Iowa City is going global as it prepares to join a sister cities program, linking the local community with another city in the world, fostering cultural exchange and friendship abroad.
The Iowa City Council began discussions in April 2024 to join the program and unanimously passed a resolution on Oct. 21 setting a framework for moving forward. The resolution will cement future discussions for the program, though no official city has been set.
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit organization promoting peace by building international friendships through citizen diplomacy by creating and supporting relationships between cities around the world.
Mayor Pro Tem Mazahir Salih, a Sudanese immigrant, has been championing for Iowa City to join the organization since her first term on the council in 2018.
She said joining the organization will cost no money and is a great way to help the community gain a global perspective and build empathy toward immigrants in their own community.
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“When [residents] go out and learn about another country, they’re going to feel like a stranger and have all these barriers,” she said. “With being a sister city, you get some experience and have a better way of dealing with immigrants in this country, too.”
Local businessman and owner of Joseph International Freight Service, Tony Joseph, who has been another champion for the program, said Iowa City will consider a handful of different cities, based on cultural similarities, shared passions, or interest in the community.
He said there has been an interest in German cities due to the country’s cultural ties with Iowa City, and potentially a city in China as Iowa has been sister states with Hebei Province, which is located in Northern China, since 1985.
“The fun part of this whole thing is finding a common thread and magnifying it,” Joseph said. “Maybe it’s food, soccer, or something else — if people are passionate about connecting, that’s what really matters.”
Assistant City Manager Kirk Lehman said the city is looking for cities that have similar initiatives to Iowa City.
“The sister city organization will operate as an independent nonprofit,” he said. “Its job will be to identify potential partner cities that align with Iowa City’s values, like human rights, climate action, and global cooperation, and bring those recommendations to the council for consideration.”
Lehman said the city holds international delegations from different countries to come in and discuss their values. For example, Iowa City is a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO City of Literature, meaning they are committed to excellence in literature.
“We have a pretty broad international set of relationships through our UNESCO city of literature right now,” he said. “A lot of those are literary cities focused on education in the arts, which is a strong set.”
Joseph said the program won’t be adopted this year because a board of interested community members has yet to be made up. The council will discuss further options on how to move forward and decide which city to partner with.
He said the goal of the sister city program is to develop a friendship with another culture and to bring people together.
“It’s people-driven,” Joseph said. “If someone’s passionate about a city, whether it’s in Germany, Brazil, or anywhere else, that passion can help build lasting connections and cultural exchange.”