Sister ceety

Twin touns an sister ceeties are twa o mony terms uised tae describe the cooperative agreements atween a toun, ceeties an even coonties in geographically an poleetically distinct auries tae promote cultural an commercial ties.

 Terminology 
In the Unitit Kinrick, the term twin towns is maist commonly uised, generally referrin tae toun-twinnin wi Europe, differentiating wi the term sister ceeties, that is uised for agreements wi touns an ceeties in the Unitit States. In Europe, a variety o terms are uised; maist commonly twin touns, but pairtnership touns, pairtner touns an friendship touns, are uised an aa. Germany uises Partnerstadt (Pairtner Toun/Ceety), Fraunce uises Ville Jumelée (Twinned Toun/Ceety). In the Netherlands, the term Stedenband (Ceety bond) is uised. North Americae, Sooth Americae, Sooth Asie, Australasie an Asie generally uise the term sister ceeties. In the umwhile Soviet Bloc kintras twin touns is uised, in addition tae the term brither ceeties, that is uised on occasion.

Whiles, ither govrenment bodies enter intae a "twinnin" relationship, lik the agreement atween the provinces o Hainan in Cheenae an Jeju-do in the Republic o Korea, or atween Washington, D.C., an Beijing.

The Douzelage is a toun twinnin association wi ane toun frae ilk o the member states o the European Union.

Ither meanins
Whiles, the phrase "sister ceeties" is uised tae refer tae ceeties athout a formal agreement that hae seemilar culturs an/or historical backgrounds, lik Galveston, Texas an New Orleans, twa ceeties that war historically major Southern ports on the Gulf coast.

Criticism
The concept o sister ceeties haes been criticized as an unnecessary an expensive endeavor for ceeties tae partak in wi nae or naur nae accoontability or obvious signs o economic development resultin frae the arrangement. Politeecians are frequently accuised o uisin sister ceeties as an excuse tae tak a pleasure trip at public expense, commonly referred tae as a junket.

See an aa
 Paradiplomacy
 Leet o twin touns an sister ceeties
 Cross-border toun namin
 Partnership 2000
 Warld Ceety

References

 Faur readin 

Freemit airtins

 Germany an the toun twinnin movement
 Toun twinnin in Europe's municipalities, touns an regions 
 Toun twinnin in Breetain syne 1945 
 Twinnin in Europe
 UK Toun Twinnin Portal 

Category:Internaitional relations