About Us
The mission of Sister Cities Association of Sarasota, Inc. (SCAS) is to foster international relationships between Sarasota and our Friendship and Sister Cities overseas by creating exchanges in the areas of culture, education, tourism, business and government.
Sister Cities Association of Sarasota Inc. is a federally registered 501(c)(3) public charity organization.
Our Tax ID is 65-0178684
It all starts with Sister Cities International (SCI)
Sister Cities International (SCI) is the national, nonprofit, volunteer membership organization representing the sister city programs of more than 1,100 U.S. cities and their 2,000 partners in more than 120 countries worldwide.
As the premier organization for citizen diplomacy in the United States, SCI leads the national movement for local community development and volunteer action in the global arena. SCI motivates and empowers municipal officials, volunteers, and youth to conduct long-term programs of mutual benefit and interest with their sister city counterparts abroad.
Building Global Community Partnerships Since 1963
Following the lead of our membership organization, Sister Cities International, SCAS’s objective is to develop respect, understanding and cooperation between the United States and other countries through citizen diplomacy. Working outside the realm of government, but with its support, we encourage and facilitate cultural and educational exchanges, business opportunities and increased tourism.
Sister Cities is unique in that it officially links municipalities from the United States with foreign cities through sister city agreements signed by the respective mayor of each city and ratified by each city council, or its equivalent. To be official, a sister city relationship must have the endorsement of the local authorities, who support the efforts of community volunteers. This dynamic process empowers all sectors of a community to participate constructively in the global arena, thus unleashing citizen diplomacy at the grassroots level.
Sister Cities Association of Sarasota Members…
Meet interesting, well-traveled Sarasotans, many with multilingual skills, who share similar interests in our community and our community partners.
Become part of the official community effort to broaden world peace through one-on-one friendships with community leaders and local citizens in our sister cities.
Participate in the exchange and sharing of sports, music, art, language, medical, and educational programs.
Develop potential trade relationships with other countries.
Meet and host international visitors, providing a gateway to open doors to an international network of cultural and economic opportunities.
Come and participate in person-to-person exchanges with our nine Friendship and Sister Cities across the globe in the areas of tourism, the arts, education, business, language, medicine, sports, and government.
Get Involved
Sister Cities’ guiding principles have been developed over the years to provide citizen diplomats worldwide with a strong common purpose and direction. Sister Cities members serve as a foundation for our relationships with each other and the action we take in the world as citizen diplomats. Our Code of Conduct is an ethical guide that exemplifies our global outreach in promoting peace and understanding.