Virginia Beach - USA, a Sister City
- About the Sister Cities Organisation
For the past five years, the Council has participated at the Sister Cities International Conference and through the Council's involvement and high profile, a knowledge of the Council's strong involvement in tourism, economic development and job creation is growing.
Every year, the American based Sister Cities organisation's annual convention hosts up to 1,500 delegates from over 100 countries.
The objectives of a Sister Cities relationship can be summarised as follows:
- To identify and generate business to business opportunities for the Borough
To support heritage, tourism, culture, cultural and social relationships
To encourage academic exchange and improve mutual understanding through the creation of relationships
To develop and encourage relationships right across the community
To develop and encourage civic linkages
Following participation at these conferences in 1996 and 1997 and the resultant visit by a large delegation of visitors from the USA including seven Mayors in late 1997 an approach was received from Mayor Oberndorf of Virginia Beach concerning the establishment of relationships between her City and North Down.
A Friendship Treaty between the two towns was signed by Mayor Oberndorf of Virginia Beach and the-then Mayor of North Down Councillor Marion Smith on the 22nd July 1999. A series of linkages across the community are now being forged involving schools, Chamber of Commerce, Police forces and Libraries.
In January 2001 Virginia Beach City Council passed a resolution confirming the full "Sister City" designation between the two respective areas for the purpose of greater mutual understanding, cultural, educational and economic exchanges.
In March 2001 a delegation from North Down led by the then Mayor Councillor Alan Chambers travelled to Virginia Beach to sign the sister city charter.
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About Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is situated on the east coast of the United States some 300 miles south of New York and is part of the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News Statistical Area.
This Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 27th largest Metropolitan Market in the United States. Virginia Beach is the 35th largest city in the United States. A Wall Street Journal article named Virginia Beach a “Boom Town of the 90’s”. By the year 2010 the population of the Virginia Beach area is projected to surpass 575,000.
The economy of the Virginia Beach area is largely based on agribusiness, tourism and the retail and wholesale trade.