ESCONDIDO — Escondido is now a “friendship city” with three municipalities in Mexico.
The City Council on Feb. 26 unanimously approved entering into a memorandum of understanding with two cities from the Mexican state of Oaxaca, San Jacinto Amilpas and Zimatlán de Álvarez, and a third city, Álvaro Obregón, a borough of Mexico City.
Councilmember Joe Garcia, who proposed making the three cities “friends” with Escondido, emphasized the city’s goal of engaging in an exchange of art and culture while also helping to boost each other’s economies by driving tourism to each municipality.
“One of the things we’ve talking about is having this cultural exchange,” Garcia said. “We believe it’s something very positive.”
Garcia noted that his interest in naming the Oaxacan towns friendship cities stemmed from a local ballet folklórico dance group that visited Oaxaca and became interested in connecting the two cities.
The council approved Escondido’s policy on friendship and sister cities last year. The policy outlines the qualifications to become a friendly/sister city and how the council must approve the decision.
According to the policy, the following must be met:
- Escondido must have an area of mutual interest with the prospective city such as culture, arts, music, commerce, education, or history;
- There must be an identifiable, substantial citizen group or association that favors the affiliation;
- A civic or official group must exist within Escondido to engage in active mutual exchange of ideas and programs;
- The international city must want the friendship or sister relationship with Escondido;
- The friendship city relationship may act as the first step, although not required, to establish a sister city relationship;
- Both a friendship city and sister city relationship require a memorandum of understanding linking the towns;
- City Council must vote to establish a sister city;
- A sister city must be recognized by Sister Cities International (Escondido is a member of the organization as required);
- After the agreement is approved, the new friendship or sister city must actively participate with the citizen group, association, civic organization, or official group;
- Council must also vote to approve terminating a friendship or sister city, which should only be considered when either city no longer desires to be in a relationship or the relationship has become inactive.
The three cities range in population size from nearly 17,000 people in San Jacinto Amilpas, to 22,000 in Zimatlán de Álvarez, to almost 750,000 in Álvaro Obregón.
Garcia noted that the Oaxacan cities are significant because many current Escondido residents originally immigrated or have family ties to them.
Mayor Dane White, who backed Garcia’s proposal, believes the friendship city relationships could further boost Escondido’s transformation into an arts and culture hub for the region.
White noted that the friendship also opens up opportunities to exchange student artwork — something the former Escondido Union High School District board trustee particularly favored.
Although Deputy Mayor Consuelo Martinez supported having friendship and sister cities, she was initially hesitant to support the motion based on the $20,000 earmarked for the program. She also felt there needed to be more structure to the process of a council member proposing a friendship or sister city and sought clarification on what the money would be used for.
Garcia noted he included the funds based on a recommendation from City Manager Sean McGlynn to cover “incidental costs” that may occur.
The funds are not specifically for the three established friendship cities but could be used for the entire friend/sister city program, including future relationships.
White noted the city could come back with a future agenda to iron out program funding details.
Martinez, who ultimately supported the friendship city agreements, also noted she would like to reconnect with the leaders of Atlixco, a city in the Mexican state of Puebla that was previously on the way to becoming a sister city with Escondido before the COVID-19 pandemic paused those discussions.
The city doesn’t limit how many friendship or sister city relationships are allowed.
