Alburquerque is in the Extremadura region of Spain. It is an agricultural village of about 6000 people nestled at the foot of a 13th century castle. A Moorish stone wall surrounds the castle and village. Olive and Cork trees dominate the landscape, making Alburquerque a prime supplier of Cork to all of Spain. An annual Medieval Festival is held in August. Our city of Albuquerque, NM, was named to honor the duke.

Located along Central Asia’s historic Silk Road, Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan, a cosmopolitan city of nearly 1 million people. Industries featuring cotton textiles, oil, and natural gas make this city the center of Turkmenistan’s commercial activities. The Turkmen people are known internationally for their hospitality and generosity, as well as for their fine horses and hand-woven wool carpets.

Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city of about 1.6 million, is the capital of the state of Jalisco. Majestic colonial buildings stand beside soaring structures of glass and steel, seamlessly blending the historic and modern. Guadalajara is a major center of culture and education, electronic and information technology, and manufacturing.

Friendship with Helmstedt began with a simple gesture. A resident of Albuquerque presented an American flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol to the Helmstedt City Fathers. Helmstedt’s 28,000 residents are part of a larger population of 100,000 when including the surrounding county. The primary industries are auto manufacturing, coal mining, and farming.

Located in the northeast region of Ukraine, Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, has been targeted by Russian attacks since the start of the Russia-Ukraine War in 2022, but according to recent reports, citizens are beginning to return to the city.  On June 29 the City of Albuquerque announced intention to establish a Sister Cities International (SCI) relationship with the city of Kharkiv. The partnership was celebrated virtually by both Albuquerque and Kharkiv, with Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov attending.

Albuquerque officials and Mayor Keller hope to support Mayor Terekhov and Kharkiv residents during the reconstruction of the city, with damages estimated to be around $50 billion. “We’re grateful to foster a relationship with Kharkiv that transcends borders and promotes peace and understanding,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “The people and leadership of Kharkiv are incredibly resilient, and we stand in solidarity with our Ukrainian friends, especially as they defend their democracy against Russian invasion.”

Once the “Golden City” along the Silk Road, Lanzhou is now crucial in China for nuclear development, science, technology and education. Lanzhou is an industrial city rich in hydropower from the Yellow River as well as natural resources from the ground. The city has over 3 million people, and the climate is delightfully dry and sunny.

Located 14 miles SE of Tel Aviv, Rehovot has a population of about 114,000. The city is home to the Weizmann Institute (left), making Rehovot one of the top world research centers in applied mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry and biology. The city is also known for its citrus industry and is home to the Hebrew University’s Department of Agriculture.

A scenic seaport village as different from Tokyo as Albuquerque is from New York, Sasebo is known world-wide for beautiful pottery. Some kilns and factories have been operated by the same families for over 17 generations. Visitors can walk across the Obon-Albuquerque Bridge (right), dedicated to the special friendship between the two cities. Sasebo’s population is about 251,000 with many employed in fishing, farming, small industries and ship-building.