Launceston's sister cities
The term "Sister City" is taken from the idea of a global family.
In ancient times, as people's settlements developed into a semi-nomadic form, it was common for sisters to marry into families with different customs. The sisters were often separated from their family, and each other, by great distances.
The affiliation of cities from different countries, often with different customs, began after World War II. "Sister City" is used to describe these affiliations and is synonymous with "twinned city".
Sister Cities are formed for a variety of reasons. Commonly, there are two levels of interchange between Sister Cities. At a government level, a structured approach assists the more formal ties between cities. Interchanges between individuals or local organisations assist the development of the relationship at a less structural level. Both levels are required for successful long-term relations between Sister Cities.
Sister Cities can develop personal, cultural, educational, and trade ties.
Launceston has Sister City relationships with:
Ikeda, Japan (formalised on 1 November 1965)
Napa, United States of America (formalised on 6 June 1988)
Taiyuan, People's Republic of China (formalised on 28 November 1995)
Launceston also has historic links with the Town of Launceston in the County of Cornwall, United Kingdom. Shortly after its founding, the settlement in Van Diemen's Land was given the name of the Cornish town.