Logo for Seattle Sister Cities program

Seattle sister cities – an overview

Background In 1956 President Dwight Eisenhower started Sister Cities International as part of a White House conference on citizen diplomacy. The broad idea behind developing sister city relationships is to create a person-to-person exchange between Americans and citizens of other countries based on cultural, educational, information and trade exchanges. Americans can and should learn about and…

Bryggen wharf area in downtown Bergen. Photo: Doug Tomren

Exploring the city center of Bergen, Norway

Bergen (sometimes called by the Norse Bjørgvin), located on Norway’s scenic west coast, is the 2nd largest city in Norway, with a population of about 275,000 as of 2014. Bergen has a rich and unique history, very different than other Norwegian cities. A member of the Hanseatic League, Bergen was home to German merchants in the wharf area…