Sister Cities
Council’s objectives for its Sister and Friendship City Program are:
To enhance and promote the image of Burwood Council and Australian Local Government.
To promote an understanding between people from different cultures.
To develop economic, trade, cultural, educational, policy, technical and other beneficial exchanges.
To foster International understanding and the exchange of information.
Burwood Council has developed Sister and Friendship Cities with the following:
Sandakan, Borneo
Burwood Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sandakan on 17 August 2012.
Sandakan is the site of the marches to Ranau; where 2,345 diggers in WWII lost their lives, including 23 men from the Burwood area.
Burwood Council holds Sandakan Remembrance Service, which is the only one in NSW.
The two cities signed the Memorandum of Understanding in a spirit of friendship; and to honour the 23 men who never returned.
Tianjin, Chuzhou, and ShaoGuan in China
Chinese people make up the largest ethnic group in Burwood. Friendship City relationship established in 2002 and 2008.
Geumcheon-Gu, South Korea
Burwood’s 2nd largest ethnic population is from Korea. Sister City relationship established in 2003.
Region of Calabria, Italy
Italian people is the 3rd largest ethnic group in Burwood. Sister City Relationships established in 2002.
Imar, Lebanon
Burwood’s 4th largest ethnic group. Friendship City relationship established in 2006.