Portsmouth's International Links
- Andrew Starr
- 13 hours ago
- 11 min read
An easy to remember link to this page is: tinyurl.com/portsinter
This page will be regularly updated, announcements will not come through (to subscribers) automatically as updates are added, so do come back to check what has been added.
Text in blue and underlined will take you to other webpages or download a relevant document to your computer.
We now have a new website aiming to link information about Caen, Duisburg and all of Portsmouth's International links together. Its blog with feature information prevalent to both twin cities as well as other links that Portsmouth has. It can be found here: tinyurl.com/pompinter
The city of Portsmouth, UK - a video by LSI English Language School in Portsmouth UK
This blog post concerns all of the City of Portsmouth's International links and is a place to gather information on all of these cities.
You may be visiting this blog after collecting one of our leaflets from a Portsmouth European Cities Twinning Committee stand or elsewhere in the city of Portsmouth
A newer version will be out soon, once our stock of printed leaflets has been exhausted...
Or you may have found your way here after meeting one of the Portsmouth European Cities Twinning Committee. This committee is formed through a merger between the Caen-Portsmouth Friendship Committee and the Duisburg-Portsmouth Friendship Committee. The two websites will remain, as will those two identities. The European Cities committee will help promote twinning with both cities and any future European cities Portsmouth may have links with.
Our Twin Cities
You are currently on the news blog of the Caen-Portsmouth Twinning Association. Portsmouth has been twinned with Caen since 1987. In July 2018, this Association merged with the Duisburg-Portsmouth Twinning Association to form one umbrella committee for our European Twin Cities. Further information is on this blog post: tinyurl.com/portectc
Portsmouth has two twin cities. These are Caen in Normandy, France, and Duisburg in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. We have been twinned with Duisburg since 1950. This is the second-oldest twinning link in the UK. Bristol and Hannover being the oldest (1947). Why not visit: tinyurl.com/duisport tinyurl.com/portcaen for further information.
Both twin cities have blogs too:
You can also follow both cities twinning events and news via Facebook
We are also on Instagram under portsmouthtwinning
For Caen and Duisburg Twinning, we have a FACEBOOK Group where you can find out more and participate more easily - Click on this link to go to the Facebook page and request membership. tinyurl.com/portectcfb
What is a twin city?
Twin Cities have active links across various areas such as Culture, Education, Economic Development, Business to business growth, growth of tourism, etc. These have official twinning charters signed by the mayors of both cities and held at the city halls in both cities.
What is a sister city?
Sister Cities are those with which we have something in common, such as historical links or a shared name and are formalised by a signed agreement.
What is a friendship link?
Friendship links are less formal signed by the council to promote projects between cities.
Our European Twin Cities
This leaflet tells you more about the work of the Portsmouth European Cities Twinning Committee, who oversee and promote the links between Portsmouth, Caen and Duisburg.
Our Twin Cities
Caen, Normandie, France
The ferry service began the link between the Cities of Portsmouth and Caen (France’s first major city liberated after the D-day landings, in which Portsmouth played an enormous role). On 5 June 1987 a document was signed in Portsmouth and in Caen on 6 June 1987. This document was rewritten and re-signed by the mayors of both cities in a ceremony in Caen on November 25th 2017.
A representative of the city of Caen came to the 2018 Mayor Making Ceremony along with members of the French version of the twinning committee and some volunteers from Caen who came to take part in the SIMEX exercise also taking place the same day here in Portsmouth (the largest emergency disaster simulation in the world).
Caen hosted a major celebration of our twinning link's 30th Anniversary in November 2017.
Day one of the celebration can be seen on this news blog here
Day two of the celebration can be seen on this news blog here
Day three of the celebration can be seen on this news blog here
We were featured on France 3 Television channel - this can be seen here
Coverage of the reciprocal visit from Caen to Portsmouth for the 30th Anniversary can be seen here.
Some images of the 30th Anniversary of Twinning celebrations in Caen (November 2017) and Portsmouth (March 2018).
Further info: tinyurl.com/portcaen
E-mail the Caen committee here.
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Duisburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland
Duisburg is a German city of over 500,000 people. It is situated in the Rhine-Ruhr conurbation, close to Düsseldorf and is part of the North-Rhine Westphalia region. Its inland port is the largest in the world. The second oldest Anglo-German twinning link was signed in 1950 by the Lord and Lady Mayoress, Sir Denis and Lady Peggy Daley in Duisburg’s Rathaus.
2020 would mark the 70th Anniversary of twinning with Duisburg. A lot of events were planned, both here and in Duisburg. However in February along came Covid-19 and by March both countries (and much of the rest of the world) went into lockdown.
