RegensburgTempe, Arizona

RostockRaleigh, North Carolina

SaarbruckenPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

SchaumburgSchaumburg, Illinois

SchonebeckFarmers Branch, Texas

SchorndorfTuscaloosa, Alabama

SchwieberdingenBelvidere, Illinois

SeevetalDecatur, Illinois

StadeLakewood, Colorado

StuttgartSt. Louis, Missouri

TaufkirchenWest Chicago, Illinois

TelgteTomball, Texas

TirschenreuthSanta Fe Springs, California

TrierFort Worth, Texas

UlmNew Ulm, Minnesota

UnterhachingOakwood, Ohio

KaiserslauternDavenport, IowaColumbia, South Carolina

KielSan Francisco, California

KoblenzAustin, Texas

Konigs WusterhausenGermantown, Tennessee

KrefeldCharlotte, North Carolina

Kubelstein Stadt SchesslitzVictoria, Kansas

LegdenMelrose, Minnesota

LeipzigHouston, Texas

LichtenfelsVandalia, Ohio

LindenbergSaline, Michigan

LöhneColumbus, Indiana

LudwigsburgSt. Charles, Missouri

Ludwigshafen Am RheinPasadena, California

LudwigslustMuscatine, Iowa

MagdeburgNashville, Tennessee

MainzLouisville, Kentucky

MunichCincinnati, Ohio

NeckargemündMissoula, Montana

Neu-UlmNew Ulm, Minnesota

Neustadt an der WaldnaabHays, Kansas

NienburgLas Cruces, New Mexico

NittenauLake Zurich, Illinois

NurembergAtlanta, Georgia




SzekesfehervarBirmingham, Alabama

TaszárRockford, Illinois

TokajSonoma, California

IcelandAkureyriDenver, Colorado

ReykjavikSeattle, Washington

IndiaAgraTempe, Arizona

AhmedabadColumbus, Ohio

AmritsarBakersfield, California

BangaloreSan Francisco, California Cleveland, Ohio

BhubaneswarCupertino, California

ChennaiDenver, ColoradoSan Antonio, Texas

CoimbatoreToledo, Ohio

DelhiChicago, Illinois

HyderabadRiverside, CaliforniaIndianapolis, Indiana Montgomery County, Maryland

KochiNorfolk, Virginia

MajkhaliGunnison, Colorado

MumbaiLos Angeles, California

MysoreCincinnati, Ohio

NagpurSanta Clara, California

PuneSan Jose, California

GuyanaGeorgetownSt. Louis, Missouri

HaitiAquinDelray Beach, Florida

ArcahaieNorth Miami, Florida

BorgneHoneoye Falls, New York

Cap-HaitienPortland, MaineColumbia, Maryland

DelmasNorth Miami, Florida

DeschapellesEssex, Connecticut

JacmelGainesville, Florida

Les CayesBoynton Beach, Florida

Petit GoaveMiami Dade County, Florida

Port-de-PaixOakland, California

Saint-Louis-du-NordNorth Miami, Florida

ThomondeDistrict Heights, Maryland

HondurasTegucigalpaGainesville, Florida

HungaryBudapestFort Worth, Texas

Csongrad CountyToledo, Ohio

DebrecenNew Brunswick, New Jersey

MiskolcCleveland, Ohio

PecsSeattle, Washington

SiofokWalnut Creek, California

SzegedToledo, Ohio

Sekondi-TakoradiOakland, CaliforniaBoston, Massachusetts

Sunyani-TechimanTuscaloosa, Alabama

TamaleLouisville, Kentucky

TemaSan Diego, CaliforniaColumbia, MarylandNorfolk, Virginia

WinnebaBirmingham, AlabamaCharlottesville, Virginia

GreeceAncient OlympiaColorado Springs, ColoradoAtlanta, Georgia

AthensLos Angeles, CaliforniaWashington, District of ColumbiaChicago, Illinois

IniadesLawrence, Kansas

KalamariaClearwater, Florida

KarpenisiAsheville, North Carolina

KavalaDurham, North Carolina

MytilenePortland, Maine

PatrasSanta Barbara, California

PiraeusBaltimore, Maryland

ThessalonikiSan Francisco, California

GuatemalaChiquimulaPort Huron, Michigan

La AntiguaCoral Gables, Florida

QuezaltenangoLivermore, California

GuineaConakryCleveland, Ohio




HeadfordMorgan Hill, California

KillarneySpringfield, Illinois Concord, North Carolina

LimerickSpokane, Washington

Limerick City and CountySanta Clara, CaliforniaNew Brunswick, New Jersey

NaasOmaha, Nebraska

South Dublin CountyTampa, Florida

ThurlesSalt Lake City, Utah

TraleeWestlake, Ohio

TullamoreChandler, Arizona

WaterfordRochester, New York

West MayoCleveland, Ohio

Isle of ManBrideGilbert, Arkansas

IsraelAfula-GilboaNew Haven, Connecticut

AshdodTampa, Florida

AshkelonSacramento, CaliforniaBaltimore, MarylandPortland, Oregon

Beer ShevaSeattle, Washington

Beit She’anCleveland, Ohio

EilatLos Angeles, California

HaderaCharlotte, North CarolinaEl Paso, Texas

HaifaSan Francisco, California

CorkSan Francisco, California

County CorkMaryland State, Maryland

County KildareLexington, Kentucky

County LaoisFranklin, Tennessee

County MeathCary, North Carolina

DingleSanta Barbara, California

DonegalSt. Louis, Missouri

DublinSan Jose, California

DundalkPikeville, Kentucky

Ely O’CarrollBaltimore, Maryland

EnnisPhoenix, Arizona

GalwayMenlo Park, CaliforniaChicago, IllinoisCambridge, MassachusettsSt. Louis, MissouriSeattle, WashingtonMilwaukee, Wisconsin

VadodaraGreenville, South Carolina

VijayawadaModesto, California

IndonesiaBandungFort Worth, Texas

BogorSt. Louis, Missouri

JakartaLos Angeles, California

MedanMilwaukee, Wisconsin

SurabayaSeattle, Washington

IranTehranLos Angeles, California

IraqAl-HillaTempe, Arizona

BaghdadDenver Regional Council of Governments, Colorado

DuhokGainesville, Florida

Karadah BaghdadCouncil Bluffs, Iowa

RaniaDuluth, Minnesota

NajafMinneapolis, Minnesota

BasrahHouston, Texas

IrelandBallymoeBoys Town, Nebraska

BantryLa Crosse, Wisconsin

CarlowTempe, ArizonaCounty Davenport, Iowa

Carndonagh/InishowenSt. Charles, Missouri

CastlebarDixon, Illinois

Vocalist Magos Herrera from Mexico City performs “Sister Cities” during the Sister City Jazz Ensemble in February of 2018.




