President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Conceived the program



President Eisenhower, who often proclaimed that he would rather be known to history for his contributions toward world peace than for his accomplishments as a President or general, deplored the fact that throughout history, international diplomacy had failed to keep the peace or to prevent war. He foresaw that the people-to-people idea, fostered by a Sister City program involving hundred of thousands of people in cities throughout the world could be a massive form of citizen diplomacy that might succeed in doing what the nations of the world had been unable to accomplish through diplomatic efforts.
The strained relations between Mexico and the United States is obvious to all of us as we read the newspaper headlines about problems of immigrants, drug imports, trade barriers, etc. More than ever, the role that Sister Cities can play to bring people of both countries in a better mutual understanding is evident. As members of Sister Cities, we are, perhaps, in a unique position to build bridges between the people of these two countries at a time when it is most needed. We all know that Sister Cities in a People-to-people organization. We can help each other, not only in providing various types of assistance, but through better understanding of the situation in Mexico and the problems they face on a day-to-day basis. By building an even stronger Sister Cities organization and focusing on new projects, hopefully we can build more enthusiasm among the membership and more accomplishments in the people-to-people bridge-building that we all so anxiously want to do.

The Sister City program is a dedication of friends and understanding between peoples of different cultures and different attitudes...It is an affirmation of one's goodwill toward another people...it is the Golden Rule applied to international practice...it is a recognition that we are all brothers in the human race...and it is, perhaps, a last hope for peace in our times and for the survival of our world