Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for sister city programs in over 400 communities across the United States, facilitating relationships with more than 1,800 communities in over 140 countries worldwide through the practice of citizen diplomacy. Founded on the principle of promoting peace and understanding through people-to-people connections, the organization supports member communities in developing exchanges focused on arts and culture, youth and education, business and trade, and community development. As a hub for institutional knowledge and best practices in citizen diplomacy, Sister Cities International provides essential services, programs, and resources to help members find international partners while expanding and improving their exchange activities. The organization’s work builds on a rich history of citizen diplomacy that demonstrates how ordinary people can create extraordinary international relationships that transcend political boundaries and cultural differences. Through their membership association model, they strengthen the global sister cities network by facilitating the kind of grassroots international connections that promote mutual understanding, cultural exchange, and collaborative problem-solving between communities facing similar challenges across different nations.
Why this matters: Sister Cities International demonstrates how local communities can engage meaningfully in global citizenship through direct relationships with counterparts in other countries, creating practical pathways for cross-cultural learning, economic cooperation, and peace-building that operate independently of national politics while fostering the international understanding that addressing global challenges requires.