CosenzaKenosha, Wisconsin

FerentinoRockford, Illinois

FerraraHighland Park, Illinois

Figline ValdarnoMilpitas, California

FlorencePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

GaetaCambridge, MassachusettsSomerville, Massachusetts

GenoaBaltimore, Maryland Columbus, Ohio

Greve-in-ChiantiSonoma, California

IschiaLos Angeles, CaliforniaCambridge, Massachusetts

Isola delle FemmineMonterey, California

La SpeziaVallejo, California

Lambro and MingardoHazleton, Pennsylvania

LivornoOakland, California

LodiLodi, California

LuccaSouth San Francisco, California

Lucca SiculaPueblo, Colorado

MarinoIrving, Texas

Metropolitan City of FlorenceSanta Clara County, California

MilanChicago, Illinois

MilazzoMartinez, California

ModenaHighland Park, Illinois

Mola di BariAuburn, Washington

TiberiasVillage of Great Neck Plaza, New YorkTulsa, Oklahoma

Tzahar RegionWest Palm Beach, Florida

YeruchamHighland Park, Illinois

ItalyAbetoneAspen, Colorado

AbruzzoPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

AgrigentoTampa, Florida

AlbaMedford, Oregon

AmalfiNew Haven, Connecticut

ArezzoNorman, Oklahoma

AsiagoLockport, Illinois

AssisiSan Francisco, California

BergamoPueblo, ColoradoGreenville, South Carolina

BolognaSt. Louis, MissouriPortland, Oregon

CagliSpokane, Washington

CaltanissettaRochester, New York

CannaraWalla Walla, Washington

Capo d’OrlandoCulver City, California

CarunchioSaluda, North Carolina

CataniaPhoenix, Arizona

CittadellaNoblesville, Indiana

CopertinoCupertino, California

HatzorReno, Nevada

HerzliyaBeverly Hills, California San Bernardino, CaliforniaColumbus, Ohio

HolonCleveland, OhioDayton, Ohio

KarmielDenver, ColoradoPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Kfar SabaGainesville, Florida

Kiryat GatHighland Park, Illinois Buffalo, New York

Kiryat MotzkinTacoma, Washington

Mateh AsherWest Des Moines, Iowa

MisgavPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

NahariyaMiami Beach, FloridaSunny Isles Beach, Florida

Petach TikvaChicago, Illinois

Ra’ananaAtlanta, Georgia

Ramat GanMiami Beach, FloridaPhoenix, Arizona

Ramat HaNegevDenver, Colorado Maryland State, Maryland

RamlaKansas City, Missouri

RehovotAlbuquerque, New MexicoRochester, New York

Rosh Ha’ayinBirmingham, Alabama

Tel Aviv – YafoPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaSan Antonio, Texas

Tel MondSarasota, Florida




AsoLaGrange, Georgia

Chiba CityHouston, Texas

ChinoLongmont, Colorado

Daisen (Nakayama)Temecula, California

FujinomiyaSanta Monica, California

FujisawaMiami Beach, Florida

FujiyoshidaColorado Springs, Colorado

FukuiNew Brunswick, New Jersey

FukuokaOakland, CaliforniaAtlanta, Georgia

FukuyamaMaui, Hawaii

FunabashiHayward, California

FuttsuCarlsbad, California

GeroPensacola, Florida

GifuCincinnati, Ohio

Hachijo IslandMaui, Hawaii

Hakusan (Matto)Columbia, Missouri

HamamatsuRochester, New York

HanamakiHot Springs, Arkansas

HanyūMillbrae, California

Harima-choLima, Ohio

HimejiPhoenix, Arizona

HinoRedlands, California

SorrentoSanta Fe, New Mexico

SpoletoCharleston, South Carolina

StresaMartinez, California

TaorminaSunny Isles Beach, Florida

Termini Imerese SicilyElk Grove Village, Illinois

TermoliPompano Beach, Florida

TorinoSalt Lake City, Utah

TorremaggioreBuffalo, New York

TrevisoSarasota, Florida

VeniceLong Beach, California

VerbaniaHendersonville, North Carolina

VincenzaCleveland, Ohio

Ivory CoastAbidjanSan Francisco, California

BloléquinMorrisville, Pennsylvania

JamaicaKingstonBirmingham, AlabamaMiami Dade County, Florida

Montego BayAtlanta, Georgia

Ocho RiosOakland, California

Portmore St. CatherineLakeland, FloridaSt. AnnBuffalo, New York

JapanAkashiVallejo, California

AshikagaSpringfield, Illinois

MonzaIndianapolis, Indiana

NocetoWalnut Creek, California

OderzoSuffolk, Virginia

Olevano sul TuscianoWilmington, Delaware

PaduaBoston, Massachusetts

ParmaStockton, California

PerugiaGrand Rapids, MichiganSeattle, Washington

PesaroDelray Beach, Florida

PescaraMiami Beach, Florida

PianezzaLansing, Michigan

PisaCoral Gables, Florida

Poggio a CaianoCharlottesville, Virginia

PotenzaDenver, Colorado

Provincia di AstiMiami Dade County, Florida

RagusaLittle Rock, Arkansas

Reggio EmiliaFort Worth, Texas

Riva TrigosoSanta Cruz, California

RomeWashington, District of Columbia

San Casciano in Val di PesaMorgan Hill, California

San Giovanni ValdarnoCorning, New York

Sestri LevanteSanta Cruz, California

SienaBuffalo, New YorkConcord, North Carolina




KobePhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaSeattle, Washington

KofuLodi, CaliforniaDes Moines, Iowa

KukizakiMilpitas, California

KumamotoSan Antonio, Texas

KurashikiKansas City, Missouri

KurumeModesto, California

KushimotoHemet, California

KyotoBoston, Massachusetts

MaebashiBirmingham, Alabama

MarumoriHemet, California

MatsumotoSalt Lake City, Utah

MatsuyamaSacramento, California

Miasa-OmachiMendocino, California

Miharu-MachiRice Lake, Wisconsin

MishimaPasadena, California

MitoAnaheim, California

MiyazakiVirginia Beach, Virginia

MiyazuDelray Beach, Florida

MizuhoMorgan Hill, California

NaganoClearwater, Florida

NaganoharaLivingston, Montana

KaizukaCulver City, California

Kakegawa (Osuka)Corning, New YorkEugene, Oregon

KakudaGreenfield, Indiana

KamakuraNashville, Tennessee

KameokaStillwater, Oklahoma

Kanagawa PrefectureMaryland State, Maryland

KanazawaBuffalo, New York

KanumaGrand Forks, North Dakota

KasukabePasadena, California

KawachinaganoCarmel, Indiana

Kawakami-MuraWatsonville, California

KawasakiBaltimore, Maryland

KishiwadaSouth San Francisco, California

KitakyushuNorfolk, VirginiaTacoma, Washington

Hirara (Miyakujima)Maui, Hawaii

HiratsukaLawrence, Kansas

HitachiBirmingham, Alabama

HosoechoCamas, Washington

Ibaraki, OsakaMinneapolis, Minnesota

IchikawaGardena, California

IchikawadaimonMuscatine, Iowa

IkataRed Wing, Minnesota

ImabariLakeland, Florida

IsesakiSpringfield, Missouri

Isumi-shiDuluth, Minnesota

ItomanRedondo Beach, California

IwamizawaPocatello, Idaho

IwataMountain View, California

IzumoSanta Clara, California

Marathon runners from Angoulême, France participated in Fit America Run in Hoffman Estates, Ilinoiis.




