Greater Des Moines Sister Cities Commission
The Sister Cities Commission helps start dialogues between people with similar interests and needs in the areas of business, industry, culture, and governments. Our sister cities are chosen because of special relationships our community develops with certain areas around the world.
Some of our current sister cities are the capital cities of provinces which have a region-to-region relationship with Iowa. Many of our sister cities have a resemblance to metropolitan Des Moines in demographics, economics, and geography.
MISSION
To enhance the global profile of the greater Des Moines metropolitan area by bridging communities and opening doors with international sister cities for mutual benefit in culture, education, technology, commerce, and economic development.
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Sister Cities
Below is information about each of the Sister Cities. Please check back as we continue developing and adding information about each of our sister cities.
Kofu Japan
- Vineyards
- Jewelry/crystal
- Inden (deer hide)
- hot springs
Saint-Etienne France
- food processing
- distribution
- mechanical engineering
- automation, electronics, medical technologies
Shijiazhuang China
- textiles
- chemicals
- pharmaceuticals
- machinery
- agriculture (wheat, cotton, variety of fresh fruits)
Stavropol Russia
- automobiles
- dairy
- construction materials
- agriculture
Pristina, Kosovo
- Pristina, in east central Kosovo, is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. Geographically, it’s located in the north-eastern part of Kosovo close to the Goljak mountains.
- The city has a majority Albanian population, alongside other smaller communities. With a municipal population of 204,721 inhabitants (2016), Pristina is the second-largest city in the world with a predominantly Albanian-speaking population, after Albania's capital, Tirana.
- General information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pristina
- Consulate of Kosovo in Des Moines: https://www.facebook.com/kosovoinIA/
- Des Moines Register articles published fall of 2018:
- https://features.desmoinesregister.com/news/growing-kosovo/iowa-kosovo-balkans-russia-foreign-diplomacy-sister-states-cities-national-guard-army.html
- https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/columnists/courtney-crowder/2018/11/09/growing-kosovo-iowa-national-guard-partnership-pristina-diplomacy-robert-ray-middle-east-veterans/1902997002
- https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/columnists/courtney-crowder/2018/10/24/iowans-kosovo-balkans-balkans-russia-foreign-diplomacy-sister-states-cities-national-guard-army-iowa/1511138002/
- https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/columnists/courtney-crowder/2018/11/15/growing-kosovo-kosovars-ethnic-cleansing-courtney-crowder-youth-young-population-diplomacy-war-iowa/1987413002/