Baltimore Sister Cities

Sep 8-11 / China International Fair for Investment & Trade

The China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) occurs in September of every year in Xiamen, China. CIFIT aims to focus on international business investment, promotion, development, and relations both in and outside China. The fair has been held annually for more than 30 years in the city of Xiamen in Fujian Province in southeast China. It is the largest such event in the country, regularly attracting more than 100,000 business people and 5,000 enterprises from more than 100 countries.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, CIFIT has elevated their 2020 platform to be both online and in-person.

This year, the Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee (BXSCC) is partnering with the Maryland Department of Commerce to have a virtual booth to advertise and promote multiple aspects of Maryland industry and business. The BXSCC is celebrating 35 years of sister city relations with Xiamen this year.

More information

CIFIT website: www.chinafair.org.cn/CifitSystem/english/#/index

For more info on Maryland’s virtual booth at CFIT or other Maryland-China business opportunities: email at Maryland Department of Commerce or , BXSCC Business Sub-Committee Chair.

Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee: bxscc.org

2019 Year in Review: Baltimore Sister Cities

At the turn of each year, we take stock of our accomplishments in the past year and make plans for the coming year. Our slideshow gives you a taste of what our 100+ volunteers achieved in 2019.

Annual Report & Plan

Baltimore Sister Cities Annual Accomplishments Report for 2019 (PDF, 3mb)

Baltimore Sister Cities Annual Plan for 2020 (PDF, 1.4mb)

2019 Photo Slideshow

Check out our slideshow with highlights from Baltimore Sister Cities activities and events in 2019!

Slideshow includes:

  1. Joint activities across the sister city committees (00:00)
  2. Changwon, South Korea (00:58)
  3. Gbarnga, Liberia (01:41)
  4. Kawasaki, Japan (02:13)
  5. Luxor & Alexandria, Egypt (03:14)
  6. Odessa, Ukraine (04:03)
  7. Piraeus, Greece (04:28)
  8. Rotterdam, Netherlands (04:58)
  9. Xiamen, China (05:54)
  10. “In Appreciation” section (06:47)

2019 APAHM Video

Highlights from our Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration on May 31, 2019, held at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

New sister city agreement in 2019

Changwon, South Korea is our newest sister city! In 2019, a mayoral delegation from Changwon traveled to Baltimore to sign the official sister city agreement with Baltimore.

More info & video

40th year anniversary: Kawasaki and Baltimore Sister Cities

In 2019, Baltimore and Kawasaki celebrated the 40th year anniversary of their sister city relationship. A mayoral-level delegation from Kawasaki visited Baltimore to commemorate the anniversary and renew the sister city agreement. To mark the anniversary, the Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee created an anniversay “Legacy Video” with stories from its emeritus members about the history of Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister Cities.

View the anniversary video

Dec 3 / EU Delegation visits Maryland

On December 3, 2019, European Union Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis leads a delegation of over 20 EU Member State Ambassadors for a day of engagement with Maryland state and local officials, students, educators, environmental and trade organizations.

Public events include:

Events are free but advance registration is required.

Organized by the Delegation of the European Union to the United States. Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee is helping promote the events.

Nov 18 / Annual CHINA Town Hall in Baltimore: Local Connections, National Reflections

Location: Baltimore City Hall
Time: 5:30-9pm
Admission: There is a fee and advance registration is required. Seating is limited. Register here.

China’s rapid development and Sino-American relations have a direct impact on the lives of nearly everyone in the United States. CHINA Town Hall is a national conversation about China that provides Americans across the United States and beyond the opportunity to discuss issues in the relationship with leading experts. Join us for the thirteenth annual CHINA Town Hall, hosted by the National Committee on U.S. China Relations (NCUSCR).

Featuring:

National panelists, via webcast:

  • Mr. Stephen Orlins, President of the NCUSCR
  • Dr. Melanie Hart, senior fellow and director for China policy at the Center for American Progress
  • Dr. Yasheng Huang, Epoch Foundation professor of international management and faculty director of action learning at the Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Dr. Ely Ratner, Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security

National dialogue moderated by:

  • Mr. George Stephanopoulos, ABC News’ chief anchor

Local dialogue moderated in person by:

  • Mr. Nat Ahrens, Executive Director and Founder, American Mandarin Society

This event also includes a catered networking reception.

Baltimore event organized by the Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee. National webcast organized by the National Committee on U.S.- China Relations (NCUSCR).

More information and to register:

chinatownhall2019baltimore.eventbrite.com

Flyer for Baltimore edition of NCUSCR's 2019 CHINA Town Hall

Nov 13 / WTCI State of the Ports & Embassy Wine Tasting

WTCI's 30th Anniversary and State of the Ports (image of container ship and a birthday cake)

Date: Wednesday November 13, 2019
Time: 4-7pm
Location: Columbus Center (IMET), 750 E. Pratt St., Baltimore MD
Admission: Ticketed

This year, World Trade Center Institute is combining the annual State of the Ports event with its 30 Anniversary Celebration. In addition to major exporters and companies providing services through the Port of Baltimore and BWI Airport, this event will attract companies who have made an impact on the World Trade Center Institute over the last 30 years.

At 4pm there are two breakout sessions: Opportunities in an Era of Trade Uncertainty and Maryland State of the Ports Address.

At 5pm, there is a global reception which highlights some of the best Maryland has to offer featuring food from our top international restaurants, beers from local breweries, and an Embassy hosted wine tasting.

Baltimore Sister Cities is a member of World Trade Center Institute and will have representatives at this event. The Netherlands Embassy and Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee will host a Netherlands-themed table at the reception.

More info & tickets: Event site

Sep 21 / Charm City Night Market

Photo of Charm City Night Market (1st annual edition of the festival). Photo by Fontaine Bell

Time: 3-11pm
Location: Outdoors at 200 Park Ave & 100 N Charles St.
Admission: Free.
More info: Event site

Food stalls, live performances, artists, and makers — an Asian-style night market experience! One of Baltimore’s largest one-night celebrations. The Charm City Night Market is a tribute to what used to be Baltimore’s Chinatown and a promise of what it could be again. This is the 2nd annual edition of this night-time festival.

Event organized by the Chinatown Collective: “The Chinatown Collective is a coming together of Baltimore’s pan-Asian community – across ethnicity, across industry, and across generations. We are artists. We are chefs. We are filmmakers. We are experimenters. We are advocates for all people of color. We are residents of Baltimore City who believe that investment begins with action.”

Supported by Baltimore-Changwon, Baltimore-Kawasaki, and Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committees.

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Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. No goods or services were provided for this gift. Please consult your tax advisor regarding specific questions about your deductions.

 

Web site copyright © 2025 Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc.

logo-baltimoreBaltimore sister city committees operate under the auspices of the City of Baltimore’s Office of the Mayor.

 

Brandon M. Scott, Mayor

 

Previous mayor’s Dec 2015 press release about Baltimore Sister Cities becoming a 501(c)(3).

 

Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. is a 501c3 organization incorporated in the State of Maryland.
Member of  Sister Cities International, Maryland Nonprofits, World Trade Center Institute, Visit Baltimore, & affiliate of Maryland International Education Consortium.