Sister City relationships grew out of  "people-to-people" exchanges President Eisenhower initiated in response to the tragedies of World War II. Today more than three hundred American cities have one or more sister city relationships. Local level citizen's diplomacy, social service missions and government relationships have become additional strategies of sister city activities.

Former Indianapolis Mayors Bill Hudnut, Steve Goldsmith, Bart Peterson and current Mayor Greg Ballard have supported our local sister city relationship and visited Cologne. Since 1988, many cultural, educational and economic exchanges have taken place. Some of our city's most revered institutions such as the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Athenaeum, IUPUI, IVY Tech, etc., have been part of this exchange program. One of the highlights was the participation of nineteen Cologne Firefighters in the 2001 Police and Fire Games. Most recently, Governor Mitch Daniels visited Cologne companies as part of his Trade Mission to Europe in May, 2007.

In 2008, our sister city relationship will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Both sister city committees are planning trips to Indianapolis and Cologne.

Click to learn more about Cologne, Germany at our Cologne page!