TaharaGeorgetown, Kentucky

TakamatsuSt. Petersburg, Florida

TakarazukaAugusta, Georgia

TakayamaDenver, Colorado

TakeoSebastopol, California

Taki-ChoCamas, Washington

TamanaClarinda, Iowa

Tamba (Kasuga)Auburn, Washington

TateshinaOregon City, Oregon

TateyamaBellingham, Washington

TobaSanta Barbara, California

Tokai-MuraIdaho Falls, Idaho

TokorozawaDecatur, Illinois

Tome (Toyoma)Southlake, Texas

ToyamaDurham, North Carolina

ToyohashiToledo, Ohio

ToyokawaCupertino, California

ToyonakaSan Mateo, California

TsuchiuraPalo Alto, California

TsukubaIrvine, CaliforniaMilpitas, California

TsuruokaNew Brunswick, New Jersey

TsurutaHood River, Oregon

OtaBurbank, CaliforniaLafayette, Indiana

OtsuLansing, Michigan

Saitama (Urawa)Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaRichmond, Virginia

SakaideSausalito, California

SakataDelaware, Ohio

SapporoPortland, Oregon

SaromaPalmer, Alaska

SaseboAlbuquerque, New Mexico

SeikaNorman, Oklahoma

SendaiRiverside, California

ShimadaRichmond, California

Shimamoto-choFrankfort, Kentucky

Shimizu, HokkaidoChelsea, Michigan

Shimizu/ShizuokaStockton, California

ShimukappuAspen, Colorado

ShinagawaPortland, Maine

ShinguSanta Cruz, California

ShinhidakaLexington, Kentucky

ShizuokaOmaha, Nebraska

SokaCarson, California

SuwaSt. Louis, Missouri

TachikawaSan Bernardino, California

NagaokaFort Worth, Texas

NagoyaLos Angeles, California

Nakagawa-machi, TochigiHorseheads, New York

Nakashi (Naka Machi)Oak Ridge, Tennessee

NamerikawaSchaumburg, Illinois

NanaoMonterey, California

NarashinoTuscaloosa, Alabama

NeyagawaNewport News, Virginia

NikahoAnacortes, Washington

NikkoRapid City, South Dakota

NishinomiyaSpokane, Washington

NisshinOwensboro, Kentucky

OisoDayton, OhioRacine, Wisconsin

OitaAustin, Texas

OkayamaSan Jose, California

OkazakiNewport Beach, California

Okinawa CityLakewood, Washington

OmihachimanGrand Rapids, Michigan

Omitama (Minori)Abilene, Kansas

OmiyaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

OsakaSan Francisco, CaliforniaChicago, Illinois

OsakasayamaOntario, Oregon




LesothoMaseruAustin, Texas

LiberiaBong CountyMaryland State, Maryland

BuchananWinston-Salem, North Carolina

GbarngaBaltimore, Maryland

Maryland CountyMaryland State, Maryland

MonroviaDayton, Ohio

LithuaniaAlytusRochester, New York

KaunasLos Angeles, California

KlaipedaCleveland, Ohio

SiauliaiOmaha, Nebraska

VilniusChicago, Illinois

MacedoniaSkopjeTempe, ArizonaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

NairobiDenver, ColoradoRaleigh, North Carolina

ThikaDixon, Illinois

Uasin Gishu CountyScottsdale, Arizona

KosovoPejaJohnston, Iowa

PristinaDes Moines, Iowa

KyrgyzstanBishkekColorado Springs, Colorado

TokmokRockford, Illinois

LatviaLiepajaBellevue, Washington

RigaDallas, Texas

LebanonBeirutLos Angeles, California

Bekaa ValleyToledo, Ohio

MejdlayaGainesville, Florida

TsuyamaSanta Fe, New Mexico

UtsunomiyaTulsa, Oklahoma

Wakami-MachiLivingston, California

WakayamaBakersfield, California

Yachiyo, ChibaTyler, Texas

YamagataBoulder, Colorado

YaoBellevue, Washington

YokkaichiLong Beach, California

YokohamaSan Diego, California

YokosukaCorpus Christi, Texas

YotsukaidoLivermore, California

YuasaCambridge, Minnesota

JordanAl-KarakBirmingham, Alabama

AmmanSan Francisco, CaliforniaChicago, IllinoisCincinnati, Ohio

Deir AllaGainesville, Florida

KazakhstanKyzylordaArvada, Colorado

KenyaBometMilwaukee, Wisconsin

EldoretMinneapolis, Minnesota

KisumuBoulder, ColoradoRoanoke, Virginia

MombasaLong Beach, CaliforniaSeattle, Washington

Brewmasters from Fort Worth, TX and Trier, Germany collaborate to create a signature beer for Fort Worth’s Oktoberfest.




