Since the formation of Sister Cities International in 1956, cities across the world have formed diplomatic partnerships, becoming “sister cities” with each other.
The concept of sister cities is simple: two cities, usually in different countries, form an agreement to promote cultural and economic exchanges, promoting cultural growth and economic diversification.
Jacksonville has amassed eight international sister cities since taking on its first partnership in 1967. Most of those cities have something major in common with Jax, such as being a port city or being located near a coast. Jacksonville Sister Cities Association, a local nonprofit, manages these partnerships and coordinates activities between Jax and its sister cities.
We’ve created brief profiles for those eight sister cities to better acquaint Jax residents with each of them. (Honorable mentions also go out to Ningbo, Shaoxing, and Suzhou in China, which are not formally part of the sister city program but are considered “friendship cities.”)
In May 1983, the city formed a partnership with Changwon in South Korea.
Changwon is the capital city of the Gyeongsangnam-do province in South Korea. Established in 1408, it has a population of 1 million, making it the ninth most populous city in the country.
Changwon, like Jacksonville, is a coastal city with multiple beaches and lots of park space. It’s also known for hosting the popular K-Pop World Festival.
Changwon has two other U.S.-based sister cities: Jersey City, NJ, and Annapolis, MD. Its other sister cities include Vina del Mar, Chile; Zapopan, Mexico; Ma’anshan and Shulan, China; Danang and My Tho, Vietnam; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Kure, Himeji, and Yamaguchi, Japan.
