Guiding information for the International Relations Council and the City of Riverside as they build stronger international partnerships
SISTER CITY HANDBOOK
Message from the Mayor
The Sister City Program is an asset
to our community of Riverside,
California. Our multiple international
relationships serve the residents in
a variety of ways. They offer ways
our city can team with international
partners, matching our interests
with theirs, encouraging business
and cultural development. Their
institutions of higher education can
pair with ours, offering exchanges of
educational programs and students. Innovative programs can travel around the globe, inspiring both cities to grow, learn, and share ideas. 7KHEHQHÀWVRIWKHVHUHODWLRQVKLSVGHYHORSDWUXVWZLWKERWKWKH&LW\ and the International Relations Council (IRC) and serve to elevate their respective resources to their best advantage. This Sister City Handbook is one way we can all build these programs together, with mutual understanding and focus. With guidelines in place, the path to stronger relationships should be clear.
Riverside values its Sister Cities and looks forward to the continuous development of these relationships.
Patricia Lock Dawson
Mayor of Riverside
As the world becomes smaller and smaller,
having the ability to reach out and engage
international businesses, schools, and arts and
cultural programs will have a dramatic and
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The IRC oversees interaction with our nine Sister
Cities as citizen diplomats, bringing world leaders
and dignitaries to our community, providing a way for businesses to share ideas and resources, reaching out to help with humanitarian needs, and hosting student exchanges. We work in partnership with WKH0D\RU·V2IÀFHDQGWKH6WDWH'HSDUWPHQWWRFUHDWHSDWKZD\V of understanding and ways to share cultural values. We welcome like-minded members from the community to join us in making a difference for the city of Riverside.
Bob McKenzie
President of the IRC, 2021-2022
Message from the President of the International Relations Council What Is a Sister City and Why Are They Important?....... 3 How to Establish a New Sister City in Riverside ............... 4 'HYHORSLQJ)ULHQGVKLS&LWLHVLQ5LYHUVLGH ........................ 9 Expectations Between Sister Cities................................. 10 Communication and Reporting..................................... 11 Evaluating the Success of a Sister City Relationship .... 12 'LVVROYLQJD6LVWHU&LW\5HODWLRQVKLS................................ 13 Placing a Sister City in Emeritus Status ........................... 14 Table of Contents
Members of Mayor’s Sister City Roundtable Committee:
Staff: Kathy Allavie, International Relations Liaison to the City of Riverside Su Acharya, Karla Adams, Yoko Boucher, Jodi Cahill,
$QWKRQ\'RQDOGVRQ'LDQH(OWRQ,UPD)ORUHV3DXOD0F&URVNH\ Melanie McKee, Bob McKenzie, Charlotte McKenzie,
Karin Roberts, William Tarpai, Barbara Wallace, Cynthia Welle (with special thanks to Lalit Acharya and Lucile Arntzen)
A Sister City relationship is
a broad-based, long-term
partnership between two
communities in two countries.
After the highest elected
RUDSSRLQWHGRIÀFLDOVIURP
both communities sign an
agreement, the relationship is
RIÀFLDOO\UHFRJQL]HGE\6LVWHU
Cities International. A Sister City
RUJDQL]DWLRQ
OLNH5LYHUVLGH·V
International Relations Council) is
a volunteer group of citizens who,
with the support of their local
HOHFWHGRIÀFLDOVIRUPORQJWHUP
relationships with people and
organizations in a city abroad.
Each Sister City organization is
independent and pursues the
activities and thematic areas that
are important to them and their
community including: municipal,
business, trade, educational
and cultural exchanges. Sister
City organizations promote
peace through people-to-
people relationships—with
program offerings varying
greatly from basic cultural
exchange programs to shared
research and development
projects between cities with
relationships. Our Riverside Sister
City program increases city-wide
cultural awareness, educational
partnerships, and developments.
It encourages business, tourism,
and trade, and shares valuable
resources and approaches in
business, education, culture, and
technologies.
