At Rochester International Airport, a new display of international flags now greets travelers as they arrive and depart — a colorful symbol of the global relationships that help shape Rochester into an internationally connected community.
Recently installed at the airport, the display features the flags representing Rochester’s six Sister and Project Cities, along with a companion case showcasing gifts and artifacts exchanged through decades of international partnerships. For Mayor Kim Norton, the installation is more than décor. It’s a visible reminder that Rochester’s connections extend far beyond Minnesota.
“We wanted people flying into Rochester to immediately recognize that this is an international city,” Norton said. “We welcome people from all over the world, and we’ve built relationships around the globe because we believe in relationships, understanding and peace.”
The display includes flags representing Rochester’s relationships with cities and regions in Germany, Japan, China, South Korea and Cambodia. Each flag is paired with signage identifying the specific city or province connected to Rochester. The airport installation also includes a display case filled with gifts exchanged over the years, including porcelain art, cultural artifacts and commemorative items from international delegations.
Founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Sister Cities International program was created to foster peace through “people-to-people diplomacy.” Rochester’s own international relationships stretch back nearly 50 years, with Germany representing the city’s oldest relationship. Continued subnational diplomacy efforts reinforce our openness and commitment to international relationships.
Some partnerships were built through shared heritage or professional interests. Others began through personal relationships between educators, physicians and community leaders. Rochester’s ties with Cambodia, for example, grew in part from the city’s Cambodian refugee community, the first and largest in Minnesota, and ongoing relationships with area, state, and international leaders and diplomats.
“These partnerships often start person to person,” Norton said. “A teacher, a physician, a community member with a connection somewhere else in the world helps create that bridge.”
Over the years, Rochester’s international partnerships have included student exchanges, cultural events, athletic competitions, library collaborations and educational programs. Norton said some exchanges have evolved over time, while others are now being revitalized following the pandemic.
In recent years, Rochester has hosted public trips to its Sister and Project Cities, allowing residents to participate firsthand in relationship-building efforts. Last year, 22 community members joined a private-pay trip to Japan. This year, another similar delegation will travel to Germany.
The airport was a natural location for the new installation, Norton said, especially given travel related to Rochester’s international identity in healthcare, business and education. “It’s such a nice idea that we can celebrate international visitors at an international airport,” she said. “The airport was gracious to say ‘yes’ to this proposal.”
For Norton, who has personally visited nearly all of Rochester’s Sister and Project Cities during her time as mayor, the work has been deeply meaningful.
“It’s about promoting peace and respectful understanding,” she said. “People from all of these countries live here in Rochester too, so these relationships matter locally as well.”
The new display now serves as both a welcome and a statement — a reminder that even a mid-sized city in the Midwest can build lasting friendships across continents, one relationship at a time.
