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Cities Seeking Cities December 2016 Newsletter
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Cities Seeking Cities Newsletter
What do Laos, Pakistan, and Macedonia have in common?
They all have cities that are looking for sister cities in the U.S.! Each month, Sister Cities International highlights three communities that are currently searching for sister cities in the United States. If your city is looking for a new partner and think one of these communities would be a good match, please contact Taylor Woodruff at twoodruff@sistercities.org for more information. 
Vientiane, Laos
Population: 783,000
Located on the banks of the Mekong River near the border of Thailand, Vientiane is the capital and largest city in Laos. It serves as the driving force behind Laos’ economy and has also become a popular tourist destination due to its rich culture and historic Buddhist temples and monuments. Vientiane is interested in developing its first U.S. sister city which would focus on best practices exchanges, economic development as well as arts and cultural programs. 
Peshawar City, Pakistan
Population: 1,755,000
Situated in a broad valley near the eastern end of the historic Khyber Pass, Peshawar's recorded history dates back to at least 539 B.C.E., making it the oldest city in Pakistan and one of the oldest in Asia. Numerous educational institutes are located in Peshawar, including the University of Peshawar and Edwardes College which was established in 1900. With a young population, Peshware’s economy is transitioning from its role on the Silk Road to an ecosystem for entrepreneurship, freelance jobs, and technology.
Tetovo, Macedonia
Population: 52,915
Situated on the crossroads of Europe and Asia in the Northwest of Macedonia, Tetovo is the home to nearly 90,000 residents of Albanian, Macedonian, Turkish, and Roma dissent. Tetovo enjoys both a rich and diverse cultural heritage and beautiful outdoor spaces in the surrounding Sharr Mountains. Tetovo also hosts two of Macedonia’s major universities and four professional sports clubs.
You can find a full list of international communities interested in a U.S. partner by using the “City Search” tool. Be sure to check the “Only Show Cities Seeking Cities” box before clicking search. 
Best Practice Spotlight

What are the driving factors that help foster strong sister city relationships? When the Cities Seeking Cities team works with members on developing new partnerships, we focus on building a solid foundation for the new partnership by answering, why this community? Finding that key factor that will provide a solid foundation for the partnership to be sustainable and grow is the most important piece of the process. Historically, communities would establish a partnership based on ancestral links or a piece of history that linked the two communities together. While this has worked for hundreds of communities, we encourage communities to find key aspects that would drive programs and exchanges.
 
But where do you start? Take time to meet with city officials, academic administrators, business executives, and other community leaders to learn more about current domestic and international initiatives, future goals, or even concerns and problems they are working to address. This type of information provides a strategic focus in researching potential partners that is beneficial to your community.
 
For example, the City of Boston, Massachusetts and many cities across the globe have leveraged public-private partnerships with technology firms to incorporate technology into their infrastructure to create a sustainable, more livable city under the smart cities framework. Boston has engaged their sister city relationship with Barcelona, Spain, which is considered the leader in the smart cities movement, to exchange best practices within this space. This is an initiative that will further drive their partnership and provides a platform for continued programs and exchanges.
 
Finding key aspects like Boston’s work in the smart cities movement is incredibly important and should be at the core of your work in developing a new partnership. It is the foundation that will ensure your new partnership will continue for generations.
What is Cities Seeking Cities?

Sister cities signingSister Cities International’s Cities Seeking Cities program helps member cities find new partner communities abroad. We work with volunteers and municipal officials and utilize our broad network, including U.S. and foreign embassies, federal agencies, municipal associations, and twinning organizations, among others, to find potential matches. Learn more about the Cities Seeking Cities program and how cities become sister cities by visiting our website here.
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