What is the Sister Cities Network?
Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between communities in the United States and those in other countries, particularly through the establishment of "sister cities".
Who is responsible for maintaining the list of Sister Cities?
Sister Cities International is also responsible for the maintenance of the list of sister cities all over the world. The United States capital, Washington, is officially recognized as the twin city of Tokyo, Japan. Examples of twin cities in North America include: Havana, whose sister city is Santiago; New York City,...
Who started the sister city program?
Envisioned by President Eisenhower as the 'main cog' for citizen diplomacy, the sister city program grew throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The Civic Committee and the National League of Cities provided joint administrative support for the fledgling sister city movement until 1973.
How do I become a sister city with another city?
Sister Cities International recognizes a sister city relationship when mayors or highest elected officials from the two communities sign an agreement to become sister cities, although many ci ties have their own requirements. You should first contact your local sister city organization and talk to them about their process.
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What is the purpose of a sister city?
Sister city organizations promote peace through people-to-people relationships—with program offerings varying greatly from basic cultural exchange programs to shared research and development projects between cities with relationships.
What benefits do sister cities have?
What are the benefits of a Sister City Partnership?Increased city-wide cultural awareness.Educational partnerships and developments, including joint research and teaching programmes.An influx of business, tourism & trade.Sharing of valuable resources and approaches in business, education, culture & technologies.More items...•
How many sister cities are there in the United States?
Sister cities hope to promote cooperation, cultural understanding, and economic benefits to each of the participating places. In the U.S., there are over 700 cities dedicated to bridging the cultural gap of their international counterparts.
How are sister cities chosen?
Sister city relationships develop from a number of sources, including but not limited to: preexisting mayoral relationships, trade relationships, historical connections, ancestral/demographic connections, expatriate communities, shared geographic/sector challenges, faith-based groups, and personal experiences ranging ...
How many sister cities are there?
Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for sister city programs in nearly 500 communities, with relationships in over 2,000 communities in more than 140 countries.
Who started the sister city program?
President Dwight D. EisenhowerFounded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, Sister Cities International is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit which serves as the national membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, and states across the United States.
When did the sister city program start?
1956Sister Cities International began in 1956, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower envisioned a way for U.S. cities to create formal partnerships with foreign cities. Municipality to municipality, cities could exchange information and ideas in order to develop friendships and deepen cultural understanding.
Which city has the most sister cities?
The first US-German town twinning was in 1947 between Worthington, Minnesota and Crailsheim.St Petersburg in Russia holds the record for the largest number of partnership arrangements with other communities.
Which US cities are sister cities with China?
Sister Partnerships by US StateUS StateUS CityAsian CountryCaliforniaBakersfieldChinaCaliforniaBakersfieldIndiaCaliforniaBakersfieldJapanCaliforniaBakersfieldSouth Korea86 more rows
Does Chicago have a Sister City?
Chicago's 29 sister cities are: Accra, Ghana (1989); Amman, Jordan (2004); Athens, Greece (1997); Belgrade, Serbia (2005); Birmingham, United Kingdom (1993); Bogota, Colombia (2009); Busan, Republic of Korea (2007); Casablanca, Morocco (1982); Delhi, India (2001); Durban, South Africa (1997); Galway, Ireland (1997); ...
Does New York have a Sister City?
Tokyo and New York Become 'Sister Cities'
Does Las Vegas have a Sister City?
Angeles City marks the fourth sister city Las Vegas has partnered with. Phuket, Thailand, and Huludao, China, are also sister cities of Las Vegas.
What is a sister city proposal?
Proposals to establish new Sister City relationships are presented to the AWSCA Board and current City Administration for consideration. This includes submitting a profile of the proposed Sister City, identifying a sponsoring organization and listing the group of volunteers who will develop the Sister City relationship.
Why did Eisenhower create the Sister Cities?
The Sister Cities program was created by President Eisenhower in 1956 to promote peace. The idea was for "individual sister cities, counties, and states across the United States" to link up with the citizens of other countries in an effort to bring about "citizen diplomacy.". It's a form of legal and social agreement between towns, cities, ...
What is a sister city?
Therefore, a sister city, country, oblast, prefecture, province, region, state, territory, town, or village relationship is a broad-based, officially approved, long-term partnership between two communities.
What are the goals of Sister Cities International?
Sister Cities International advances their goals by approaching from four broad-based areas: cultural exchange, humanitarian assistance, youth and educational programs, and economic and sustainable development.
What is Sister Cities International's mission?
Sister Cities International's stated goals are to: Develop municipal partnerships between U.S. cities, counties, and states and similar jurisdictions in other nations.
How does Sister Cities International facilitate cultural exchange?
