Sister cities Grand Forks, North Dakota

grand forks county office building

grand forks has active sister city program designed encourage cultural , economic exchanges. grand forks first sister city ishim in soviet union. relationship siberian city formally began in 1984 during cold war. sometime in late 1990s, however, political , economic turmoil in russia ended relationship. while relationship ishim faded, grand forks found new sister in awano, japan. informal relationship began in 1994 when school districts of both cities began exchanging students. in 1998, 2 formally proclaimed sister cities. concrete evidence of relationship between 2 japanese rock garden in grand forks sertoma park , sculpture of american bison in awano park. however, annexation of awano larger city of kanuma has led end of sister city relationship. grand forks relationship dickinson, north dakota, began in 2002, when delegations each city visited other. grand forks mayor michael brown has said thinks having friends in western north dakota, typically has diverging interests eastern cities, @ state legislature. sarpsborg, norway, became sister city in 2005 following several exchanges among leaders both cities. city became interested in building relationship sarpsborg because many grand forks residents have norwegian heritage.