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 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 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.

Tulsa Global Alliance welcomed original works from Beihai, China, during a special one-day art exhibit at Tulsa Community College. Featuring traditional scrolls, ink landscapes, and floral paintings from Beihai artists—alongside contributions from Tulsa-based artists—the event celebrated our Sister City connection and the shared power of art to build cultural bridges.

Dr. Alpha Zhang, Chair of the Tulsa-Beihai Sister City Partnership, represented Tulsa Global Alliance at the United Nations Chinese Language Day in New York. The event celebrated the power of poetry, language, and cultural exchange.