Albuquerque, New MexicoPortland, OregonLaredo, TexasSan Antonio, Texas

Guadalupe, Nuevo LeónReno, NevadaLaredo, TexasMcAllen, Texas

GuamuchilOntario, California

GuanajuatoAshland, Oregon

GuaymasMesa, Arizona

Guerrero del Real de Rio GrandeSan Elizario, Texas

HermosilloPhoenix, ArizonaIrvine, California

HuatabampoGardena, California

Irapuato, GuanajuatoMcAllen, Texas

Isla MujeresPensacola, FloridaSt. Petersburg, Florida

Ixtapa ZihuatanejoPalm Desert, CaliforniaMcAllen, Texas

Jalpan de SerraLaredo, Texas

Jerez de Garcia SalinasLaredo, Texas

JocotepecWatsonville, California

La PazRedondo Beach, California

LampazosLaredo, Texas

Lazaro CardenasLaredo, Texas

LeonSan Diego, CaliforniaIrving, TexasLaredo, TexasLeón GuanajuatoLaredo, Texas

Los HerrerasLaredo, Texas

CerralvoLaredo, Texas

ChihuahuaPueblo, ColoradoAlbuquerque, New Mexico

Cienega de FloresLaredo, Texas

Ciudad GuzmanRedwood City, CaliforniaLongmont, Colorado

Ciudad JuárezEl Paso, Texas

Ciudad LerdoLas Cruces, New Mexico

Ciudad ManteBoulder, Colorado

Ciudad VallesLaredo, Texas

Ciudad VictoriaMcAllen, Texas

ColimaRedwood City, CaliforniaNorman, Oklahoma

CoyoacanArlington, Virginia

CozumelMiami Beach, Florida

CuautlaRiverside, CaliforniaLaredo, Texas

CuernavacaDenver, ColoradoMinneapolis, MinnesotaLaredo, Texas

EmpalmeStockton, California

EnsenadaRedondo Beach, CaliforniaRiverside, California

EscobedoLaredo, Texas

Garcia, Nuevo LeónMcAllen, Texas

General TeranLaredo, Texas

GuadalajaraSan Jose, CaliforniaLansing, MichiganKansas City, Missouri

KratovoHartford, Vermont

MalawiZombaUrbana, Illinois

MaliBamakoRochester, New York

SegouRichmond, Virginia

TimbuktuTempe, Arizona

MexicoAcambaroLaredo, Texas

AcapulcoBeverly Hills, CaliforniaMcAllen, Texas

AguascalientesModesto, California

AlamosScottsdale, Arizona

AmecaMorgan Hill, California

AngosturaLaredo, Texas

Ascensión, MexicoMesilla, New Mexico

AtotonilcoSouth San Francisco, California

Boca Del RioTacoma, Washington

Cabo San LucasNewport Beach, California

CaborcaPrescott, ArizonaUpland, California

Cadereyta JiménezMcAllen, Texas

CampecheLaredo, Texas

CananeaSierra Vista, Arizona

CancunWichita, Kansas

Casas GrandesSan Elizario, Texas




SatevoSan Elizario, Texas

Soledad de Graciano SánchezBurlington-Alamance, North Carolina

State of JaliscoMaryland State, Maryland

TampicoHouston, TexasMcAllen, Texas

TangancícuaroWatsonville, California

TaxcoMcAllen, Texas

TehuacanAustin, Texas

TepatitlánLaredo, Texas

TequilaCathedral City, California

TetlanohcanNew Haven, Connecticut

TijuanaSan Diego, CaliforniaLaredo, Texas

Tlahualilo DurangoLaredo, Texas

Tlalnepantla de BazWichita, Kansas

TlaquepaqueSpringfield, Missouri

TolucaFort Worth, Texas

TonalaLaredo, Texas

TorreonLaredo, Texas

TulaBenicia, California

UruapanCulver City, California

ValladolidAsheville, North Carolina

Valle de ZaragozaSan Elizario, Texas

ValparaisoHanover Park, Illinois

ParralSanta Fe, New Mexico

PatzcuaroSonoma, CaliforniaNaperville, Illinois

PueblaPueblo, ColoradoOklahoma City, Oklahoma

Puerto VallartaSanta Barbara, CaliforniaHighland Park, IllinoisTacoma, Washington

QueretaroBakersfield, California

ReynosaMcAllen, Texas

Rosarito BeachLong Beach, California

SalamancaBryan-College Station, Texas

SaltilloAustin, Texas

San Cristobal de las CasasAsheville, North Carolina

San FelipeHayward, California

San Jose del CaboLaguna Beach, California

San Luis PotosiSt. Louis, MissouriTulsa, OklahomaMcAllen, TexasSpokane, Washington

San Martin de HidalgoMorgan Hill, California

San Miguel de AllendeRedlands, CaliforniaSt. Augustine, FloridaWest Palm Beach, FloridaSanta Fe, New MexicoLaredo, TexasMcAllen, TexasTyler, Texas

San Nicolas de los GarzaKansas City, Missouri

San Pedro de las ColoniasSpringfield, Illinois

Santa BarbaraSan Elizario, Texas

ManzanilloSan Pablo, California

MazatlánSanta Monica, CaliforniaSeattle, Washington

MeridaSarasota, Florida

MexicaliSacramento, CaliforniaSan Bernardino, California

Mexico CityLos Angeles, CaliforniaChicago, Illinois

MexticacanLaredo, Texas

MocoritoOntario, California

MoncolvaLaredo, Texas

MontemorelosLaredo, Texas

MonterreyDallas, TexasMcAllen, TexasSan Antonio, Texas

MoreliaKansas City, Missouri

Municipio de JanosSan Elizario, Texas

NaucalpanPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

NavojoaSanta Fe Springs, California

Nuevo Casas GrandesColorado Springs, Colorado

Nuevo LaredoLaredo, Texas

Oaxaca de JuarezPalo Alto, CaliforniaMcAllen, Texas

OrizabaPortsmouth, Ohio

Pabellón de ArteagaPrairie View, Texas

PachucaLittle Rock, Arkansas

PapantlaLaredo, Texas




NamibiaWindhoekSan Antonio, TexasRichmond, Virginia

NepalKathmanduEugene, Oregon

NetherlandsEnschedePalo Alto, California

Leidschendam-VoorburgTemecula, California

RotterdamBaltimore, Maryland

UtrechtPortland, Oregon

New ZealandAucklandLos Angeles, California

ChristchurchSeattle, Washington

GisbornePalm Desert, California

HamiltonSacramento, California

Lower HuttTempe, ArizonaLaredo, Texas

Palmerston NorthMissoula, Montana

QueenstownAspen, Colorado

TaurangaSan Bernardino, California

Upper HuttMesa, Arizona

WanganuiReno, Nevada

NicaraguaBluefieldsRacine, Wisconsin

JalapaBoulder, Colorado

JinotepeSanta Cruz, California

Laguna de PerlasMontclair, New Jersey

TsetserlegBellingham, Washington

UlaanbaatarOakland, California Denver, Colorado

MontenegroBudvaWest Palm Beach, Florida

KotorSanta Barbara, California

MoroccoAgadirOakland, California

CasablancaChicago, Illinois

ChaouenIssaquah, Washington

El HajebCouncil Bluffs, Iowa

El JadidaTacoma, Washington

MarrakechScottsdale, Arizona

TiznitSomerville, Massachusetts

MozambiqueBeiraBoston, Massachusetts

VeracruzSan Jose, CaliforniaMiami Dade County, FloridaCorpus Christi, TexasLaredo, Texas

Veracruz/Boca del RioTampa, Florida

VillahermosaSan Bernardino, California

XalapaOmaha, Nebraska

ZapopanGrand Rapids, Michigan

ZapotlanejoRacine, Wisconsin

MoldovaBaltiLakeland, Florida

Buiucani District, ChişinăuGreensboro, North Carolina

ChisinauSacramento, California

RybnitsaLakeland, Florida

UngheniWinston-Salem, North Carolina

MongoliaDarkhanIrving, Texas

Local Fort Worth girl learns about the art of playing the koto, a traditional Japanese instrument.




