16 Southern Cities With Surprising Sister Cities Around The World
From Huntsville, Alabama, to Charleston, West Virginia.
Credit: Getty Images
Sister, Sister isn't just the name of an iconic '90s sitcom—it can now be used to identify some of our favorite Southern cities and the bond they share with global "relatives."
Through the organization Sister Cities International , started by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, more than 400 U.S. and global communities are now represented, linking over 1,800 metropolises, states, and counties across more than 140 countries.
The mission is simple: Establish and maintain a network committed to "promoting peace, respect, and mutual understanding across borders."
Though touting similarities in architecture, culture, or history isn't a requirement, these sibling societies do make an effort to influence many aspects of each other's daily lives. This may include boosting tourism, strengthening overseas relations, increasing youth education opportunities through exchange programs, developing diverse economies, and tackling emerging issues that affect respective populations. These groups are also one of the first to assist, should one or the other experience any type of catastrophe that requires aid in the form of fundraising, resources, and supplies.
While a Sister City may not get you exclusive discounts to museums , transit passes, and hotels, future travelers are encouraged to contact local chapters prior to a trip. Foreign representatives are often able to provide advice on must-see attractions or even connect Southerners with expats who have made the permanent move abroad.
These chapters will also have the most up-to-date programming schedules for musical performances, art exhibits, and festivals that may feature talent from your town. They can also point you in the direction of landmarks, artifacts, and even businesses that are nods to and/or gifts from their U.S. siblings.
Should you reside in one of the South's most populous cities in each state and are curious where you may be even more accepted with open arms during an international vacation, consider one of the many Sister Cities below. You may just find your newest home away from home. (Cities are listed in order from the oldest to the most recently established relationships.)
Huntsville, Alabama
Sister cities:Tainan, Taiwan; Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Little Rock, Arkansas
Sister cities:Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hanam City, South Korea; Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England; Caxias do Sul, Brazil
Jacksonville, Florida
Sister cities:Bahia Blanca, Argentina; Changwon City, South Korea; Curitiba, Brazil; Murmansk, Russia; Nantes, France; Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (Port Elizabeth), South Africa; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Yingkou, China
Atlanta, Georgia
Sister cities:Salzburg, Austria; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Lagos, Nigeria; Toulouse, France; Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England; Taipei, Taiwan; Daegu, South Korea; Brussels, Belgium; Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; Ancient Olympia, Greece; Bucharest, Romania; Cotonou, Benin; Nuremberg, Germany; Ra'anana, Israel; Fukuoka, Japan; Salcedo, Dominican Republic; Tbilisi, Georgia
Louisville, Kentucky
Sister cities:Montpellier, France; Quito, Ecuador; Tamale, Ghana; Mainz, Germany; La Plata, Argentina; Jiujiang, China; Leeds, England; Adapazari, Turkey
New Orleans, Louisiana
Sister cities:Cap-Haïtien, Haiti; Caracas, Venezuela; Durban, South Africa; Innsbruck, Austria; Isola del Liri, Italy; Juan-les-Pins (Antibes), France; Maracaibo, Venezuela; Matsue, Japan; Mérida, Mexico; Orléans, France; Pointe-Noire, Congo; San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina; Tainan, Taiwan; Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Baltimore, Maryland
Sister cities:Gbarnga, Liberia; Odesa, Ukraine; Kawasaki, Japan; Luxor, Egypt; Piraeus, Greece; Xiamen, China; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Genoa, Italy; Alexandria, Egypt; Ashkelon, Israel; Changwon, South Korea
Jackson, Mississippi
Sister cities:Chiayi City in Taiwan; M'Bour in Senegal, West Africa
Kansas City, Missouri
Sister cities:Seville, Spain; Kurashiki, Japan; Morelia, Mexico; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Tainan, Taiwan; Xi'an, China; Guadalajara, Mexico; Hannover, Germany; Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Arusha, Tanzania; Ramla, Israel; Yan'an, China; Metz, France
Charlotte, North Carolina
Sister cities:Arequipa, Peru; Krefeld, Germany; Baoding, China; Limoges, France; Wrocław, Poland; Kumasi, Ghana
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sister cities:Haikou, China; Kigali City, Rwanda; Piura, Peru; Puebla, Mexico; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Tainan, Taiwan; Taipei, Taiwan
Charleston, South Carolina
Sister cities:Spoleto, Italy; Panama City, Panama; Speightstown, Barbados; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Doha, Qatar; Flers, France
Nashville, Tennessee
Sister cities:Edmonton, Canada; Caen, France; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Mendoza, Argentina; Kamakura, Japan; Magdeburg, Germany; Taiyuan, China; Chengdu, China; Tamworth, Australia; Erbil, Iraq
Houston, Texas
Sister cities:Taipei, Taiwan; Huelva, Spain; Chiba, Japan; Nice, France; Baku, Azerbaijan; Aberdeen, Scotland; Perth, Australia; Istanbul, Turkey; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Stavanger, Norway; Leipzig, Germany; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Luanda, Angola; Karachi, Pakistan; Basrah, Iraq; Shenzhen, China; Tampico, Mexico; Ulsan, South Korea
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Sister cities:Miyazaki, Japan; Moss, Norway; Ards and North Down, U.K.
Charleston, West Virginia
Sister city:Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
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