Long-time residents and tourists and visitors who plan to make a stop in Chicago can enjoy many benefits to learning a little more about the city. Missing out on the chance to enjoy and make use of the many cultural exchanges and international programs that have helped make the city what it is today would be very unfortunate. With a little education and research, learning more about Chicago, and the cities around the world that serve as its sisters and partners, may prove to be a very satisfying and rewarding undertaking. Information on the program could lead to many opportunities that you do not want to miss.

Sister city agreements are brokered for the purpose of creating cultural and economic ties between two towns. Chicago has forged bonds with 28 sister cities, ranging from Lahore in Pakistan to Durban in South Africa. Given Chicago’s ethnic history, it should come as no surprise what its first sister city was.

Warsaw: Embracing the Polish Tradition in Chicago
In 1960, Chicago found their first sister city with Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Chicago has long been a hub for Polish immigration, and with over 1.5 million people of Polish descent in the metropolitan area, Chicago has more Poles than any city in the world besides Warsaw. Warsaw is well known as the cultural and economic center of Poland. The city has seen a rapid revival following the fall of the Soviet Union.

Mexico City: Jewel of the Americas
Chicago’s large Mexican population has had a great influence on the culture of Chicago, from historically Mexican neighborhoods like Pilsen, to the ubiquitous taquerias dotting the city. Mexico City became a sister city of Chicago in 1991, and the partnership is natural. Like Chicago, Mexico City is well regarded for its numerous museums, delicious cuisine and vibrant art scene.

Galway: When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
One could safely assume that a city that dyes it main river green on St. Patrick’s Day would find a sister city in Ireland. Sure enough, Chicago and the West Ireland town of Galway linked up in 1997. Galway is a smaller city known for its charming, walkable streets and beautiful countryside scenery.

Warsaw, the capital of Poland
Milan, Italy
Osaka, Japan
Casablanca, Morocco
Shanghai, China
Shenyang, China
Gothenburg, Sweden
Accra, the capital of Ghana
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic
Kiev, Ukraine
Mexico City, the capital of Mexico
Toronto, Canada
Birmingham, in the United Kingdom
Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania
Hamburg, a port city in Germany
Petah Tikva, in Israel
Athens, the capital of Greece
Durban, South Africa
Galway, Ireland
Moscow, the capital of Russia
Lucerne, Switzerland
Delhi, India
Amman, the capital of Jordan
São Paulo, Brazil
Belgrade, the capital of Serbia
Lahore, Pakistan
Busan, South Korea
and Bogotá, the capital of Colombia

Many of these cities were chosen because they, like Chicago, are the second most populated or the second most important city in their country. Other countries, like Poland, saw many of their own citizens emigrate to Chicago. Every year Chicago throws a celebration in Daly Plaza to honor her sister cities. There, visitors can enjoy performances and food from the other sister cities.

Chicago has been sister cities the longest with Warsaw. Their relationship began in 1960. Bogotá is the latest sister city. It became sister cities with Chicago in 2009.

The beginnings of Warsaw were built as early as the 9th and 10th centuries; it became the capital city of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1700, and was well known for its beauty, culture, and art. It was then, taken by the kingdom of Prussia at the end of the 18th century, and later by Napoleon. The city spent most of the 19th century in the power of Russia. Warsaw became a sister city to Chicago in 1960. Not long before that, the city had fallen on hard times. Poland was under the control of the Nazis during World War II, and the Soviet army wanted the country as well. In 1944, much of Warsaw was razed by the Germans. After that, the country was held by the Soviet Union for several years. It joined the European Union in 2004.

Today, the city has reestablished itself as a place of learning, science and industry, with many universities, libraries, and museums. It is the birthplace Frederic Chopin and Madame Marie Curie and a center of Jewish history and culture.

The term “sister city” is used mainly in the U.S., although the concept has been around for centuries. In Europe, these partnerships are called “twin towns” or “town twinning.” The first incident of this type of partnership occurred in 836 AD when the town of Paderborn in Germany partnered with Le Mans in France. In the United States, the first city to form such an agreement was Toledo, Ohio, becoming the sister city to Toledo, Spain in 1931. Eventually, through President Eisenhower’s interest in a citizen diplomacy venture following World War II, the nonprofit organization Sister Cities International was formed in 1956 as part of the National League of Cities, becoming its own separate entity in 1967, and aiding the formation of sister city agreements ever since.

Begun in 1956 by President Dwight Einsenhower, the Sister Cities program was seen as a way to promote cultural and economic exchanges with cities around the world. In 1960, Chicago signed its first Sister City agreement with Warsaw, the capitol of Poland, remarkable for the time considering that country was behind the Iron Curtain.

In the 53 years since, 27 other cities have become Sister Cities of Chicago. They include some of the world’s most famous cities, such as Paris, Moscow, Toronto, Mexico City, Milan – where you can view the artwork of Michelangelo and de Vinci – and Athens, home to the first ever Olympics. Also on the list of Chicago Sister Cities is Amman, Jordan, Birmingham, England, Belgrade, Serbia, Bogota, Colombia, Dehli, India, Durban, South Africa, Hamburg, Germany, Osaka, Japan, Prague, Czech Republic, Shanghai and Shenyang, China, Vilnius, Lithuania, Accra, Ghana, Busan, South Korea, Galway, Ireland, Gothenburg, Sweden, Kyiv, Ukraine, Lucerne, Switzerland, Petach Tikva, Israel, Lahore, Pakistan and the one that would make Humphrey Bogart proud, Casablanca, Morocco.