TrondheimVallejo, California

PakistanHyderabadToledo, Ohio

KarachiHouston, Texas

LahoreChicago, Illinois

Palestinian Territories BethlehemSacramento, California

NablusBoulder, Colorado

QalqilyaGainesville, Florida

RamallahMuscatine, Iowa

PanamaPanama CityCharleston, South CarolinaDenver, Colorado San Diego, California

Port HarcourtKansas City, Missouri

NorwayÅlesundTacoma, Washington

BergenSeattle, Washington

FlekkefjordElbow Lake, Minnesota

FørdeLa Crosse, Wisconsin

KongsbergRed Wing, Minnesota

MossVirginia Beach, Virginia

Nordhordland RegionFergus Falls, Minnesota

ØrlandGlendale, Arizona

StavangerHouston, Texas

SunndalIssaquah, Washington

LeónNew Haven, Connecticut

MatagalpaGainesville, Florida

NagaroteNorwalk, Connecticut

PosoltegaBloomington, Indiana

QuilaliSouth Haven, Michigan

San IsidroPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

San Juan de OrienteSacramento, California

San Juan del SurVirginia Beach, Virginia

TipitapaLansing, Michigan

Villa El CarmenMoscow, Idaho

NigeriaAbujaBuffalo, New York

AsabaStockton, California

BauchiOakland, California

Benin CityOakland, California

Cross River StateMaryland State, Maryland

IbadanCleveland, Ohio

Ile-IfeSan Bernardino, California

LagosAtlanta, Georgia

Ondo StateMaryland State, Maryland

OnitshaIndianapolis, Indiana

OrluAustin, Texas

OsogboWilmington, DelawareAsheville, North Carolina

Ataco, El Salvador representative for sister cities came to visit Fountain Hills, AZ. She shared the story of the town’s food shortage due to the world drop in coffee prices. Growers could not afford to pick, process and ship the coffee beans; leaving the residents of Ataco with no income to purchase food for their families. Fountain Hills and Sister Cities quickly raised $5,200 for the Mayor to purchase prepared food bags to distribute to the families. The food bags are filled with basic supplies such as flour, sugar, beans, rice, to feed an average family of four children for a month or two. A series of fundraisers are planned raise additional funds to help.




RoxasSan Bernardino, California

San JuanSanta Barbara, CaliforniaMaui, Hawaii

San NicolasMaui, Hawaii

SantaMaui, Hawaii

SariayaSanta Clarita, California

SarratMaui, Hawaii

Zambales ProvinceMaui, Hawaii

PolandBielsko-BialaGrand Rapids, Michigan

BochniaRoselle, Illinois

GdanskCleveland, Ohio

GdyniaSeattle, Washington

GulczStevens Point, Wisconsin

Jelenia GoraTyler, Texas

KrakówSan Francisco, California Rochester, New York

KrapkowiceCamas, Washington

Lodz RegionMaryland State, Maryland

LomiankiColumbia Heights, Minnesota

LomzaMuscatine, Iowa

LublinLublin, Wisconsin

MorawicaCamas, Washington

OpoleRoanoke, Virginia

PoznanToledo, Ohio

Cagayan de OroNorfolk, Virginia

Calamba City, PhillipinesWalnut, California

CamilingJuneau, Alaska

Cavite CitySan Diego, California

Cebu CitySeattle, Washington

DagupanMilpitas, California

DavaoTacoma, Washington

DumagueteAlameda, California

IloiloStockton, California

Kalibo, AklanJuneau, Alaska

La CarlotaCarson, California

MakatiLos Angeles, California

ManilaSacramento, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaMaui, Hawaii

OlongapoVirginia Beach, Virginia

OrmocHawaii County, Hawaii

PaloPalo Alto, California

ParañaqueCarson, California

PasaySacramento, California

Pasig CitySouth San Francisco, California

Puerto PrincesaMaui, Hawaii

Quezon CityMaui, HawaiiSalt Lake City, UtahKenosha, Wisconsin

ParaguayAsuncionMiami Dade County, Florida

Fernando de la MoraPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Santa MariaHays, Kansas

