Hayward celebrates its new sister

In 2008, a movement began headed by Marita Cheng and Hal Gin in the East Bay city of Hayward to create a sisterhood with the Chinese city of Yixing, a city in the Jiangsu province, famous for its Yixing clay, used to make distinct Chinese pottery.

Hayward is already in a twin city relationship with Funabushi, Japan, Ghazni, Afghanistan, Faro, Portugal, and San Felipe, Mexico. A committee began meeting in 2008 to urge for the new Yixing, China twinning to happen- the "Hayward-Yixing Sister City Formation Committee". And, last September, Hayward Mayor Michael Sweeney and the Hayward City Council both approved the request, and it's official! Hayward has a new sister.

The Hayward-Yixing Sister City Committee meets regularly and holds cultural events and fundraisers, and to celebrate the newfound sisterhood, the Committee will host the Hayward-Yixing Sister City Gala on Saturday, February 6 at Skywest Golf Course Restaurant, Hayward. It will be an evening of  gourmet food, entertainment and a silent auction.

The sister cities tradition is quite an old one- the idea to match up geographically and politically-distinct cities to promote cultural and commercial ties dates back to the year 836, when the German city of Paderborn was twinned with the French city of Le Mans.

The first North American city to become a sister city was Toledo, Ohio with Toledo, Spain in 1931.

Curious about our area? What world cities can the Bay Area call family?

Here's a fun list that's actually called the Bay Area Sister Cities Directory, compiled by the Bay Area World Trade Center and the East Bay Center for International Trade Development, in collaboration with the Port of Oakland.

Look up your town, and you might be inspired to connect with another culture!