Columbia isn’t an only child. Did you know that Columbia actually has seven sister cities? Today we’re giving you a tour of Cola’s siblings from abroad, from the comfort of your screen.

What is a sister city?

According to Sister Cities International, “A sister city, county, or state relationship is a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in two countries. A relationship is officially recognized after the highest elected or appointed official from both communities sign off on an agreement to become sister cities.”

Accra, Ghana | Est. 15th century | In 2022, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann and Accra Mayor Elizabeth Sackey met in the Soda City where she came to learn more about our Clean Water Program and how we're upgrading the system. Accra is home to around 2 million people but sees around 5 million more people commute in to work each day.

Kaiserslautern, Germany | Est. 9th century | Artists from Columbia and Kaiserslautern began exchanging art in 2000, with the shipment of a steel palmetto tree sculpture to the German city. In 2019, artists from Kaiserslautern installed the Heimat public artwork at Stormwater Studios in the Vista, where it still stands today.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria | Est. 6000–5000 BC | Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, and — like Columbia — is a river city as it sits on the banks of the Maritsa. The history of the region spans eight millennia, with settlements dating back to the Neolithic era. Plovdiv is the cultural capital of Bulgaria and was named the European Capital of Culture in 2019.