Building a lasting relationship with a sister city, county or state might well be one of the most rewarding activities your community becomes involved with. However, of searching for and finding that special partner who shares your interests and goals, is an intricate and often lengthy one. Therefore, your search must be extremely well organized and undertaken with great planning and commitment.

It is up to you to take a proactive role in this process!

We often compare the sister city search process to the intricate dance of matrimony, beginning with the awkward days of courtship to well beyond a golden anniversary. With this analogy in mind, it is crucial to be sensitive to the needs of your prospective community, and at all times, be aware that this relationship is intended to last a lifetime. Therefore, choose wisely!

Checklist

Please be aware that this checklist is meant to serve as a guide as you go through the affiliations process. We recommend that you download this information (available in Word format and save it for future reference. If you have any questions, please contact Sister Cities International (SCI).

1. Please review SCI's publications and make your first priority the organization of your sister cities committee. This committee should be led by elected officers (i.e. president/chairperson, vice-president, treasurer, secretary) and comprised of a broad range of community members: community leader(s) who speak directly for the Mayor/City Manager, business professionals (i.e. private enterprise, physicians, attorneys), Chamber of Commerce officials, youth and educators, retirees, and so on. (Form sub-committees as needed, such as fundraising or youth, as well as separate committees for each sister cities affiliation, and so on.)
2. Gather and secure strong community support. Do not forget to involve other groups, such as your Rotary club, churches, hospitals, schools, your local government, for example.
3. Once an organized committee is established, begin working on your "Request for a Sister City" form. (For ease of processing, this form is available in electronic format, see above, or it can be filled out online, see below.) As you thoroughly explore these questions, remember that some regions of the world are traditionally under-requested.
4. As you complete your "Request for a Sister City" form, carefully explore your purpose for building a sister cities relationship. Is it to investigate economic development opportunities? Is it for youth exchange? Questions such as these are extremely important and will assist you in identifying the goals of your partnership.
5. After you have completed your "Request for a Sister City" form, send it to SCI, preferably electronically or submit it via our Web site using the online request form. We will post the completed form on our Web site, where it will be available to communities around the world. Please visit our Web site often as all communities seeking sister city partners will be added regularly.
6. If you don't find any communities meeting your criteria on our Web site, it will be your responsibility to search for potential cities. Be creative in this search. Use all resources available, such as:
   • The Internet;
   • Your local library;
   • Chamber of Commerce;
   • Business or familial contacts in that community.

   Consider involving more than just the members of your committee. For instance, you might have a geography teacher assign this as a class project, have your Rotary Club contact its international chapters or hold a town meeting to consider the diverse interest and needs of your entire community.

7. When you are ready to approach a potential partner, present a comprehensive view of your community by sending a detailed packet of information to the mayor of the desired city. This packet should include a formal letter from your mayor (and committee president/chair) inviting the community to enter into a dialogue regarding the prospect of becoming sister cities (sample documents available from SCI), along with promotional materials such as brochures, maps, photos or video. Don't forget to enclose a copy of your "Request for a Sister City" form. Also, request such information in return.
8. If you receive a positive response, reply promptly and extend an invitation for an official delegation to visit, with suggestions for potential projects, such as student exchange, business/trade development and so on. Build your relationship. Get to know one another well. After some time, you will be able to determine if this is the right match for you. As you "date," please keep SCI informed regarding your progress.
9. When there is mutual intent to become formally linked, both mayors must sign an official sister cities agreement (sample documents available from SCI). Upon receipt of a copy of this document, SCI will send two official charters--one for you and one for your sister city. At this point, you will be eligible to use the name "Sister Cities," and you will officially become part of our network of registered sister cities.
10. Continue to build your relationship by involving more community members and expanding the scope of your projects.
11. Keep SCI updated with regular reports of your exchange programs and general activities. And, don't hesitate to contact us with questions at any time!

Request for a sister city

If you have reviewed the above information and are ready to begin the process of finding a new sister community now, please complete and submit the Request for a Sister City Form online.