Our Mission
To promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, cooperation - one individual, one community at a time.
Washington, D.C.
About Us
Welcome to Sister Cities International, founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 to promote peace through people-to-people diplomacy. For nearly seventy years, SCI’s leadership and volunteers have established thousands of partnerships between U.S. cities and cities worldwide.
What We Do
Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for sister city programs in over 400 communities, with over 1,800 partnerships in more than 140 countries.
Educational Exchanges
Cultural Exchanges
Citizen Diplomat Delegations
Peace Through Understanding
Our Reach
Over
400
Communities
With More
1800+
Partnerships
In More Than
140+
Countries
What Are Sister Cities and Why Are They Important?
A sister city, county, or state relationship is a broad-based, long-term partnership between cities in the U.S. and cities in other countries. The relationship is officially recognized when the highest elected or appointed officials from both communities sign an agreement to establish sister city ties.
Watch the video below to understand why sister city partnerships are formed and what makes them successful.
Watch the video below to understand how sister city partnerships are formed…
Joining Sister Cities International opens the door for your city or community to engage in meaningful global partnerships that promote peace, cultural exchange, and sustainable development. Through a formal sister city relationship, your local government can foster international collaboration and people-to-people connections that strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.
Programs
7 FOR 70
7 PARTNERSHIPS FOR 70 YEARS OF SCI
Learn more about our “7 for 70” initiative with the State Department and that connects cities between the U.S. and the Pacific Island nations.
J-1 VISA
HIGH SCHOOL HOMESTAY
Help build educational exchanges in your community. Host a student from your sister city for an academic year or semester under our J-1 Visa High School Homestay in the USA program.
YLS
Youth Leadership Summit
Our annual Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) engages the next generation of leaders ages 14-18 and introduces them to the world of international affairs while completing simulations and service projects with like-minded peers.
YAAS
Young Artists and Authors Showcase
The Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) is an annual art contest that encourages youth worldwide to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork, literature, poetry, photography, and music.
The Haijmari Project
US-Japan Sister Cities Origin Stories
Sister Cities International (SCI) is excited to announce the launch of The Haijmari Project: US-Japan Sister Cities Origin Stories. According to Japan’s Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), over the past 75 years there have been 400+ sister city relationships between the United States and Japan.
500 in 5
500 Cities in 5 Years
In the next five years, we are on a mission to connect 500 cities in Africa with other cities in the United States. Aiming to foster long-lasting diplomatic and cultural relationships, with the goal to promote peace, respect and mutual understanding across borders.
Annual Awards
The Annual Awards Program recognizes outstanding sister city achievements and highlights communities’ contributions to citizen diplomacy. Established in 1962, it honors exceptional programs among Sister Cities International’s dues-paying members with official partnerships.
New Programming and Events
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