Mombetsu, Newport's Sister City

The sister city program originated in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed a people-to-people citizen diplomacy initiative.

Newport residents visit Mombetsu

Sister Cities International is the official organization that links jurisdictions from the United States with communities’ world wide.  Currently Sister Cities International represents over 2,500 communities in 126 countries from around the world.

Newport has participated in the Sister City Program since 1966 when on April 8^th of that year Mombetsu (pronounced: mom-bets) Japan became our “official” sister city. 

In the 40+ years that have passed, we have enjoyed a long and enriching friendship between a variety of our residents and the representatives of Mombetsu.  We have enjoyed personal ties, as well as civic and cultural ones.