Building “Peace Through People,” the Salt Lake City Sister Cities Program fosters community development through international diplomacy.

Our Program:

Salt Lake City has six active Sister City relationships with Matsumoto, Japan; Keelung, Taiwan; Chernivtsi, Ukraine; Izhevsk, Russia; Torino, Italy; and Trujillo, Peru. Though there is a vast range of diversity in these relationships, all share the common goal to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation. Each relationship Salt Lake City established was created for a different reason, under different circumstances. The measure of success for one relationship may not be the best measure for another, yet all have the ultimate goal of promoting peace. The reasons behind the creation of each of our partnerships include cultural exchange programs, humanitarian aid, dignitary visits, economic development and student, teacher and employee exchange programs. Throughout the life of a Sister City relationship the goals may change or evolve, and the level of connectivity and involvement may vary greatly due to shifting political priorities, constantly changing city administrations, or even governmental instability. These constant changes create an ever evolving and fluctuating environment in which Sister City relationships must survive.

To learn more about our individual Sister City relationships visit: www.saltlakesistercities.com

Purpose:

A sister city program is one of the most important organizations a community can have. Sister city programs lead their communities toward global integration, using new technologies and techniques to support trade, health care advancement, democratization and the environment. Sister city programs are at the forefront of community development, working at the grassroots level to assist their partners abroad. Sister city programs and their volunteers represent all sectors of the city and all aspects of its society, diversity, history and ambitions. A sister city program is a community’s international salutation.

Culture and Ideas:

Maintaining relationships with six cities from across the globe, the Sister Cities Program allows for the exchange of culture and ideas. The exchange of resources provides opportunities for:

• Economic development
• Diplomatic relationships
• Educational enhancement
• Humanitarian aid
• Civic engagement

These international relationships maintained will open our community up to new opportunities in education and business. We encourage your involvement with the program, as we look to enhance our international relationships, beginning with the ambitious and enthusiastic ideas received from Salt Lake City residents.

Sister Cities Advisory Board

The current Sister City Advisory Board can be found here. Salt Lake City’s Sister Cities Board serves an advisory role to Mayor Erin Mendenhall on the Sister Cities program. The board is responsible for implementing the goals and objectives of the Sister Cities program.

Contact Information – Program and Board Manager

Katie Matheson
katherine.matheson@slcgov.com

Matsumoto Castle located in Salt Lake City’s Sister City, Matsumoto, Japan.