Sister Cities
Since 1957
Sendai, Japan
Chairperson: Theresa Hoag
Sendai became Riverside’s first Sister City on March 9, 1957, making this relationship the oldest in the nation. In 2007, Riverside and Sendai celebrated the 50th anniversary of their relationship. Located 180 miles north of Tokyo on Japan’s largest island, Honshu, Sendai is one of Japan’s 11 major cities…
Since 1968
Cuautla, Mexico
Chairperson: Melanie Mckee & Ignacio Romero
A relatively small city of 145,000 in the Mexican state of Morelos, Cuautla became Riverside’s second Sister City on July 9, 1968. Known for its natural warm sulfur springs and mild climate, Cuautla is an important tourist destination. Because of its role in Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain, Cuautla is also an official historic city. Riverside Fire Department personnel frequently travel to Cuautla to train their counterparts in firefighting techniques. Riverside Fire Department also donates decommissioned vehicles. The relationship is rich in art and cultural exchanges as well.
Since 1976
Ensenada, Mexico
Chairperson: Irma Flores
This port city of 460,000 in Baja, Mexico, is an important fishing and commercial hub and is home to four universities. Ensenada became Riverside’s third Sister City on March 9, 1976. It produces 90 percent of Mexico’s wines and is one of Mexico’s most important tourist destinations. Arts, cultural, and public safety exchanges characterize Ensenada’s relationship with Riverside. Riverside frequently donates decommissioned fire and police equipment to the police and fire departments of Ensenada.
Since 1996
Jiangmen, People’s Republic of China
Chairperson: Jun Wang
A city of 3.9 million in the Pearl River region of South China, Jiangmen is an industrial and manufacturing hub and has been Riverside’s Sister City since April 15, 1997. Jiangmen, which translates as “River Gate,” is also the citrus capital of China and one of the nation’s fastest-growing economies. Ties between the people of Jiangmen and Riverside pre-date the Sister City relationship to the late 19th century when immigrants from the Jiangmen region arrived in Riverside to work in the citrus industry.
Since 1999
Gangnam, Republic of Korea
Chairperson: Ron Loveridge
Gangnam, Seoul’s wealthiest municipal district, became Riverside’s Sister City on May 1, 1998. Gangnam is an international center for business, industry, and finance with a population of more than half a million. Since the relationship’s inception, there have been cultural and information technology exchanges between Riverside and Gangnam. One of the most significant outcomes of this relationship was the establishment in 2001 of the Gangnam University of California, Riverside International Education Center. The Center provides English language training.
Since 2000
Hyderabad, India
Chairperson: Open Seat
This center for high technology and India’s fifth largest city with a population of 7.5 million became Riverside’s Sister City on February 16, 2000. That same year, the University of California, Riverside, entered into sister university agreements with Hyderabad’s Osmania and N.G. Ranga Agricultural universities. As a direct result of the Sister City agreement, Infotech Enterprises, Hyderabad’s second largest software company, opened its first United States office in Riverside, staying until 2007. Business, educational, and governmental exchanges characterize this relationship.
Since 2008
Obuasi, Ghana
Chairperson: Jalani Bakari
Riverside’s first Sister City in Africa, Obuasi, is known for its gold mining operations. Located about a hundred miles north of Ghana’s capital, Accra, it is home to one of the top 10 gold-producing mines in the world. Obuasi is also rapidly moving into the bio-fuels sector. It has distributed a million seedlings of the oil-rich jatropha plant to farmers in the area. Like Riverside, Obuasi has a citrus heritage and farms about a thousand acres of the African honey orange.
Since 2011
Erlangen, Germany
Chairperson: Karen Roberts &Adam Bicksler
Almost 1,000 years old, Erlangen in the German state of Bavaria has emerged as Germany’s top economic engine and healthcare technology leader. The city is home to the centuries-old Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, which has an MOU with the University of California Riverside to exchange scholars, researchers, and students. The universal MP3 music format was invented at Erlangen’s prestigious Fraunhofer Institute. The health care division of Siemens is headquartered in Erlangen and employs about 20 percent of the city’s workforce. Riverside and Erlangen have an active and thriving high school exchange program.
Since 2015
Can Tho, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Chairperson: Dr. Vien Doan
Can Tho became Riverside’s ninth sister city on January 20, 2015, making this relationship the youngest for Riverside. Can Tho is Vietnam’s fourth largest metropolitan city (population: 1.5 million); founded in 1739, Can Tho, whose name means river of poems, is located on the banks of the Hau, a tributary of the Mekong River. It is located about 100 miles from Ho Chi Minh City and is referred to as the western capital of Vietnam. It is known as the rice basket of Vietnam, contributing more than half of the nation’s rice output. The city is famous for its floating market, fish farms, and agricultural sector, producing abundant tropical fruits such as jackfruit, mango, and durian. Like Riverside, Can Tho focuses on sustainability and the knowledge sector. It is also a university town, home to several institutions of higher learning such as Can Tho University, Can Tho Medical College, The Economic and Technical College, Vocational College, and the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute.
Join Our Newsletter
Be the first to learn about exciting opportunities and updates from the IRC as well as how you can make an impact in the lives of others.