Sister Cities International (SCI) is excited to announce the launch of The Haijmari Project: US-Japan Sister Cities Origin Stories. According to Japan’s Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), over the past 75 years there have been 400+ sister city relationships between the United States and Japan. Each partnership has its own unique story. Some are almost too remarkable to believe – friendships borne through a World War, recession, tsunami, pandemic, etc. Other partnerships began with a simple acquaintance or chance encounter with a curious foreigner. Regardless of how they formed, there is great power in capturing these inspiring stories of origin to show the power of citizen diplomacy for future generations.
