An early champion of international relations, Richmond began a relationship with its namesake, Richmond-Upon-Thames, England, in 1930. More than two decades later, in 1956, Sister Cities International was officially founded by President Eisenhower who called for the fostering of international peace, understanding, and economic prosperity through citizen diplomacy. The term "Sister City" is used to express a mutually beneficial, long-term partnership that is engendered through commonalities between communities. Cities linked with Richmond are generally capital cities with notable points of historic interest and potential opportunities for economic development and trade. Once a Sister City partnership is formed, people-to-people relationships are then established to lay the foundation for the promotion of intercultural understanding and fostering of educational and economic prosperity through all sorts of exchanges, activities, and efforts on both the local and international level. Nineteen Virginia cities hold approximately 50 of those partnerships, seven of which belong to Richmond. Along with Richmond-Upon-Thames (England), Richmond’s six other Sister Cities are: Saitama City (Japan), Zhengzhou (China), Ségou (Mali), Windhoek (Namibia), and Olzstyn (Poland)
