Linking the Hearts of People

On Nov. 14, 1940, a little over a year into World War II, Coventry, England, one of the country’s major industrial cities, suffered devastating bombing raids by German forces that destroyed much of the city.

Some two years later, on Aug. 23, 1942, the city of Stalingrad, Soviet Union (now Volgograd, Russia), was reduced to rubble by similar bombing raids by German forces, marking the start of a monthslong battle. The Battle of Stalingrad, as it came to be known, became the deadliest single battle in the history of warfare, with casualties in the millions.

While the battle ensued, the two cities of the allied countries had established a sense of solidarity. The mayor of Coventry, Alfred Robert Grindlay, sent a telegram on behalf of his constituents to the people of Stalingrad expressing sympathy and admiration for their “great courage and iron determination.” And shortly after, the subsequent mayor, Emily Smith, together with 830 women in Coventry, embroidered their names on a tablecloth and sent it with a gift of money to the people of Stalingrad.

This marked the origin of the sister-city or twin-city concept. In 1944, the twinning of these two cities was formalized, and following the war, similar links were established to foster friendship and understanding among former foes as an act of peace and reconciliation. Since then, sister-cities have expanded to various cultural and economic exchanges as a form of city-to-city diplomacy.

Speaking of the importance of cultural exchange, Ikeda Sensei wrote: