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THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF WINDSOR
POLICY
Service Area: Corporate Services
Policy No.:
Department:
Office of the City Clerk
Approval Date:
April 22, 2024
Division:
Council Services
Approved By:
CR162/2024
Effective Date:
April 22, 2024
Subject:
Twin City/Friendship City
Policy
Procedure Ref.: N/A
Review Date:
Pages:
Replaces:
Prepared By: Sandra Gebauer, Council Assistant
Date:
1. POLICY
1.1. A policy outlining the criteria necessary for entering into international friendship
and twin city relationships with the City of Windsor.
2. PURPOSE
2.1. This Policy outlines the necessary steps and processes associated in the
creation or establishment of entering into a new friendship and/or twin city
agreement with another international municipality.
3. SCOPE
3.1. This policy will apply to all proposed friendship and twin city requests made from
within the Windsor community or received by the Mayor of the City of Windsor
from any international city, municipality or district.
4. DEFINITIONS
4.1. Twin City refers to a form of legal agreement between two geographically and
politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial
tie. For the purposes of this policy, Twin Cities are defined by a formal request
brought to and approved by Council upon recommendation of the International
Relations Committee.
4.2. Friendship City refers to a less formal agreement between localities. For the
purposes of his report, Friendship Cities are characterized by the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding between Mayor's Offices. It is to be used as a
first stage in the 'Twinning' relationship and if successful may lead to a formal
Twin-City Agreement
5. RESPONSIBILITY
5.1. City Council will be responsible for:
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5.1.1. Reviewing and approving new twin city agreements or partnerships as
well as Friendship City MOU agreements.
5.2. The Mayor's Office will be responsible for:
5.2.1. Communicating City Council's resolution regarding a proposed new twin
city relationship.
5.2.2. Reviewing recommendations from the International Relations Committee
regarding Friendship City requests and approving, if desired, the relationship
through a Memorandum of Agreement.
5.3. The Office of the City Clerk will be responsible for:
5.3.1. The collection and cataloguing of official records, letters, agreements or
charters when entering into a Friendship City or Twinning Agreement with
the City of Windsor, including future correspondence between cities.
5.4. The International Relations Committee (IRC) will be responsible for:
5.4.1. Exploring and investigating new friendship and twin city relationships.
5.4.2. Submitting a recommendation to the Mayor and Council regarding
proposed friendship or twinning requests after a formal request has passed
through the Mayor's Office and/or a formal investigation has been completed
by the committee. Recommendations to City Council will follow normal
protocols in the governance model process.
5.4.3. Reviewing this policy and any associated procedures and forms every five
years.
6. GOVERNING RULES AND REGULATIONS
6.1. Request for Friendship City Relationships should be community driven, or driven
by local municipal governments, supported by a formal organized cultural/ethnic
association and must demonstrate that a sustainable relationship can be
maintained.
6.1.1. Legitimate and active organizational structure should exist in the related
ethnic community to support friendship- based activities (i.e. hosting visiting
delegations, providing translation services, conducting
meetings/tours/receptions with their business community).
6.1.2. The proposed friendship city should demonstrate certain identifiable
similarities or mutual interests with potential for reciprocal cultural,
educational and economic benefits.
6.1.3. Friendship City relationships should be maintained for a minimum 5-year
term, with the option to extend for an additional 5-year term. Extensions will
be made in 5-year increments and will include an MOU.
6.1.4. Friendship City relationships should be evaluated at the end of each
defined term to determine is the relationship has seen any benefit and/or
measurable results that the City of Windsor and the partner organization
expect as a result of the Partnership.
6.1.5. If Friendship City partnerships receive a successful evaluation, the option
to formalize the relationship into a twinning relationship may be exercised as
per section 6.2 of this policy
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6.2. Request for twinning's should also be community driven, supported by a formal
organized cultural/ethnic association and must demonstrate that a sustainable
relationship can be maintained.
6.2.1. As with Friendship Cities, legitimate and active organizational structure
should exist in the related ethnic community to support twinning activities
and The proposed twin city should demonstrate certain identifiable
similarities or mutual interests with potential for reciprocal cultural,
educational and economic benefits.
6.2.2. Details of a twinning proposal must be submitted in writing to the Mayor of
Windsor, outlining a long-term plan and the community's responsibility for
sustaining ongoing activities.
6.2.3. If recommended by the IRC and approved by Council, a formal letter of
interest is to be forwarded to the Mayor of the proposed twin city.
6.2.4. If the proposed twin city approves Windsor's proposal, a formal signing
protocol will be arranged.
6.2.5. The twinning charter can be dissolved upon the mutual agreement
between the twin cities.
6.2.6. If a twinning request is received from another city outside of the friendship
city realm, the request will be reviewed by the IRC and one or more of the
following actions may occur;
6.2.6.1.
Investigate and forward a recommendation to the Mayor's Office for
decision on Twinning Agreement.
6.2.6.2.
Review the request and offer a recommendation to the Friendship
City program.
7. RECORDS, FORMS AND ATTACHMENTS
7.1. Records are the responsibility of The Office of the City Clerk and will be kept in
accordance with the Records Retention Bylaw #21-2013 as amended from time
to time.