The whole year's planned were shelved. We hope to mark this anniversary in 2021 with some events...
This video was put together by the Portsmouth City Council events team as a reflection of the 70 years of twinning between Portsmouth and Duisburg.
The Mayor of Duisburg and his assistant attended the 2018 Mayor Making Ceremony in Portsmouth. A group of the 'Portsmouth Freunde' citizens of Duisburg were also present, along with the chief of Duisburg's Fire Service and his assistant who were also here for the SIMEX disaster simulation.
Further Info: tinyurl.com/duisport
E-mail the Duisburg Committee here.
Images below: These photos were taken in Duisburg in December 2017.
For further information on how to get involved with out twin cities in Portsmouth please consider joining our Friends of Portsmouth Twinning Group from £10 a year.
Further information on how to join can be found here
The leaflet below is to be found at stands at events and various places in the city of Portsmouth or can be downloaded from here:
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Our Sister Cities
Haifa, Israel
Haifa is Israel’s third largest city, built on three levels: The German colony dating from 1869, bustling at the base of the mountain. The Hadar district midway up the mountain, at the top is Carmel, with tree lined streets. The Link was formed in 1963, on the invitation of Haifa. It aims to encourage organisations and individuals to link with each other to share common interests.
A delegation representing Haifa were present at Mayor Making in 2018 in Portsmouth.
Further info: tinyurl.com/porthaif Twitter: @haifaportslink
Image below: Haifa, Israel
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Portsmouth, Virginia, United States of America
The 3 Portsmouth’s in New Hampshire; Virginia and Rhode Island on the Atlantic Coast. The 3 Mayors of the Atlantic Portsmouths and our Lord Mayor signed a declaration in 2013, seeking closer ties with the goal of enhancing educational, economic and cultural opportunities. Further Info: portsmouthatlantic.org Image below: Portsmouth Harbor, Virginia followed by an information video from City of Portsmouth VA.
Keith Toler - Assistant Director at City of Portsmouth VA – Museums and Tourism has shared with me this page with interesting videos of their city.
Here is one of them to whet your appetite
Where we have Pompey Pride, they have Portsmouth Proud
The following two galleries of photos supplied via Rebacca Larys of City of Portsmouth, VA Council and her colleague Barbara Early. They are of Portsmouth, Virginia's Old Towne
In June 2018 we had a visit from Portsmouth Virginia's City Commissioner Rebecca Larys and her husband Bob. We hope this will reignite the link between our two cities.
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Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States of America
The 3 Portsmouth’s in New Hampshire; Virginia and Rhode Island on the Atlantic Coast. The 3 Mayors of the Atlantic Portsmouths and our Lord Mayor signed a declaration in 2013, seeking closer ties with the goal of enhancing educational, economic and cultural opportunities. Further Info: portsmouthatlantic.org
Image below: Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, followed by a video from City of Portsmouth NH.
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Maizuru, Japan
Maizuru is a thriving port of Kyoto, located in a scenic bay with a coastline around 98km long. Maizuru and Portsmouth have had links stretching back as far a the Japanese Admiral Togo (Togo Avenue in Gunwharf Quays is named after him) who studied naval gunnery in Portsmouth. In 1901 Admiral Togo became the first commander of Maizuru’s naval station. Formal sister city accords were signed in 1998. In July 2000, a Japanese Garden was opened in Portsmouth by Mayor Emori.
In 2020, a Russian YouTuber produced videos of his tours around Japan by bike.
Here is his video on the East Side of Maizuru.
And here is his video of the West Side of Maizuru
Here are some images of the Japanese Garden in Portsmouth:
Image Below: Students from Maizuru on a visit to Portsmouth in March 2018. Visiting the Lord Mayor in the City Council Chamber.
Below - Images supplied of Maizuru by Shota Kubo of Maizuru's International Exchange Department:
Below a series of photographs taken of the Japanese delegation from Maizuru on their visit to Portsmouth to mark the 20th Anniversary of our sister-ship link in August 2018.
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Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
Zhuhai is located on the Pearl River delta, and its name means "pearl" and "sea". It includes 146 islands scattered in the South China Sea, hence its nickname: City of a Hundred Islands. The friendship link was set up between Zhuhai and Portsmouth in 2014 following official visits, with the support of the Portsmouth Chinese Association (PCA).
A delegation from Zhuhai were at the 2018 Mayor Making Ceremony here in Portsmouth, along with some representatives of Portsmouth's Chinese Association.
Image Below: Zhuhai Harbour - One of Portsmouth's Chinese Sister Cities.
