Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Maribel Feliciano
Department: Office of Economic and Small Business Development
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution approving a Sister Cities relationship with Pingtung County, Taiwan, authorizing the Mayor to execute a Sister Cities agreement with Pingtung County, Taiwan, in substantially the proposed form, subject to review and approval for legal sufficiency by the County Attorney’s Office, and authorizing the County Administrator to develop and implement a work plan and programs that advance the goals of this Sister Cities relationship.
body
Why Action is Necessary
Board approval is necessary to formalize Sister Cities partnerships.
What Action Accomplishes
Provides for Board adoption of Resolution approving the establishment of a Sister Cities relationship with Pingtung County, Taiwan, authorizes the Mayor to execute a Sister Cities agreement, and authorizes the County Administrator to develop and implement a workplan and programs that advance the goals of this relationship.
Goal Related Icon(s)
☒County Commission
☐Go Green
☐MAP Broward
Previous Action Taken
On September 19, 2023, the Board approved Broward County Agenda Item #45 authorizing Broward County to join Sister Cities International. A Broward County Sister Cities International Steps to Structuring a Sister City Program Reference Guide was approved by the Board on November 12, 2024, Agenda Item No. 66.
Summary Explanation/Background
This item supports the Board of County Commissioners’ Vision, “From sawgrass to seagrass, an inclusive and resilient community with a thriving quality of life,” and Value “Collaborates; Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.”
Sister Cities International (“SCI”) was created at President Eisenhower’s 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy. President Eisenhower envisioned an organization that could be the hub of peace and prosperity by creating bonds between people from different cities around the world. By forming these relationships, President Eisenhower reasoned that people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences and build partnerships that would lessen the chance of new conflicts. SCI reaches far and wide: the geographical reach includes nearly every state, country, and continent in the world. On September 19, 2023, the Board approved Agenda Item No. 45 authorizing Broward County to join Sister Cities International. A Broward County Sister Cities International Steps to Structuring a Sister City Program Reference Guide (“Reference Guide”) was approved by the Board on November 12, 2024, Agenda Item No. 24-1551. Since the Reference Guide was approved, the County has been working with SCI to finalize the Broward County Sister Cities Request Form to process interested cities. Taiwan Sister Cities attends FITCE annually and expressed interest in a Sister Cities partnership with Broward County making them the first country that submitted the Broward County Sister Cities Request Form.
On April 6, 2026, OESBD provided an update to the Board on the implementation of the Broward County Sister Cities Program. The update included the actions completed to date as per the Reference Guide. Such actions included processing the Sister Cities request from Pingtung County, Taiwan, and developing the Broward County justification paper outlining the reasons why the sister city twinning should be formalized including potential exchange initiatives or projects that could be developed between Broward County and Pingtung County, Taiwan, to maintain an active relationship. After all Commissioners were briefed by OESBD, an introduction letter from the Mayor of Broward County to the Mayor of Pingtung County expressing interest in developing the Sister Cities relationship is sent. A draft work plan is being prepared in collaboration with Pingtung County that establishes short and long-term goals for the partnership that will be finalized after the Sister Cities agreement is executed.
This item will authorize the Mayor to execute a Sister Cities agreement in substantially the proposed form (Exhibit 2), subject to review and approval as to legal sufficiency by the County Attorney’s Office.
Upon approval of this resolution (Exhibit 1), the two highest ranking officials representing each community will sign the final Sister Cities agreement during a signing ceremony that endorses the twinning.
Source of Additional Information
Maribel Feliciano, Director, OESBD, (954) 357-6400
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
No fiscal impact