PeruArequipaMaui, HawaiiCharlotte, North Carolina

CarazMesa, Arizona

ChaclacayoSnoqualmie, Washington

ChimbotePensacola, Florida

CuscoTempe, Arizona

IcaMiami Beach, Florida

LimaMiami, FloridaCleveland, OhioAustin, Texas

MirafloresPensacola, Florida

PucallpaMiami Dade County, Florida

Santiago de SurcoGastonia, North Carolina

TrujilloDecatur, GeorgiaSalt Lake City, Utah

PhilippinesBacarraMaui, Hawaii

BacolodLong Beach, California

BadocMaui, Hawaii

BaguioVallejo, California

Bauang La UnionLakewood, Washington

CabugaoMaui, Hawaii




Santa Clara County, CaliforniaChicago, Illinois

MurmanskJacksonville, Florida

NakhodkaOakland, CaliforniaBellingham, Washington

Nizhny NovgorodPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

NovorossiyskGainesville, Florida

NovosibirskMinneapolis, Minnesota

ObninskOak Ridge, Tennessee

PermLouisville, Kentucky

PetrozavodskDuluth, Minnesota

PskovRoanoke, Virginia

PyatigorskDubuque, Iowa

Rostov VelikyStevens Point, Wisconsin

RubtsovskGrants Pass, Oregon

RybinskJohnson City, Tennessee

SamaraSt. Louis, Missouri

SaratovDallas, Texas

SarovLos Alamos, New Mexico

SmolenskColorado Springs, Colorado

SnezhinskLivermore, California

SochiLong Beach, CaliforniaNorthport, New York

Cluj-NapocaRockford, IllinoisColumbia, South Carolina

SibiuColumbia, Missouri

RussiaArkhangelskPortland, Maine

ChelyabinskColumbia, South Carolina

CherepovetsMontclair, New Jersey

DicksonDixon, Illinois

DubnaLa Crosse, Wisconsin

EkaterinburgSan Jose, California

EngelsEdmond, Oklahoma

IrkutskEugene, Oregon

IzhevskSalt Lake City, Utah

KaliningradNorfolk, Virginia

KhabarovskPortland, Oregon

KislovodskMuscatine, Iowa

KostromaDurham, North Carolina

KotlasWaterville, Maine

Leningrad RegionMaryland State, Maryland

LermontovOsage, Iowa

LomonosovAnacortes, Washington

Moscow

RzeszowGainesville, FloridaBuffalo, New York

Strzelce Opolskie CountyBandera, Texas

SzczecinSt. Louis, Missouri

TorunPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

WarsawChicago, Illinois

Warsaw ProvinceSan Diego, California

WroclawCharlotte, North Carolina

ZabierzowCamas, Washington

ZamośćFountain Hills, Arizona

ZiebiceBrighton, Colorado

PortugalCascaisSausalito, California

CoimbraSanta Clara, CaliforniaCambridge, Massachusetts

FaroHayward, California

FunchalOakland, CaliforniaMaui, Hawaii

Sao Miguel IslandMaui, Hawaii

Puerto RicoSan JuanJacksonville, FloridaKilleen, Texas

RomaniaBrasovCleveland, Ohio

BucharestAtlanta, Georgia




Nelson Mandela Bay MunicipalityJacksonville, Florida

Pietermaritzburg MsunduziHampton, Virginia

Tshwane Metropolitan MunicipalityWashington, District of Columbia

uMhlathuzeMilwaukee, Wisconsin

South KoreaAnyangHampton, Virginia

AsanLansing, Michigan

BucheonBakersfield, California

BusanLos Angeles, CaliforniaChicago, Illinois

Changwon CityJacksonville, FloridaBaltimore, Maryland

CheongjuBellingham, Washington

ChinjuEugene, Oregon

DaeguAtlanta, GeorgiaMilwaukee, Wisconsin

DaejonMontgomery County, MarylandSeattle, Washington

GangjinSnoqualmie, Washington

Gangnam-GuRiverside, California

GimhaeLakewood, Washington

GoyangMaui, Hawaii

GunsanTacoma, Washington

GwacheonBurlington-Alamance, North Carolina

Miami Dade County, Florida

GuediawayeBirmingham, Alabama

St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri

SerbiaBelgradeChicago, Illinois

KraljevoSouth Euclid, Ohio

Sierra LeoneFreetownNew Haven, ConnecticutKansas City, Missouri

SlovakiaBratislavaCleveland, Ohio

NitraNaperville, Illinois

PresovPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

TisovekShenandoah, Iowa

SloveniaLjubljanaCleveland, Ohio

MariborPueblo, Colorado

PiranIndianapolis, Indiana

SomaliaBosasoMinneapolis, Minnesota

South AfricaCape TownMiami Dade County, Florida

DurbanChicago, Illinois

GeorgeTacoma, Washington

KwaZulu-NatalMaryland State, Maryland

St. PetersburgLos Angeles, CaliforniaMaryland State, MarylandSt. Petersburg, Florida

StavropolDes Moines, Iowa

TobolskCouncil Bluffs, Iowa

TverBuffalo, New York

TyumenHouston, Texas

UlyanovskOklahoma City, Oklahoma

Velikiy NovgorodRochester, New York

VladikavkazAsheville, North Carolina

VladimirSarasota, Florida

VladivostokJuneau, AlaskaSan Diego, CaliforniaTacoma, Washington

VolgogradCleveland, Ohio

VoronezhCharlotte, North Carolina

ZavolzhieSan Bernardino, California

ZelenogradTulsa, Oklahoma

RwandaKigaliSan Bernardino, CaliforniaOklahoma City, Oklahoma

Muhanga DistrictBuffalo, New York

Saint Kitts and NevisSaint Kitts and Nevis IslandsMiami Dade County, Florida

SenegalDakarWashington, District of Columbia




AlmuñécarHendersonville, North Carolina

AvilesSt. Augustine, Florida

BarcelonaSan Francisco, California Boston, Massachusetts

BilbaoPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

BorobiaPensacola, Florida

Cabildo de TenerifeMiami Dade County, Florida

CantabriaLaredo, Texas

Ciudadella de MenorcaSt. Augustine, Florida

El Puerto de Santa MariaCoral Gables, Florida

FigueresSt. Petersburg, Florida

GranadaCoral Gables, Florida

HuelvaHouston, Texas

LaredoLaredo, Texas

Las Palmas de Gran CanariaSan Antonio, Texas

LleidaMonterey, California

MacharaviayaPensacola, Florida

MadridMaui, Hawaii

OviedoTampa, Florida

Port de la SelvaNashville, Tennessee

San SabastianReno, Nevada

Santa Cruz de TenerifeSan Antonio, Texas

Santa Fe de la VegaSanta Fe, New Mexico

PyeongchangAuburn, Washington

SeochoIrvine, California

Seongdong-GuMarietta, Georgia

SeoulSan Francisco, CaliforniaWashington, District of Columbia

SuncheonColumbia, Missouri

UlsanPortland, Oregon

Wanju-Gu CountyCarson, California

WonjuRoanoke, Virginia

YeongcheonBuffalo, New York

YochonNewport Beach, California

Yongsan-GuSacramento, California

SpainAlburquerqueAlbuquerque, New Mexico

Alcala de HenaresSan Diego, California

AlmonteMiami Beach, Florida

GwangjuSan Antonio, Texas

GwangmyeongAustin, Texas

Gyeongsangnam-DoMaryland State, Maryland

HanamLittle Rock, Arkansas

IcheonSanta Fe, New Mexico

IksanCulver City, California

IncheonBurbank, CaliforniaGreenville, North CarolinaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

JecheonSpokane, Washington

Jeollanamdo, KoreaMaryland State, Maryland

JeonjuSan Diego, California

JincheonVallejo, California

NowonIrvine, California

OsanKilleen, Texas

PajuPasadena, California

Lansing Regional Sister Cities Commission established a library at the Aburi Presbyterian Teacher Training College, Ghana. On this trip, LRSCC shipped barrels of books, teaching supplies, and lap top computers. When they presented them to the school, they also offered a monetary gift to each teacher.