HOW TO ESTABLISH A NEW SISTER CITY IN RIVERSIDE
&RQVLGHUDWLRQVIRU)XWXUH6LVWHU&LW\DQG)ULHQGVKLS&LW\$IÀOLDWLRQV 5HTXHVWVWRVXSSRUWQHZ6LVWHU&LW\UHODWLRQVKLSVVSULQJIURP DYDULHW\RIVRXUFHVVXFKDVRIÀFLDOFLW\JRYHUQLQJPHPEHUV Riverside citizens with connections in foreign countries, or LQWHUQDWLRQDOFRQWDFWV5HTXHVWVFDQFRPHLQDYDULHW\RIZD\V ²E\RIÀFLDOOHWWHUSKRQHFDOOHPDLORUYLVLWVE\RIÀFLDOV,WLV LPSRUWDQWWKDWIXWXUHDIÀOLDWLRQVZLWKLQWHUQDWLRQDOFLWLHVWDNHWKHVH points into account:
• To make sure relationships between cities are robust, there is a ÀQLWHQXPEHURI6LVWHU&LW\DIÀOLDWLRQV that can be maintained.
Riverside currently has nine Sister Cities, more than most cities our size. Considerable thought and evaluation must come with any additional commitments:
• ,IDUHTXHVWFRPHVWRWKH&LW\RI5LYHUVLGHIURPDQRWKHUFLW\ these considerations would be taken into account:
1. Do we already have a Sister City in that country?
If so, how would our previous relationships be affected?
2. 'RHVWKHUHTXHVWLQJFLW\already have an American Sister City, and if so, what could Riverside add to relationships that already exist?
3. What DGGLWLRQDOEHQHÀWVmight we both give and receive in this new relationship?
4. What allies are encouraging this relationship, and are they committed to the process of establishing the relationship?
5. 'RZHKDYHDORQJWHUPFRPPLWPHQWIRUÀQDQFLDO
resources?
6. 'RZHKDYHZHOOHVWDEOLVKHGleadership and a volunteer pool?
6XFKUHTXHVWVZRXOGXOWLPDWHO\FRPHEHIRUHWKHIRC Board for their recommendation. That recommendation would then be returned to the Mayor for direction. The process, as outlined in the following section, could begin with agreement from the IRC and the Mayor.
WHAT IS A SISTER CITY AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
3 4
PARTNERS
To either establish or maintain a successful Sister City relationship, partners in both cities are necessary. Natural partners in the Sister City process are:
• Chambers of Commerce
(including specialized chambers such as the African American Chamber and Asian Indian Chamber)
• International Relations Council of Riverside
DQGHTXLYDOHQWLQSURVSHFWLYHFLW\
• Existing Sister City committees
(Riverside has nine such committees)
• Sister Cities International
• National Council of International
Visitors (Riverside has a local chapter)
• City Council
• Mayor
• City Manager
• Local university administrators
• Local community colleges
• Local high school and middle school
administrators
• Local chapters of global trade
organizations
• The local community
• Administrators of local hospitals and
health care facilities
• Local and/or regional businesses, especially those focused internationally (Bourns)
• )DLWKEDVHGQRQSURÀWDQGRWKHUQRQJRYHUQPHQWDO
organizations
COMPATIBILITY
Is the Sister City being considered advantageous/compatible to Riverside in terms of?
• Population
• Size
• 'HPRJUDSKLFV
LQFOXGLQJWKHPDNHXSRIHWKQLFFRPPXQLWLHV
of interest from the perspective of the prospective city) • Cultural diversity or richness
• Higher education initiatives, infrastructure, and interests • Business and commercial interests
• Health care and other (e.g.; youth, etc.) initiatives, infrastructure, and interests
• )LVFDOLPSDFW
WKLVVKRXOGEHSRVLWLYHRUQHXWUDO
• Strategic value to Riverside community and educational institutions
FIRST STEP
Productive Sister City relationships are a result of a carefully thought-out process. The following represents the criteria and framework individuals can use in assessing the viability of a prospective Sister City partnership.
