Tulsa families joined our Kaohsiung Sister City Chair, Rex Burnett, to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival! Guests enjoyed mooncakes, lantern-making, and stories of Chang’e and the Jade Rabbit under the full moon.

Students from Tulsa’s Sister City of Celle, Germany spent the week in Tulsa with Riverfield Country Day School host families, celebrating 25 years of friendship between the two cities. Earlier this year, Riverfield students visited Celle, exploring sites like Heidelberg Castle, the Kölner Dom, and the historic Ratsherrensaal in Celle City Hall. From pickleball and pumpkin carving to shared classrooms and new friendships, the exchange reflects the heart of Tulsa Global Alliance’s mission to build understanding through connection.

Tulsa Global Alliance welcomed 12 Canadian Youth Ambassadors for 10 days of cultural exchange, civic engagement, and community connection. From volunteering at local nonprofits to meeting Tulsa leaders and sharing life with host families, the students experienced firsthand the spirit of hospitality that defines our city.

Tulsa Global Alliance was honored to host 20 staff members of the German Bundestag through the “Beyond Washington” program, funded by the U.S. Embassy in Berlin. During their five-day visit, the delegation engaged with Oklahoma leaders in government, business, and education to gain a deeper understanding of the U.S. heartland. Highlights included policy meetings, cultural exchange, and home hospitality dinners that fostered meaningful transatlantic connections.

This final installment in our Sister City Summer Series highlights Tulsa’s newest international partnership with Mwanza, Tanzania. As our first Sister City on the African continent, this relationship reflects years of grassroots connection, community exchange, and a shared commitment to global friendship. From cultural visits to formal ceremonies, the Tulsa–Mwanza partnership is just beginning to grow.

Celebrating 20 years of partnership, the Tulsa-Amiens Sister City connection has brought together students, educators, and civic leaders through language, culture, and shared experience. From classroom exchanges and French film nights to mayoral visits and global education events, this relationship continues to thrive. Meet new chair Philippe Bled and discover how this transatlantic friendship is shaping Tulsa’s global future.

From classrooms to council chambers, from firehouses to family homes, the Tulsa-Celle partnership has grown through moments of welcome and exchange. Guided by chair Sandy Dizdar and supported by a strong and active group of volunteers, this connection is a living bridge. It is built on shared history, sustained by friendship, and carried forward by curiosity and care.

Zelenograd, Russia is known as the “green city,” and its Sister City connection with Tulsa runs deep. For over 30 years, students, doctors, and community leaders have exchanged not just visits, but friendship and understanding. Meet Garrett Gibson, a Russian scholar and Cold War historian now serving as Sister City Chair, and Bob Lieser, TGA’s Senior Director of Citizen Diplomacy, whose own connection to Zelenograd spans decades and includes teaching, hosting, and leading exchanges on both sides of the globe.

Some Sister City partnerships grow slowly. Others take root and flourish year after year. Tulsa’s bond with Utsunomiya belongs firmly in the second category. Built on exchange, community, and shared purpose, it has created three decades of meaningful, people-to-people connection.

As our summer fundraiser continues, we are proud to highlight the Tulsa–Utsunomiya partnership, where student exchanges and community events create lasting friendships and life-changing experiences.

This week, we’re highlighting Tulsa’s Sister City of Tiberias, an ancient lakeside city known for its spiritual heritage, hot springs, and warm, relaxed vibe. From a long-running student exchange to a life-sized bison sculpture gifted for the city’s 2,000th anniversary, the Tulsa and Tiberias connection is rich with creativity, culture, and friendship.

Meet Chloe Chappell, Chair of the Tulsa–Tiberias Sister City Partnership. New to the role and excited to be part of TGA, she’s already making an impact by sharing her passion for connection, education, and global friendship.

Tulsa and Beihai have shared a Sister City partnership since 1987, built on student exchanges, cultural events, and growing library and art collaborations. Under the leadership of Dr. Alpha Zhang, this connection continues to thrive and brings the Pearl of the South China Sea a little closer to home.

Welcome to the second feature in our Sister City Summer Series, a weekly spotlight honoring 45 years of Tulsa’s Sister Cities! Each post celebrates the cultural exchange, international friendship, and community impact that have defined these global partnerships since 1980.

This week, we turn to Kaohsiung, Taiwan—Tulsa’s longtime Sister City known for its vibrant harbor, rich traditions, and enduring local ties. From Lunar New Year celebrations to educational exchange, the Kaohsiung partnership continues to thrive thanks to leaders like Rex Burnett and his dedicated team of volunteers.

Welcome to the first feature in our Sister City Summer Series, a weekly spotlight on Tulsa’s global connections. For the next nine weeks, Tulsa Global Alliance will be sharing stories from each of our Sister Cities—celebrating 45 years of cultural exchange, international friendship, and local impact.

We begin with San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Tulsa’s very first Sister City and a partnership that continues to thrive through education, civic collaboration, and deep personal connections.