SERVING THE CHARLESTON REGION

"In order to be competitive in an increasingly global economy, we must expand our partnerships with cities around the world...Charleston Sister Cities International creates a platform for the strengthening the existing economic, cultural and educational relationships while committing to explore to new ties and creative ways to improve the quality of life for residents."

-John Tecklenburg, Past Chair, Mayor Emeritus of the City of Charleston, 2016-2023

Charleston Sister Cities International (CSCI), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, is a member of Sister Cities International, which was founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote global peace and prosperity through community diplomacy. Charleston Sister Cities International serves as the national membership organization for Sister Cities International programs in over 500 communities in more than 140 countries. Mayor William Cogswell, City of Charleston, is one of CSCI’s Honorary Chair. Neita A. Wiese serves as CSCI’s President & CEO.

HOW CHARLESTON SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL SERVES OUR REGION

Charleston Sister Cities International globally promotes the Charleston Region and enhances our community’s international understanding through trade missions; economic development, urban development, environmental resilience, and sustainability initiatives; and educational, life sciences, bio tech, healthcare advancement, humanitarian, arts, cultural, sports, and tourism exchanges with CSCI partners abroad. CSCI partners are primarily, but not exclusively, port cities that are active or offer potential commercial economic development opportunities, and/or demonstrate significant cultural and historical ties to the Charleston area.

OUR REACH

Charleston Sister Cities International currently has six active partners: Spoleto, Italy; Panama City, Panama; Speightstown, Barbados; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Doha, Qatar, and Flers, France. Each Charleston Sister Cities International partnership has an assigned Charleston City Council Member and Committee. Pending/prospective CSCI port city partnerships include Canada, Germany, The United Kingdom, Ireland, The Netherlands, India, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the Pacific Islands.

OUR MISSION

CSCI has successfully advanced its mission to “Partnering Globally, Thriving Locally.” CSCI has locally, nationally, and globally, established relationships with and/or hosted several International Delegations and Foreign Dignitaries at the Ambassador and Consulate level that include Barbados, Ireland, Canada, The Netherlands, Republic of Panama, Sierra Leone, The State of Qatar, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Germany. As a result of the 2023 U.S.-Pacific Island Nation Forum Summit hosted by the U.S. White House, Charleston Sister Cities

International is one of four U.S. Port Cities in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, to establish and deepen bilateral relationships in the Pacific Region via Sister City Partnerships.

OUR WORK & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In October 2018, Charleston Sister Cities International, in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Commerce, led a successful Trade Mission to Panama City, Panama, gateway to the Panama Canal. A March 2020 Trade Delegation to Doha was postponed due to COVID. As a gesture of goodwill, in May 2020, the State of Qatar donated $100,000 to Charleston Sister Cities International designated for COVID relief supplies and programs. These funds were equally distributed to the City of Charleston and Charleston County. A forthcoming business delegation to Doha, Qatar is slated for Spring 2025 in collaboration with the United States Qatar Business

Council.

OUR ONGOING DEVELOPMENT

As a non-profit, CSCI’s Funding Partners are derived from a variety of Government, Corporate, Community, Private, and Individual Donors, and our Charleston Sister Cities International Board of Directors and Committee Members.