Sister Cities

These partnerships, known as Sister Cities, promote peace through mutually respectful relationships, understanding and cooperation.

DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN

The Boulder-Dushanbe relationship began during the Cold War and continues to grow. In 1987, the people of Dushanbe even gifted Boulder a hand-made Tajik Teahouse that is now visited by over 100,000 people every year! Visit www.boulderteahouse.com to learn more.

JALAPA, NICARAGUA

In the 1980s, Boulder wanted to wage peace in the war-torn Jalapa Valley and donated ambulances, clean water and more to the region. The Boulder-Jalapa Friendship City Project has since led to clean water in rural communities, empowered women and stronger education programs. Visit www.boulderjalapa.org to learn more.

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Kathmandu is the hub of Nepal’s economy and culture. Known as the City of Temples because it once held more temples than people, Kathmandu is centuries old – though the Boulder-Kathmandu Sister City Project began less than a year ago.

KISUMU, KENYA

Since 2008, Kisumu’s relationship with Boulder has worked toward goals such as eradication of poverty and extreme hunger, universal primary education, gender equality, reduction of child mortality and others. Visit www.boulderkisumu.org to learn more.

LHASA, TIBET

Boulder has been Tibet’s only sister city in the United States since 1986. The Boulder-Lhasa Sister City Project is dedicated to health care, education, environmental protection, science and technology, agriculture and animal husbandry, culture and art. Lhasa is located just 300 miles from Mt. Everest. Visit www.boulder-tibet.org to learn more.

MANTÉ, MEXICO

Manté, Mexico lies just 280 miles south of Brownsville, Texas. The Boulder-Manté Sister City relationship formed in 2000 after an annual medical mission to Ciudad de Manté developed by Boulder Community Hospital (BCH) and several outreach programs with Boulder Rotary and First Presbyterian Church in Boulder.

NABLUS, PALESTINE

Located just 39 miles from Jerusalem, Nablus is a Palestinian commercial and cultural center. Since December of 2016, the Boulder-Nablus Sister City Project has connected residents of both cities through student-to-student pen pals, yoga teacher training, exchanges and more. Visit www.facebook.com/BoulderNablusSisterCity to learn more.

RAMAT HANEGEV

Ramat HaNegev is located in southern Israel in the Negev Desert and has a population of less than 10,000. The Boulder-Ramat HaNegev Sister City Initiative has launched several programs connecting the two cities since 2018, including paring the tech start-up culture of the two regions and collaboration between the University of Colorado and Ben Gurion University. Visit http://www.bouldernegev.org to learn more.

YAMAGATA, JAPAN

Yamagata sits in a valley surrounded by mountains in northwest Japan. During the winter, the region receives some of the heaviest snowfall in the country! The Yamagata City Friendship Association began in 1994 and works to exchange knowledge and culture. Visit bcn.boulder.co.us/community/yamagata to learn more.

YATERAS, CUBA

Yateras is a mountainous region, but the similarities to Boulder stop there. The municipality is filled with palm, citrus trees and coffee plants, and its main products are coffee, citrus fruit and bananas. The Boulder-Cuba Sister City Organization has worked to promote cultural sharing, understanding and exchange between the people of Boulder and Yateras since 2002. Visit www.bouldercuba.org to learn more.

Sister Cities International, a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network, was an initiative promoted by President Eisenhower in 1956. The organization is dedicated to forming and strengthening international partnerships with the United States. Sister Cities International, of which Boulder is a member, now represents over 2,500 communities in 134 countries.

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