Buzz
Just like family dynamics during the holidays, you can’t pick your siblings—unless you’re a city. Municipalities have the unique ability to form sister city relationships (or “twin towns,” as Europeans call them) with like-minded counterparts. These partnerships, free from sibling rivalry, aim to promote cultural exchange and build mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation, as highlighted by the Sister Cities International website. Here are some of the most surprising and fascinating city pairings across the globe.
1. Paderborn, Germany and Le Mans, France
What makes this pairing remarkable isn’t just its uniqueness but its historical depth. The bond between Le Mans and Paderborn is recognized as the world’s oldest city partnership, tracing back to the 9th century. St. Liborius, the 4th-century bishop and patron saint of Paderborn, hailed from Le Mans. In 836, his relics were transported from Le Mans to Paderborn in a grand procession spanning over 800 kilometers. This event sparked a lasting friendship between the two cities, which was formally cemented with a sister-city agreement in 1967.
2. Mbabane, Eswatini / Fort Worth, Texas
One is the capital of a small mountainous kingdom governed by an absolute monarch. The other is home to the world’s largest indoor rodeo, located in a sprawling state led by Rick Perry. Beyond their shared love for cattle ranching and barbecue, what connects them? Fort Worth, already partnered with six sister cities, sought to establish a connection in Africa and chose Mbabane in 2004. Mae Ferguson, CEO of Fort Worth Sister Cities, noted that Swaziland (now Eswatini) offered a traditional African culture rich in heritage. The partnership has led to the construction of a health clinic funded by the Gates Foundation and annual summer trips to Swaziland for humanitarian projects, all while enjoying the country’s warm and welcoming atmosphere.
3. Rapid City, South Dakota / Nikko City, Japan
Near Imaichi, Japan, the Western Village amusement park, a Wild West–themed attraction featuring a shooting gallery and an animatronic John Wayne, closed its doors in 2007. However, during its peak in the early 1990s, owner Oominami Kenichi, a devoted fan of American culture, was inspired by the film Dances with Wolves
4. Mascara, Algeria / Elkader, Iowa
In 1846, Timothy Davis founded a small community in northeast Iowa and named it after Emir Abd al-Qādir, an Algerian military leader celebrated globally for his efforts to free Algeria from French colonial rule in the 1830s. Davis adapted al-Qādir’s family name to “Elkader,” giving the town its unique identity. Over a century later, an American embassy employee in Algiers uncovered this historical link, visited Elkader, and established a sister-city relationship with Mascara, al-Qādir’s hometown. Despite occasional travel restrictions due to social unrest in Algeria, Elkader continues to host Algerian ambassadors, scholars, and artists, even boasting an Algerian-American restaurant.
5. Dull, Scotland / Boring, Oregon
In 2012, the small Scottish village of Dull found its perfect match in Boring, Oregon. The partnership began when a resident of Aberfeldy, near Dull, cycled through Boring during a U.S. tour and saw potential for a tourism-boosting alliance. Boring, named after an early settler and Civil War veteran, embraces its quirky identity, calling itself “an exciting place to call home.” The two towns designated August 9 as Boring & Dull Day, celebrated in Oregon with ice cream socials and bagpipe performances. Since then, Dull has seen increased tourism, and Boring has welcomed new businesses like a restaurant and brewery, adding a touch of irony to their reputations. The Australian town of Bland Shire has even expressed interest in joining the partnership.
6. Horseheads, New York / Nakagawa, Japan
While many sister cities share names (like Toledo, Ohio, and Toledo, Spain), others form through unique connections. A Japanese businessman from Bato-machi noticed Horseheads, New York, on a U.S. map and realized “bato” translates to “horse head” in Japanese. This linguistic coincidence sparked a correspondence between the two towns, leading to a sister-city relationship. After Bato-machi merged with Nakagawa in 2005, the partnership continued, with Nakagawa sending visitors to Horseheads annually to experience maple syrup production and other local attractions, while Horseheads residents reciprocate with trips to Japan.
7. Olney, U.K. / Liberal, Kansas
The bond between Liberal and Olney was forged through pancakes and a spirited rivalry. Olney has hosted an annual race on Pancake Day since 1445, where women don headscarves and carry frying pans while sprinting 380 meters from the marketplace to the Church of St. Peter and Paul. In 1950, R.J. Leete, president of the Liberal Jaycees Club, saw a magazine photo of the Olney race and proposed a challenge: a friendly competition between the women of both towns. Now, each Pancake Day, both towns hold their own races, with participants competing for the fastest time. Liberal’s celebration has grown into a four-day festival featuring pancake-eating contests and flipping competitions.
8. Walt Disney World / Swindon, U.K.
In 2009, Disney World sought a sister city in the U.K. and surprised many by choosing Swindon, a modest railway town often compared to Peoria, Illinois, and described as a “depressing concrete metropolis” by the Daily Mail. Rebecca Warren championed Swindon’s bid, creating a video and poem to highlight its charm. Swindon’s mayor and Warren were invited to Florida for a plaque unveiling at Epcot, and Disney-themed events were held in Swindon. The Mail humorously noted, “One is a magical place where dreams come true. The other, is Swindon.”
9. Decatur, Georgia / Boussé, Burkina Faso
The relationship between Decatur, an Atlanta suburb, and Boussé, a village in one of West Africa’s poorest nations, began in the late 1980s. A group of Decatur residents and University of Georgia students had traveled to Burkina Faso to combat the guinea worm, a harmful waterborne parasite, and develop drought-resistant corn. Upon their return, they persuaded the mayor to form a volunteer committee and establish a sister-city partnership. This collaboration expanded beyond development aid to include cultural exchanges. During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Decatur hosted 35 Burkinabe athletes and witnessed a traditional fertility dance in the town square, an event famously documented by Roy Blount, Jr. in Sports Illustrated. However, after losing key members, the committee became inactive and has yet to fully recover.
10. Boulder, Colorado / Yateras, Cuba
Even in progressive Boulder, establishing a partnership with a Cuban city under Castro’s regime was no small feat. In 2000, Spenser Havlick, teaching with Semester at Sea, encouraged his students to write to Fidel Castro, who surprisingly agreed to a four-hour Q&A session with 800 students. Inspired, Havlick, then a Boulder City Council member, pushed for a formal relationship with Yateras in Guantánamo Province. Despite a nine-month wait for a travel license, the Boulder–Cuba Sister City Organization has since led 14 trips, hosted Cuban artists, and supported Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. However, a proposed partnership with Nablus in the West Bank was rejected amid controversy in June of this year.
11. Wincanton, U.K. / Ankh-Morpork
Wincanton, a town in Somerset, England, made headlines by twinning with Ankh-Morpork, a fictional city from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. In 2002, the mayor signed a twinning deed, but the U.K. government blocked official signage, insisting sister cities must be real. Undeterred, Wincanton established an Ankh-Morpork consulate, adopted street names like Peach Pie Street and Treacle Mine Road, and sells Discworld merchandise. While an ambassadorial visit to Ankh-Morpork remains unrealized, the town continues to celebrate its unique partnership.
