OUR MISSION
To promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, cooperation – one individual, one community at a time.
Our mission reflects our belief in the power of personal connections. Since our inception in 1956, Sister Cities International has worked to create global relationships based on cultural, educational, informational, and trade exchanges.
The result? Participants have developed lifelong friendships that foster prosperity and peace through citizen diplomacy. Today, we continue to expand our reach and strengthen existing relationships.
Our members engage in educational and cultural exchanges, business and trade, sports diplomacy, and humanitarian aid, all of which foster friendships and, also, help tackle the world’s most pressing issues. Our mission, rooted in President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s mission of peace through citizen diplomacy, remains strong. As he envisioned it: “If all people want peace, the challenge is for them to connect–bypassing governments if needed–to discover countless ways to understand one another.”
SCI At Glance
Sister Cities International has worked to create global relationships based on culture, education, information, and trade exchanges. Since our founding in 1956, SCI has brought communities across the globe closer together to tackle humanity’s most pressing issues.
Sister city relationships provide mutual benefits to communities far beyond traditional one-off exchanges—they reach every part of their community and improve quality of life.
Below, you will find resources that get to the heart of SCI’s work.
Our Impact
32,000
volunteers
Who led more than 2,000 sister city events in the United States
50
Young Citizen Diplomats
Ages 14-18 at our annual Youth Leadership Summit
3,700
Jobs
Through our network
24,000
People in exchanges
400,000
In humanitarian assistance to
a variety of communities
500
Citizen Diplomats
To network in person at our
annual conference
What is a Sister City?
A sister city, county, or state relationship is a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in different countries. A relationship is officially recognized when the highest elected or appointed officials from both communities sign an agreement to establish sister city ties.
A city may have multiple sister cities, with community involvement ranging from a handful to hundreds of volunteers. In addition to volunteers, sister city organizations may include representatives from nonprofits, municipal governments, the private sector, and other civic organizations.
Each sister city organization is independent and pursues activities and thematic areas that are important to them and their community, including municipal, business, trade, educational, and cultural exchanges and projects with its sister city.
7 for 70
Announced by President Biden at the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit, the 7 for 70 program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and Sister Cities International. Its goal is to strengthen ties between the United States and the Pacific Islands region by forming new subnational partnerships, with the aim of establishing seven Sister City relationships by 2026 in celebration of the 70th anniversary of Sister Cities International.
Mission
While cities have historically formed partnerships based on shared characteristics—such as size, geography, or industry—it is personal connections that truly bring these relationships to life. The 7 for 70 program has identified key areas of mutual interest, including sports, culture, music, dance, sustainability, biodiversity, and university collaboration, as meaningful avenues for exchange. These focus areas will enhance the partnership between the United States and the Pacific Islands in support of a shared vision for a resilient Pacific region grounded in peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity.
We invite cities in the United States and Pacific Island countries interested in participating to contact Sister Cities International for more information.
Membership Programs & Benefits
Global Networking
Telling Your Story
Resources That Matter
Where We Are
What We Do
Programs
Sister Cities International offers a variety of programs that highlight and support our members in promoting citizen diplomacy and international exchange.
Exchanges
Our members work tirelessly to promote peace and understanding through exchanges and initiatives that focus on arts and culture, youth and education, business and trade, and community development.
Events
Every year, Sister Cities International coordinates a variety of events to assist SCI members with fostering cross-cultural relationships and strengthening the citizen diplomacy movement. Click here to view the events run by the SCI Headquarters.