ASSETS
A successful Sister City relationship needs assets in both cities.
These may include:
• Human: Individuals or groups who are already engaged in (or willing to engage in) long-term activities involving the two cities. Ideally, one should have such groups or individuals in both cities, and groups with roots in both cities.
• Programmatic: Institutional (including commercial) activities that could connect the prospective city with Riverside. • Historic: Historic roots with one culture or one individual from that international location.
• Existing global initiatives, structures, and organizations.
Erlangen, Germany –
Riverside Student Exhange
5 6
PROCESS
2QFHWKHFULWHULDRXWOLQHGVRIDUKDYHEHHQVDWLVÀHGWKHIROORZLQJ VHTXHQFHRIHYHQWVPXVWRFFXU
• )RUPDWLRQRIDQ exploratory Sister City committee within the International Relations Council of Riverside.
• Expanded groundwork and investigation of the prospective city by the newly-formed exploratory committee (this includes comprehensive information gathering and exchange
between the cities, and an assessment of the willingness of the prospective city to entertain a Sister City relationship with Riverside).
•A visit (or visits) to the prospective cityE\DQRIÀFLDOGHOHJDWLRQ from Riverside.
•A return visit (or visits) to RiversideE\DQRIÀFLDOGHOHJDWLRQ from the prospective city.
• Execution of a Sister City agreement by the mayors (or chief administrators) of Riverside and the prospective city.
• 5DWLÀFDWLRQby City Council.
• 1RWLÀFDWLRQRIWKHH[HFXWHG6LVWHU&LW\DJUHHPHQW to Sister Cities International (SSI).
• )RUPDOUDWLÀFDWLRQ by SSI.
GOALS
Based on the assessment of the strengths, assets, and mutual interests of the two cities, it is important to formulate a set of achievable goals and expectations for the relationship.
CHAMPIONS
)LQDOO\HDFKSURVSHFWLYHFLW\QHHGVDchampion to motivate, unify, and pull together the allies, assets, support groups, and goals to make the Sister City relationship happen. These might happen as a result of university interest or private business sector interest. Since Sister City relationships are a two-way street, champions are needed to take a proactive role in building, maintaining the relationship, and sharing the passion for continuing interaction.
Sendai, Japan
Erlangen, Germany Obuasi, Ghana
Cuautla, Mexico
RELATIONSHIP FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE:
• Arts, Culture, and
Tourism
• Economic Development
• Education
• Student Recruitment
• Environmental Issues
• Health Care
• Public Safety
• Municipal and
Governmental Exchanges
and Cooperation
• Sports
• Technology
• Youth
7 8
EXPECTATIONS BETWEEN SISTER CITIES
There is an expectation that Riverside will reach out to their Sister Cities on an annual basis at a minimum to keep relationships vital, SURGXFWLYHDQGHQKDQFHPXWXDOEHQHÀWV7KHUHLVDFRQWLQXHGLQWHUHVW in broadening the base of involvement. There are many ways the City of Riverside, the IRC/Sister City Committees might accomplish this connection. These are suggestions, and connection to our international friends is neither limited to this list, nor is connection in all areas to be expected.
• Arts & Culture – Music performances, art exhibits, peace parks and gardens, cultural festivals, art competitions, and highlighting aspects of both cities in a variety of venues and formats, including both online and in-person activities.
• Business & Trade²3URPRWLQJPXWXDOHFRQRPLFEHQHÀWVXSSRUWLQJ international cooperation between institutions of higher education, sharing best practices, sharing marketing, trade and investment plans, business-to-business connections, and commercial partnerships, and advancing innovative concepts, like sustainable development.
• Community Development – Helping one another with the
exploration of health, sanitation, water, health, electric, technology, humanitarian, and green programs, to name just a few.
• Youth & Education – Encouraging
student travel, short & long-term
exchanges, sports tournaments
and events, student showcases of
work from both countries, youth
leadership summits, electronic pen
pal programs, and much more,
including connecting our K-12
schools, colleges, and universities
with counterparts in our Sister Cities.