MiaoliKissimmee, FloridaBartlett, Illinois

New Taipei City Cincinnati, Ohio

PingtungMaui, Hawaii

TaichungSan Diego, CaliforniaReno, NevadaColumbia, South CarolinaAustin, TexasTacoma, Washington

Tainan CityChandler, ArizonaMonterey, CaliforniaSan Jose, CaliforniaKansas City, MissouriColumbus, OhioOklahoma City, OklahomaLaredo, Texas

Tainan HsienLaredo, Texas

Taipei Municipality Phoenix, ArizonaLos Angeles, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaMiami Dade County, FloridaAtlanta, GeorgiaIndianapolis, IndianaBoston, MassachusettsCleveland, OhioOklahoma City, OklahomaDallas, TexasHouston, Texas

TaoyuanIrvine, California

Wuchi TownNewton, Iowa

XindianTavares, Florida

TajikistanDushanbeBoulder, Colorado

TanzaniaArushaKansas City, MissouriDurham, North Carolina

BagamoyoVallejo, California

Dar es SalaamLansing, Michigan

LiestalSacramento, California

LucerneChicago, Illinois

SaasfeeSteamboat Springs, Colorado

SurseeHighland, Illinois

WinterhuirOntario, California

ZurichSan Francisco, California

TaiwanChia-YiJuneau, Alaska

Chung Li, Taoyuan CityEnfield, Connecticut

FengshanCharleston, Illinois

Fengshan DistrictCharleston, Illinois

GueishanGrand Prairie, Texas

HengchunSunny Isles Beach, Florida

HsinchuCupertino, CaliforniaCary, North Carolina

Hsinchu CountySanta Clara County, California

Hua Lien CityAlbuquerque, New Mexico

HualienBellevue, Washington

Kaohsiung City Pensacola, Florida

Kaohsiung MunicipalityLittle Rock, ArkansasColorado Springs, ColoradoTulsa, OklahomaPortland, OregonSan Antonio, TexasSeattle, Washington

Keelung CityCorpus Christi, TexasSalt Lake City, Utah

SevilleKansas City, MissouriColumbus, Ohio

ToledoToledo, OhioCorpus Christi, Texas

Tres CantosColumbia, Maryland

Villanueva de la CañadaLa Cañada Flintridge, California

Vitoria-GasteizAnaheim, California

SwedenBorgholmRockford, Illinois

GothenburgChicago, Illinois

HelsingborgAlexandria, Virginia

KalmarWilmington, Delaware

LinkopingPalo Alto, California

RattvikCambridge, Minnesota

RonnebyEnfield, ConnecticutJohnson City, Tennessee

SolnaBurbank, California

Stockholm CountyMiami Dade County, Florida

TingsrydLindstrom, Minnesota

TrollhättanTempe, Arizona

UppsalaMinneapolis, Minnesota

VäxjöDuluth, Minnesota

SwitzerlandBaselMiami Beach, Florida

DavosAspen, Colorado

InterlakenScottsdale, Arizona




OdessaBaltimore, Maryland

SmilaNewton, Iowa

TysmenytsiaBandera, Texas

VinnytsyaBirmingham, Alabama

United Arab EmiratesAbu DhabiHouston, Texas

United KingdomEnglandBarnetMontclair, New Jersey

Bassetlaw DistrictFarmers Branch, Texas

BirminghamChicago, Illinois

Burton upon TrentElkhart, Indiana

ChesterLakewood, Colorado

ClevelandCleveland, Ohio

Cleveland CountyCleveland, Ohio

CorbyPortsmouth, Ohio

DoncasterWilmington, North Carolina

DurhamDurham, North Carolina

KetteringKettering, Ohio

Kingston-upon-HullRaleigh, North Carolina

KinverPark Ridge, Illinois

LeedsLouisville, Kentucky

LiverpoolBirmingham, Alabama

London Borough of HackneyAustin, Texas

ÜsküdarBrooklyn, New York City, New York

TurkmenistanAshgabatAlbuquerque, New Mexico

Turks and Caicos IslandsTurks and Caicos IslandsMiami Dade County, Florida

UgandaKaseseSanta Cruz, California

UkraineAlushtaSanta Cruz, California

BrovaryRockford, IllinoisTacoma, Washington

ChernivtsiSalt Lake City, Utah

ChyhyrynSebastopol, California

DonetskPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

DrohobychMuscatine, IowaBuffalo, New York

GorlovkaPensacola, Florida

HorlivkaBuffalo, New York

IrpinMilwaukee, Wisconsin

Ivano-FrankivskArlington, Virginia

KalushGrand Prairie, Texas

KanivSonoma, California

KharkivCincinnati, Ohio

KhmelnytskyiModesto, California

KyivChicago, Illinois

LvivCorning, New York

MoshiDelray Beach, FloridaKenosha, Wisconsin

TangaToledo, Ohio

TarimeMilwaukee, Wisconsin

ThailandBangkokWashington, District of Columbia

LanphunOrinda, California

UdonthaniReno, Nevada

Trinidad and TobagoPort of SpainAtlanta, Georgia

TurkeyAdapazariLouisville, Kentucky

AnkaraWashington, District of Columbia

AntalyaKepezAustin, Texas

Bursa YildirimBuffalo, New York

GaziantepPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

IstanbulHouston, Texas

IzmirLong Beach, California Tampa, Florida

Kocaeli Metropolitan MunicipalityMaryland State, Maryland

KusadasiMonterey, California

MersinWest Palm Beach, Florida

NevsehirSanta Fe, New Mexico

SafranboluSchaumburg, Illinois

SeferihisarMorgan Hill, California




ScotlandDunbarMartinez, CaliforniaWest Dundee, IllinoisAlexandria, Virginia

DunfermlineSarasota, Florida

Dunkeld and BirnamAsheville, North Carolina

EdinburghSan Diego, California

EmboMaui, Hawaii

ForresMount Dora, Florida

Grampian Region, AberdeenHouston, Texas

ObanLaurinburg, North Carolina

PrestwickVandalia, Ohio

Western IslesAnderson, South Carolina

SuffolkSuffolk, Virginia

SunderlandWashington, District of Columbia

WatfordWilmington, Delaware

Northern IrelandAntrim-NewtownabbeyGilbert, Arizona

Ards and North Down Borough Virginia Beach, Virginia

BallymenaMorehead, Kentucky

BelfastBoston, MassachusettsNashville, Tennessee

CarrickfergusDanville, KentuckyAnderson, South Carolina

Craigavon, County ArmaghLaGrange, Georgia

Newry and Mourne DistrictSouthern Pines, North CarolinaSioux Falls, South Dakota

MertonIrving, Texas

NewburghNewburgh, Indiana

Newcastle upon TyneLittle Rock, ArkansasAtlanta, Georgia

Newmarket, SuffolkLexington, Kentucky

Norfolk CountyNorfolk, Virginia

Northamptonshire CountyIndianapolis, Indiana

PortsmouthLakewood, Colorado

Richmond upon ThamesRichmond, Virginia

SalisburySalisbury, Maryland

SheffieldPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

SouthamptonHampton, Virginia

St. Ives, CornwallLaguna Beach, California

Delegates from the government of the Canary Islands celebrate with members of the Canary Islands Descendants Association of San Antonio during the annual Arrival Anniversary Celebration. 2018’s anniversary event, titled El Nacimiento, celebrated the arrival of the Canary Islanders in San Antonio and the subsequent establishment of the region by Spain in the 1700s. The delegation visited to celebrate San Antonio’s Tricentennial and was comprised of several high-level government officials, including the mayors of both San Antonio’s Canarian Sister Cities –Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.




