Sister Cities

City of Cleveland and Rouen, France Celebrate Ten Years as Sister Cities
Saturday, July 14, 2018

The City of Cleveland proudly commemorated the 10th anniversary of its twinning with Rouen, France with two Bastille Day events. The events were free and open to the public.

“Our Sister City program is valuable because it allows us to build relationships that advance Cleveland around the world while showing off the many assets the city has to offer,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “Over the past 10 years, we have created important mutually beneficial partnerships with Rouen in areas ranging from the business sector to the arts.”

As part of the City of Cleveland and Rouen’s celebration, two events were held on the East and West Side:

  • A mural was created by Rouen artist Paatrice Marchand. The mural is inspired by the West Side Market and is part of our arts exchange with Rouen. A Cleveland artist will create a mural in Rouen later this year.
  • A festive Bastille Day celebration was held in Wade Oval. The event included French food, live entertainment, music, vendors and more.

Bastille Day is a French holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille, a major turning point in the French Revolution. 

The City of Cleveland has more than 20 Sister Cities around the world. Sister City partnerships promote cultural exchange, economic development and educational exchange.  Partners on this project include the French American Chamber of Commerce, Global Cleveland and LAND Studio.