• Governance – The opportunity to
establish ongoing communication
with municipal governments and
learn from one another.
• Promotion²7RXULVPUDLVLQJWKHSURÀOHRI5LYHUVLGHLQWHUQDWLRQDOO\ as an attractive city and a great place to live, work, invest, visit, do business, and study in tangible ways.
• Natural Disasters, Emergencies and Need – Helping our Sister Cities in times of need with training, personnel, supplies, or funds. • Online Programs to Connect Both Cities
Hyderabad, India
Gangnam, South Korea
Riverside has a robust Sister City program for a city our size.
Maintaining Sister City relationships is an on-going effort on the part RIWKH&LW\DQGWKH,5&7KHWHUP´)ULHQGVKLS&LW\µPLJKWEHXVHG as a one-time interaction between Riverside and an international city but is not intended to replace or bypass our Sister City process.
Some examples of ways this designation could be used are:
• Highly-Focused Events such as sharing resources on a limited EDVLVIRUDPXWXDODUWH[KLELWRUIHVWLYDORUIRURQHVSHFLÀF business venture. This highly focused exchange could grow to a yearly event, or simply be concluded at the completion of the exchange.
• Outreach such as when opportunity presents itself for the Mayor or City Council members to make a connection with another international city during a visit that might result in a limited, but valuable, relationship.
• 8QRIÀFLDO
WKHUHODWLRQVKLSRI´)ULHQGVKLS&LW\µFDQEH
extended from municipal government to municipal
government on an informal basis without expectations of RQJRLQJÀQDQFLDOFRPPLWPHQWV
• *RRGZLOO
the goal of this designation would clearly be to foster JRRGZLOOIRUDOLPLWHGSHULRGZKLFKZRXOGEHFOHDUO\VSHFLÀHG $QH[DPSOHPLJKWEHWRGHVLJQDWHD\HDURUDVSHFLÀFWLPH period of exchanges.
DEVELOPING FRIENDSHIP CITIES WITH RIVERSIDE
9 10
EVALUATING THE SUCCESS OF THE SISTER CITY
RELATIONSHIPS
The measurement of a successful Sister City relationship will be guided by the following criteria:
COMMUNICATION AND REPORTING
While the6LVWHU&LW\SURJUDPGRHVPDQ\WKLQJVWKDWEHQHÀWWKH local community, these cannot be appreciated without community XSGDWHV6LVWHU&LW\8SGDWHVVKRXOGEHDSDUWRIWKH0D\RU·V$QQXDO Report and focused on documenting the changes, accomplishments, and performance of the Sister City program. In this report, they should stress how they achieved independent goals and objectives for the program and whether this matches the strategic vision for the organization (IRC).
An annual report from the
Sister City program should
have several major goals (set
by the IRC) with objectives that
demonstrate achievement for
HDFKRIWKHJRDOV4XDQWLÀDEOH
measures should be created.
It is critical that the Sister City
program demonstrate its value
as a vehicle for international
goodwill and cultural
understanding to the public at
large.
It is also advisable for each
Sister City Committee to
communicate activities to
the City of Riverside that can
EHLQFOXGHGRQWKH0D\RU·V
website. There should be photos,
maps, information about our
Sister City and, most importantly,
upcoming events that have a
connection to Riverside. The
website should also feature
ways for citizens to get involved
in the Sister City program.
In addition:
• 7KH,QWHUQDWLRQDO5HODWLRQV&RXQFLOVKRXOGPDLQWDLQLWVQRQSURÀW incorporation active status with the State of California. • 7KH,QWHUQDWLRQDO5HODWLRQV&RXQFLOVKRXOGKDYHVXIÀFLHQWIXQGVIRU periodic revisions of the Sister Cities brochures and web pages. • The International Relations Council should submit an annual report to the Mayor outlining the status of the relationship with each of our Sister Cities.