CaracasSan Francisco, California

Monagas StateMiami Dade County, Florida

Puerto La CruzSanta Cruz, California

VietnamCan ThoRiverside, California

Da NangOakland, CaliforniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

HaiphongSeattle, Washington

Ho Chi Minh CitySan Francisco, California

HueNew Haven, Connecticut

Ninh Thuan ProvinceMaryland State, Maryland

Quang Tri TownAngel Fire, New Mexico

WalesBreconSaline, Michigan

United StatesAmerican SamoaMaui, Hawaii

Saipan, Northern Mariana IslandMaui, Hawaii

UruguayMaldonadoMiami Dade County, Florida

PaysanduMuscatine, Iowa

Punta del EsteSunny Isles Beach, Florida

UzbekistanBukharaSanta Fe, New Mexico

TashkentSeattle, Washington

VenezuelaAntolín del CampoMiami Dade County, Florida


Roselle Sister Cities participates in the Rose Parade in Roselle which takes place during the first weekend of June.

Vung Tau ProvenceNewport Beach, California

ZambiaKasamaClovis, New Mexico

LivingstonSanta Fe, New Mexico

LusakaLos Angeles, CaliforniaAlbuquerque, New Mexico

ZimbabweHarareCincinnati, Ohio

MutarePortland, Oregon



George Town, MalaysiaMajuro, Marshall IslandsBoston, MassachusettsSan Nicolas, MexicoUlan Bator, MongoliaManagua, NicaraguaCleveland, OhioOklahoma City, OklahomaPanama City, PanamaAsunción, ParaguayMalabon, PhilippinesManila, PhilippinesQuezon City, PhilippinesWarsaw, PolandUlan-Ude, RussiaJeddah, Saudi ArabiaDakar, SenegalJohannesburg, South AfricaPretoria, South AfricaDaegu, South KoreaSeoul, South KoreaSaigon, South VietnamMbabane, SwazilandDallas, TexasHouston, TexasMarshall, TexasGuam, United States

Cities Seeking Partners

GibraltarGibraltar

JapanKanagawa

TurkeyAlsancak Sisli Municipality, Istanbul

2019 Global Membership

Sister Cities International Oklahoma City celebrates the Chinese New Year

CanadaThunder BaySeinäjoki, Finland Gifu. JapanDuluth, MinnesotaLittle Canada, Minnesota

TorontoChongqing, ChinaQuito, EcuadorFrankfurt, GermanyChicago, IllinoisMilan, ItalySagamihara, JapanWarsaw, PolandKiev, UkraineHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam

ColombiaBogotaChicago, Illinois

BarranquillaBuenos Aires, ArgentinaNanjing, ChinaTampa, FloridaKaohsiung, Taiwan

TaiwanNew Taipei CityPhoenix, ArizonaCotonou, BeninLa Paz, BoliviaOuagadougou, Burkina FasoUlan-Ude, BuryatLos Angeles, CaliforniaSan Fransisco, CaliforniaSan Jose, Costa RicaSanto Domingo, Dominican RepublicSan Salvador, El SalvadorVersailles, FranceBanjul, GambiaAtlanta, GeorgiaGuatemala City, GuatemalaBissau. Guinea BissauTegucigalpa, HondurasIndianapolis, IndianaRiga, LatviaMonrovia, LiberiaVilnius, LithuaniaLilongwe, MalawiMajuro, Marshall IslandsBoston, MassachusettsSan Nicolas, MexicoUlaanbaatar, MongoliaManagua, NicaraguaCleveland, OhioOklahoma City, OklahomaPanama City, PanamaAsunción, Paraguay

Manila, PhilippinesQuezon City, PhilippinesWarsaw, PolandJiddah, Saudi ArabiaDakar, SenegalJohannesburg, South AfricaPretoria, South AfricaDaegu, South KoreaSeoul, South KoreaMbabane, SwazilandDallas, TexasHouston, TexasMarshall, TexasLome, TogoGuam, United States Territory

Taipei MunicipalityPhoenix, ArizonaGold Coast, AustraliaCotonou, BeninLa Paz, BoliviaOuagadougou, Burkina FasoLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Jose, Costa RicaPrague, Czech RepublicSanto Domingo, Dominican RepublicSan Salvador, El SalvadorVersailles, FranceBanjul, GambiaAtlanta, GeorgiaGuatemala City, GuatemalaBissau, Guinea BissauTegucigalpa, HondurasBangalore, IndiaIndianapolis, IndianaYokohama, JapanRiga, LatviaMonrovia, LiberiaVilnius, LithuaniaLilongwe, Malawi


Frequently Asked Questions

If your question isn’t answered below, please contact us at [email protected].

What is a Sister City?

A sister city, county, or state relationship is a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in two countries. A partnership is officially recognized when the highest elected appointed official from both communities signs off on the sister cities agreement. A city can have any number of sister cities, and sister city organizations include representatives from nonprofits, to municipal governments, the private sector, and civic organizations.

How can I get involved?

To find out if your city is a member of Sister Cities International, see our online directory at www.sistercities.org. You can find primary contact information for each member city on our website, which you can use to reach out to your local sister city committee. Many programs have Facebook pages, which is a quick and easy way to connect with them. You can also email us at [email protected].

What difference do Sister Cities make?

Sister cities promote peace worldwide on multiple levels. Form providing students with their first opportunity to travel abroad and experience another culture; to creating valuable professional experiences and building connections between organizations; sister cities strengthen local and global communities and promote world peace while bringing tangible economic and social benefits to participating cities.

How can I create a new Sister City?

Talk to your local sister city program about their process. You can also visit our Cities Seeking Cities page at sistercities.org/cities-seeking-cities for more information on how Sister Cities International can help you establish a new sister city relationship.

How can I contribute to Sister Cities International?

Visit our website and click the “donate” button,

What does Sister Cities Do?

We are a nonprofit member association for United States sister city organizations. Our staff provides assistance and resources to our members to help them strengthen their sister city organizations and expand their activities. For more information on membership, please visit our website at www.sistercities.org/membership.



@SisterCitiesInt

@SisterCitiesInt


Membership Programs and Benefits

For more member benefits, please visit our website at www.sistercities.org/membership

Peer-to-peer networking with sister cities programs

Connect with foreign communities

Support from foreign and domestic Diplomatic Corps

Global Networking

Governance & policy services

Toolkits & templates

Resources That Matter

Marketing & communications assistance

Recognition through Annual Awards

Crisis communications

Telling Your Story

2019 Annual Report - Sister Cities International

Documents

Transcript of 2019 Annual Report - Sister Cities International