The city of Glendale has launched a revitalized version of their Sister City Program.
The commitment will help in “building global relationships that enrich [the] community through cultural, educational and economic exchange,” city officials said in a media release issued Tuesday.
To celebrate the program being refreshed, Glendale held their inaugural Under One Sky event on March 26, which brought community members, international delegates and civic leaders together to honor the community’s global partnerships as well as introduce the mission and opportunities of the sister cities program.
“Glendale is proud to be one of the most diverse cities in California,” said Glendale City Councilmember Elen Asatryan, who helped spearhead the relaunching of the sister cities program. “Through the revitalized program, we are strengthening international partnerships and opening new pathways for our city, residents and businesses to engage in cultural and economic exchange opportunities.”
“This initiative is more than symbolic,” added Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian. “It’s a hands-on way for our community to share ideas and culture across borders.”
Currently, Glendale has ten sister cities, all of which were chosen based on similarities between locales, including size, economics, manufacturing, entertainment options and more:
- Higashiosaka, Japan
- Rosarito, Mexico
- Kapan and Gyumri, Armenia
- Goseong, Gimpo, and Boeun-gun, South Korea
- Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
- Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines
- Martuni, Artsakh (archived)
Los Angeles, for comparison, has 25 sister cities, including Lusaka, Zambia; Tehran, Iran and Split, Croatia. It has also been sister cities with Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, since 2007.
Higashiosaka was Glendale’s first sister city, receiving the designation in 1960, which is just four years after President Dwight D. Eisenhower founded Sister Cities International, a network of tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers who work in more than 140 countries.
Click here to sign up for updates on cultural exchanges, events and opportunities to connect with Glendale’s sister cities’ community members. For more information, call 818-548-4844 (option 1) or email [email protected].