7KH6LVWHU&LW\SURJUDPVFRXOGEHQHÀWE\ shared fundraising efforts as a group. These might include ideas like International/ Sister City Restaurant Week, promoting travel opportunities in both cities (whale- watching in Ensenada, etc.), and promoting Sister City involvement within Riverside. There is also a need to lean on other organizations in the community to help make connections for the IRC and Sister Cities. • The Sister City Committee
(a standing committee of the
International Relations Council)
should be able to demonstrate
VXIÀFLHQWORFDOLQYROYHPHQW
on an ongoing basis and be
willing to take responsibility for
PDLQWDLQLQJDÀUPUHODWLRQVKLS
• The Sister City relationship in the
other country should likewise
GHPRQVWUDWHVXIÀFLHQWORFDO
involvement on an ongoing basis
• The Sister Cities should have
approved exchanges with
both sides of the Sister City
relationship a minimum of every
four years. These can be formal
delegations, student exchanges
RURQHSHUVRQLQDQRIÀFLDO
capacity. The goal is to make
an in-person connection to our
Sister City.
• It is desirable for the Sister City
Committee to have a minimum
of ten (10) members on an
ongoing basis
• The Sister City Committees
should be represented on the
IRC Board and report regularly to
the group as a whole
Can Tho, Vietnam
Jiangmen, China
Ensenada, Mexico
11 12
DISSOLVING A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP
While regrettable, sometimes it is necessary and prudent for a city to WHUPLQDWHD6LVWHU&LW\DIÀOLDWLRQ7KLVFRXOGFRPHDERXWIRUDYDULHW\ of reasons:
• Loss of community interest and support for an extended time • No communication between Sister Cities, despite attempts made • A change of circumstances that created the Sister City relationship at the start
• An imbalance of factors that made the Sister City match at the beginning become untenable as time has gone on
• The loss of “champions” in both cities that make relationship EXLOGLQJGLIÀFXOW
• Upon the recommendation of a “champion” or the Sister City Committee based on their knowledge, history, and relationship with the Sister City
While the preferred course of action would be to revitalize an inactive Sister City program, there may be a time that Riverside may opt WRWHUPLQDWHWKH6LVWHU&LW\UHODWLRQVKLS,ID6LVWHU&LW\DIÀOLDWLRQLV dormant or inactive for a period of three years (with attempts at re- establishing communication failing) the City of Riverside may initiate the process to terminate the Sister City relationship by performing these steps:
• Receiving a written letter
of recommendation for
dissolution to the IRC and
Mayor of Riverside from the
´FKDPSLRQµRU6LVWHU&LW\
Committee stating the reasons
for dissolving the relationship;
• Upon evaluation, the Mayor
will make a recommendation
to the City Council;
• The Mayor or their designee
will send a letter to the
Mayor or lead representative
of the Sister City to express
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DIÀOLDWLRQ
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• The Mayor or their designee
will then notify Sister Cities
International that the Sister
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PLACING A SISTER CITY IN EMERITUS STATUS
• To place a relationship into Emeritus status, the Mayor must write a letter to the mayor of the foreign city indicating that they wish to remain Sister Cities but understand that the relationship will remain inactive until such time as both cities are able to sustain an active relationship.
• Sister Cities International should be informed in writing by the mayor of the U.S. city regarding the situation. Sister Cities International will then place the partnership into Emeritus VWDWXVDQGZLOOUHÁHFWWKLVVWDWXVLQGLUHFWRULHVDQGDOOOLVWVRI Sister City programs (note: suggested 5 year maximum).
13 14
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RiversideCA.gov/Mayor
Sendai,
Japan
1957
Ensenada,
Mexico
1976
Cuautla,
Mexico
Gangnam,
South Korea
1999
Hyderabad,
India
2000
Jiangmen,
China
1996
Obuasi,
Ghana
Erlangen,
Germany
2011
Can Tho,
Vietnam
2015
SISTER CITIES OF RIVERSIDE
AS OF 2021