Cities Rethink Global Ties: Hackney Debates Ending Twinning with Haifa Amid Human Rights Concerns

Hackney, a borough in east London, is currently seeking resident input until October 14 regarding a potential end to its twinning relationship with Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city. This partnership, established in 1968, was voted in principle to be ended by the Green Party-led council on July 28. The decision was influenced by the council's values and human rights commitments, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. A final decision will be made by the councillors following the consultation period and a review of the borough’s twinning policy.

Twin cities, also known as sister cities, are locations in different countries that are connected through formal friendship agreements. These agreements can facilitate school exchanges, cultural events, and civic visits, although many such relationships may become inactive over time. The practice of modern town twinning gained momentum after World War II as a strategy to rebuild trust and promote peace. An early example is the friendship link formed in 1944 between Coventry and Stalingrad (now Volgograd), both cities that suffered extensive bombing during the war. This relationship is often cited as the first modern city-twinning arrangement.

Further illustrating the concept, the US city of St Paul and Japan’s Nagasaki established a sister-city partnership in 1955, aiming to foster reconciliation after Nagasaki was subjected to an atomic bombing in 1945. Since then, cities have formed ties based on shared historical backgrounds, similar functions as capitals or ports, or the presence of communities with ancestral links to both locations.

The decision to sever twinning ties can serve as a symbolic statement for a council. For instance, several UK councils suspended or terminated their links with Russian cities following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Prague's relationship with Beijing concluded in 2019 due to a dispute involving Taiwan, after which the Czech Republic formed a partnership with Taipei. Hackney’s current proposal represents a recent instance of cities re-evaluating their international connections.