Cultural exchanges occur on an individual level from city to city. Sister Cities International facilitates these exchanges by providing support and funding.
What is the Safe Drinking Water Initiative?
Safe Drinking Water Initiative: In 2008, Sister Cities International engaged member cities to pilot the Safe Drinking Water Initiative (SDWI). SDWI was created with the goal of distributing approximately 250,000 packets of Procter & Gamble 's PUR through sister city networks in Ethiopia and Nigeria, purifying more than 2.5 million liters of water.
What is the Sino African Initiative?
Sino-African Initiative: Beginning in February 2012, Sister Cities International launched a 2-year program addressing urban poverty in African cities. SAI is a tri-lateral initiative bringing together U.S., African, and Chinese sister cities, and will be implemented through 3 pilot projects.
When is the SCI conference?
Each summer, Sister Cities International holds a themed annual conference in a Sister City in America. SCI will be celebrating its 63rd anniversary in 2019 and will have a conference themed "Cities Mean Business" on July 17–19 in Houston, Texas.
Why are sister cities important?
Importance of Sister Cities. The reasons behind the concept of sister cities may be political, religious, or cultural. Cities that were twinned for political reasons include Shusha, Azerbaijan, which was twinned with the Hungarian city of Gyongyos.
What is a twin city?
Sister cities or twin towns are cities or towns in different countries which share a political or social agreement aimed at promoting commercial and economic links.
What are some examples of twinning cities?
Examples of twinned cities in Europe include: Brussels, whose sister cities are Madrid and Moscow; San Marino, whose sister cities are San Leo and Arbe; and Paris, ...
When did twin cities start?
Twin Cities in Europe. The tradition of establishing twin cities began in Medieval Europe. In 836 AD, the German city of Paderborn was twinned to Le Mans, France in the earliest town twinning in history. The tradition was increasingly practiced in the 20th century, with the British town of Keighley, West Yorkshire entered into a twinning agreement ...
Where are twin cities?
Twin Cities in North America. The twinning of cities and towns is also practiced in North American countries. The tradition is traced back to the early 20th century, when the earliest North American city of Toledo, Ohio was twinned with the Spanish town of Toledo in 1931. The tradition of twinning cities in the United States received governmental ...
Who started the twin towns program?
The tradition of twinning cities in the United States received governmental support and was part of a citizen diplomacy initiative established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. Sister Cities International (SCI), a body mandated in managing the twin towns program was established as an independent corporation in 1967, ...
Is Washington a sister city?
The organization, which is now a non-profit citizen diplomacy organization, has facilitated the twinning of thousands of cities all over the world. Sister Cities International is also responsible for the maintenance of the list of sister cities all over the world. The United States capital, Washington, is official ly recognized as the twin city ...
Connect Globally. Thrive Locally
Since 1956, Sister Cities International has worked to create exchanges that create community impact and kindle lifelong friendships.
Our Reach
Our network of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers run sister city programs that promote peace and strengthen local communities. But what is a sister city and why are they important?… Read More
What is the sister city program in Houston?
The individual volunteer associations that represent each relationship are the major life source of the program. The considerable efforts of these dedicated volunteers bring to life the citizen diplomacy that is at the heart of the sister cities mission. In 1993, Sister Cities of Houston, the umbrella non-profit organization, was created to strengthen Houston's greater program and works collaboratively with the Mayor's Office and the individual associations.
What is a sister city?
President Eisenhower’s goal was to involve individuals at all levels of U.S. society in citizen diplomacy in the hope that these people-to-people relations would lessen the chance of future world conflicts. Founded in 1956, Sister Cities International is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) nonprofit which serves as the national membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, and states across the U.S. Sister Cities International serves as a hub for institutional knowledge and best practices in the field of citizen diplomacy. As a membership association, Sister Cities International continues to strengthen the sister cities network through strategic institutional partnerships, grants, programs, and support for its members.
What is Sister Cities International?
Founded in 1956, Sister Cities International is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) nonprofit which serves as the national membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, and states across the U.S. Sister Cities International serves as a hub for institutional knowledge and best practices in the field of citizen diplomacy.
What is a sister city?
A sister city, or twin town, relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
What is the meaning of "sister cities"?
The Americas, South Asia, and Australasia use the term "sister cities" or "twin cities". In China, the term is 友好城市 (yǒuhǎo chéngshì – friendly cities). Sometimes, other government bodies enter into a twinning relationship, such as the agreement between the provinces of Hainan in China and Jeju-do in South Korea.
What is a twin town?
