At its May 6 meeting, the Hayward City Council authorized the mayor to enter into a formal Sister City agreement with Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico—marking the culmination of years of community-led efforts.
“This partnership will help with our cultural and linguistic exchange, which I believe is very important especially now,” said Janett Hernandez, chair of the Hayward/Arandas Sister City Committee.
The agreement outlines a mutual commitment to collaboration in education, culture, humanitarian work and economic development. It also affirms the cities’ intent to abide by Sister Cities International (SCI) policies, which provide guidance for forming and maintaining such partnerships.
The Hayward/Arandas Sister City Committee has been working toward this relationship since 2018. In 2020, the city’s fire department donated a retired fire engine to Arandas. More recently, in September 2023, the city council approved the staff to prepare the agreement now in effect.
The resolution carries no fiscal impact, as Hayward’s Sister City program currently has no dedicated budget.
Founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Sister Cities program aims to promote international friendship and cultural exchange. Hayward is already partnered with five cities: Faro, Portugal; Funabashi, Japan; Ghazni, Afghanistan; San Felipe, Mexico and Yixing, China. While engagement levels vary, the relationships are intended to be long-term.
