The Twin cities movement first started developing after World War II. It grew together with the citizens’ and nations’ wish to strengthen understanding and friendship between different cultures, promote peace, as well as strengthen trade partnerships and tourism.
The first contacts of Riga with foreign cities started developing in the '60s of the last century and those were Pori in Finland and Rostock in the GDR. During the following years the network of Twin cities gradually started broadening, with more connections being established starting from the mid ‘70s with cities both in Europe and other continents and regions.
Riga, as a metropolis of the Baltic region, is an attractive foreign cooperation partner for the established twin cities as well as for municipalities, regions and international organizations of other countries. Municipality partnership based upon reliable relations can be a mutual enrichment source by developing new forms of partnership, exchanging experience and best practice, discussing the changes that need to be faced, as well as by mutually supporting the development of infrastructure and environment.
Riga has 25 twin cities in five continents, and the contracts with the twin cities serve as a foundation for cooperation in the areas of culture, education, traffic organization and city development, as well as healthcare, tourism, investment, business, environment protection and other.