Sister Cities and Student Exchanges
Hamburg and Lucerne, Sister Cities of Chicago
Of the 23 Sister Cities Chicago has worldwide, Hamburg joined in 1994, followed four years later by Lucerne. Starting as a “People-to-People Initiative” under President Eisenhower in 1956, the notion of person-to-person diplomacy has had a tradition in Chicago since 1960 when the first Sister city relationship was realized with Warsaw. At the core of the sister city relationship is an agreement signed by the Mayors of each city, reflecting their mutual commitment to building bridges between individuals, businesses, and governments. It has proven to be an ongoing success for both Hamburg and Lucerne. Both cities have very active programs that involve a lively cultural exchange, not only the usual business contacts. For several years the city of Lucerne has sponsored a studio for a rotation of artists to experience life and culture in Chicago. The results have been paintings, photographs, videos, writings, all done in reflection of the experience of living in this city.

The Chicago Symphony has made Lucerne a regular stop on its European tour. The various events sponsored by Hamburg have been cultural, political, and academic. Since its inception, the Hamburg Committee has hosted several Chicago and suburban school exchanges. The Sister City High School Exchanges to Hamburg each year have benefited teachers and students alike. The Committee is also involved in the annual Christkindlmarket, where the lighting of the Hamburg tree is a special event.

Over the years there have been more than a dozen visits to Chicago by Hamburg medical technicians to learn about the latest medical technologies and practices in some of the city’s finest hospitals. There have also been several exchanges of social workers. In the early summer of 2003, the Hamburg Committee hosted some twentyseven CDU delegates and ministers from Hamburg for an informational and research trip to Chicago. Subsequently, Hamburg's leading newspapers wrote glowing reports on the success of the mission. A great variety of further tasks beckon both Lucerne and Hamburg.