By Allen D. Payton

During their meeting on Tuesday night, July 28, 2026, the Antioch City Council unanimously adopted a proclamation in honor of the Antioch-Chichibu Sister City relationship’s 60th anniversary. That was followed by a photo with the seven visiting students from Chichibu, Japan in this year’s delegation, as well as their chaperones, host families and organization leaders.

WHEREAS, in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated a new international Sister City program for the purposes of cultural and economic exchange by establishing relationships between cities of similar size and economic base;

WHEREAS, in the 1960s, Mayor Verne Roberts traveled with the League of California Cities to six countries, including Japan, to investigate the possibility of establishing a Sister City relationship; and at the same time, Chichibu City was seeking a sister city in California;

WHEREAS, the two cities were likely candidates to be each other’s sister city as each city had manufacturing plants, were situated near a river, had a mountain in the vicinity, and were at the edge of the economic sphere of a large metropolitan area;

WHEREAS, in 1967, the City Council adopted a resolution formally accepting Chichibu as Antioch’s Sister City, with annual exchanges occurring every year beginning in 1971 with Antioch visiting Chichibu on odd numbered years and Chichibu visiting Antioch on even numbered years;

WHEREAS, this year in Antioch and next year in Chichibu, we celebrate sixty years of enduring friendship between our two communities having been united by a shared commitment to international goodwill, cultural understanding, and enduring friendship;

WHEREAS, generations of students, families, educators, civic leaders, and volunteers have strengthened the bonds between our cities through exchange programs, homestays, cultural experiences, and personal relationships that have enriched countless lives;

WHEREAS this extraordinary partnership has demonstrated that genuine friendship transcends language, geography, and culture, reminding us that respect, honor, kindness, and mutual understanding build stronger communities and a more peaceful world; and

WHEREAS, we proudly celebrate this historic milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to preserving and strengthening this treasured bond between Antioch and Chichibu so that future generations may continue to learn from one another and carry forward the spirit of international cooperation and goodwill.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ron Bernal, Mayor of the City of Antioch, do hereby proclaim the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Sister City Relationship between the City of Antioch and Chichibu City, Japan, honor the rich history we have shared and look forward with hope and gratitude to many more decades of annual exchanges and lifelong friendships.

JULY 28, 2026

RON BERNAL, Mayor

For more information about the Antioch-Chichibu Sister City Organization visit www.facebook.com/AntiochChichibu.

the attachments to this post:

Chichibu Sister City 60th Proclamation header

Chichibu delegation & logo 072826

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