The European Commission uses the term "twinned towns" and refers to the process as "town twinning". Spain uses the term "ciudades hermanadas", which means "sister cities". Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic use Partnerstadt (De) / miasto partnerskie (Pl) / partnerské město (Cz), which translate as "partner town" or "partner city". France uses ville jumelée (jumelage, twinned town or city), and Italy has gemellaggio (twinning) and comune gemellato (twinned municipality). In the Netherlands, the term is partnerstad or stedenband ("city bond" when providing mutual support). In Greece, the word αδελφοποίηση ( adelfopiisi – fraternisation) has been adopted. In Iceland, the terms vinabæir (friend towns) and vinaborgir (friend cities) are used. In the former Soviet Bloc, "twin towns" and "twin cities" were used, along with города-побратимы (Ru) (sworn brother cities).
What is town twinning?
The modern concept of town twinning has its roots in the Second World War. More specifically, it was inspired by the bombing of Coventry on 14 November 1940, known as the Coventry Blitz. The idea emerged as a way of establishing solidarity links between cities in allied countries that went through similar devastating events.
Why do towns twin?
Town twinning begins for a variety of reasons. Generally, partner towns have similar demographics and size. They may arise from business connections, travel, similar industries, diaspora communities, or shared history. For example, the partnership between Portland, Oregon and Bologna, Italy arose from shared industries in biotechnology and education, and a "similar attitude towards food", whereas Chicago 's link with Warsaw, Poland began with Chicago's historic Polish community. The twinning of Indianapolis with Monza, Italy is due to both cities' long association with auto racing .
What does "ciudades hermanadas" mean?
Spain uses the term "ciudades hermanadas", which means "sister cities". Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic use Partnerstadt (De) / miasto partnerskie (Pl) / partnerské město (Cz), which translate as "partner town" or "partner city".
When did twin towns start?
A twin towns program was instituted in the United States in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed a citizen diplomacy initiative. Sister Cities International (SCI) was originally a program of the National League of Cities, but it became a separate corporation in 1967 due to the growth and popularity of the program.
Overview
Sister Cities International (SCI) is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between communities in the United States and those in other countries, particularly through the establishment of "sister cities"—broad, long-term agreements formally recognized by civic leaders. Its mission is to "build global cooperation at the municipal level, promote cultural …
Sister Cities program
The Sister Cities program is designed as means for cultural exchange. A community of any size decides to join with a community in another nation to learn more about one another. Therefore, a sister city, country, oblast, prefecture, province, region, state, territory, town, or village relationship is a broad-based, officially approved, long-term partnership between two communities.
Sister City relationships begin for a variety of reasons. Generally sister city partnerships share si…
Mission and goals
The organization's mission is to "promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation — one individual, one community at a time."
Sister Cities International's stated goals are to:
• Develop municipal partnerships between U.S. cities, counties, and states and similar jurisdictions in other nations.
Programs
Sister Cities International advances their goals by approaching from four broad-based areas: cultural exchange, humanitarian assistance, youth and educational programs, and economic and sustainable development.
Cultural exchanges occur on an individual level from city to city. Sister Cities International facilitates these exchanges by providing support and funding.
Expanding partnerships
In addition to funding programs for partnerships already in place, Sister Cities dedicates resources to encouraging partnerships in non-traditional areas in the Middle East and Africa.
• Global Twinning Summit: Last year, Sister Cities held the first “Global Twinning Summit” in Cairo, to promote sister city relationships between Africa cities.
• African Regional Partners: African Regional Partners is made up of two associations: The Eastern Africa Sister Cities and the Afric…
History
Despite isolated community partnerships and informal citizen relations, the people-to-people initiative did not gain momentum until U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's historic September 11–12, 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy. The post-World War II climate proved an ideal environment to launch this kind of effort. With enthusiastic response to the concept, tens of thousands of Americans pledged their support to create a free and peaceful world.
See also
• Cross-border town naming
• List of local government organizations
• Lists of twin towns and sister cities
• Paradiplomacy
External links
• Sister Cities International official website
Twin Cities in Europe
Twin Cities in North America
- The twinning of cities and towns is also practiced in North American countries. The tradition is traced back to the early 20th century, when the earliest North American city of Toledo, Ohio was twinned with the Spanish town of Toledo in 1931. The tradition of twinning cities in the United States received governmental support and was part of a citizen diplomacy initiative established …
Twin Cities in Asia
- The twinning of cities is also embraced all over Asia. In Japan, the tradition is facilitated by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, an agency made up of local governments across the country. The agency was established in 1988 by the Japanese government. In Tokyo, the tradition is encouraged as a way of fostering inter-city relations through city diplomacy. Toky…
Importance of Sister Cities
- The reasons behind the concept of sister cities may be political, religious, or cultural. Cities that were twinned for political reasons include Shusha, Azerbaijan, which was twinned with the Hungarian city of Gyongyos.