The international
”
Sister City
”
program started informally after World War II as a way to
develop understanding and peaceful cultural exchanges between
nations. On their own, various communities in the United States
began to formalize friendly relationships with European and Asian
cities.
The international “Sister City” program started informally after World War II as a way to develop understanding and peaceful cultural exchanges between nations. On their own, various communities in the United States began to formalize friendly relationships with European and Asian cities.
President Dwight Eisenhower saw the great benefit from U.S. citizens making close friends with the townspeople in other nations. He sought to expand the program while also intending to keep it free from federal government control and to prevent it from becoming merely a tool of American foreign policy.
He encouraged individuals and organized groups throughout the country to develop this more personal level of international
diplomacy.
In September 1956, at a White House press conference, Eisenhower detailed the plans for his “People-to-People” program. By 1965, this evolved into the Sister City Association. A non-profit organization called the Town Affiliation Association of the U.S., Inc. was founded on June 12, 1967 with a mission to “foster better international understanding and cooperation through sister city relationships.”
Sister City programs are designed to expand cultural awareness in language, music, sports, arts and other areas. They are also designed to increase an expansion of ideas and global commerce.
