Belfast and Boston named ‘sister cities’
Belfast has signed a Sister Cities agreement with Boston, Massachusetts, it has been announced.
The agreement was signed on Monday morning in the American city by Belfast Lord Mayor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir and Boston Mayor Martin J Walsh.
The agreement is designed to foster stronger economic development, trade and investment, tourism, youth, cultural, faith-based exchange and educational linkages between the two cities.
It also aims to increase awareness of both cities as being growth cities in the connected health and life sciences, creative industries, tourism and financial services sectors.
It commits both cities to identifying activities that can generate new initiatives to further their economic, social and cultural relationships.
Belfast has two other Sister Cities – Nashville in the United States and Hefei in eastern China – the accords for which were signed in 1994 and 2005 respectively.
Honored and proud to sign today's Sister City agreement with @newbelfast: #boston #belfast pic.twitter.com/gcqcMLGYRD
— Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) May 12, 2014