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
The Sister city link between Portsmouth and Sydney was made in December 1984. The first Australian Settlers lead by the then Captain Arthur Phillip, left from Portsmouth bound for Botany Bay on 13 May 1787, arriving there, they found no fresh water so they landed at what is now Sydney Cove. The Australian Settlers Memorial at Sally Port in Old Portsmouth is a gift of a granite block from Sydney and a set of links symbolic of the two cities’ links. An identical memorial exists in Sydney.
Below left Sydney's memorial and below right Portsmouth's memorial. Further information on these memorials can be found here.
The Britain-Australia Society's Portsmouth Branch has further information on the link tinyurl.com/portoz
The Sydney Friendship Committee organises an annual remembrance service at the Commonwealth graves in Milton Cemetery. The Deputy Lord Mayor 2017-18 has posted some images of this service on his Facebook feed here.
Image below of modern day Sydney Harbour - Portsmouth's Australian Sister City.
Sylhet, Bangladesh
A new link has been established between Portsmouth and the Bangladeshi City of Sylhet.
Below: The Rose View Hotel in Sylhet
This link has an association among the Bangladeshi Community in Portsmouth and their Facebook Page can be found here.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
In 2021, Portsmouth and Halifax in Nova Scotia agreed to a partnership. This partnership is of some significance as both cities are also sister cities to Zhuhai in China. It is hope that these links can be built upon in the future.
Halifax is often a stop for Portsmouth based Royal Navy ships in Canada. It is also the burial place of many of the victims of the Titanic disaster, some of whom were from Portsmouth and sailed out of Southampton on board for the very last time.
Image from wikimediacommons By Keith Pomakis - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1389481
This link stakes you to Portsmouth News Article about the partnership.
Here is a city council article about the link.
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Our Friendship Cities
Lakewood, Colorado, United States of America
Lakewood Colorado has a Chester-Portsmouth Park named after its Sister City link with us. Further Info: http://www.lakewood.org/SisterCities/ In November 2019 a group of people came to Portsmouth via Colorado History This tour was intended to get people from the Denver area and Colorado to visit some of their sister cities in the UK and the rest of Europe.
Below: With the Lord Mayor Cllr. David Fuller in his chamber at Portsmouth Guildhall
Below: The inauguration of the Lord Mayor's Remembrance Garden - Colorado visitors were guests of honour.
Below: Colorado Visitors were guests of honour at the Portsmouth City Municipal Guy Fawkes' Night Fireworks. Present from the opening booth with Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr. Ben Dowling.
Below: The inauguration of the Lord Mayor's Remembrance Garden - Colorado visitors were guests of honour.
Below: With the Lord Mayor Cllr. David Fuller in his chamber at Portsmouth Guildhall
Image below: Lakewood, Colorado.
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Portsmouth, Rhode Island, United States of America
The 3 Portsmouth’s in New Hampshire; Virginia and Rhode Island on the Atlantic Coast. The 3 Mayors of the Atlantic Portsmouths and our Lord Mayor signed a declaration in 2013, seeking closer ties with the goal of enhancing educational, economic and cultural opportunities.
Portsmouth Rhode Island is a city within Newport, Rhode Island Further Info: portsmouthatlantic.org
In August 2018, The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth embarked on a self funded tour of our three linked Portsmouths. In anticipation of his visit the press in Portsmouth RI published this article on August, 19th 2018.
At Mayor Making 2018, some visitors from Portsmouth RI were present
Image below - Middletown and Portsmouth, Newport Rhode Island.
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Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
The Zhanjiang Friendship link was signed in 2017. This city is a major commercial port in China and home to the Chinese Navy. A huge city of nearly 7 Million people. Image below: Zhanjiang harbour, China
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The latest additions (possibly not yet in any of the leaflets).
Portsmouth is now in partnership with the Falkland Islands and the city of Stanley.
The city of Portsmouth, UK, and the Falkland Islands (including its capital, Stanley) established a formal "Sister City" link in 2021. This agreement formalizes a long and deep-rooted relationship, particularly through military and historical connections.
Key aspects of the partnership:
Formal Recognition: The Sister City link provides formal recognition to the existing intrinsic links between the two locations.
Military and Veterans Support: A significant factor in formalizing the link was to support veterans who remain in Portsmouth, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant. Many ships and personnel involved in the 1982 Falklands War were based in Portsmouth, and the city has a permanent memorial to those who lost their lives.
Business and Education Opportunities: The link is intended to bring closer working ties facilitated by established military and business connections. The Falkland Islands Government owns Gosport Ferries (which operates in Portsmouth Harbour), and many older Falkland Islands children come to Portsmouth to study.
Historical Ties: Portsmouth and the Falkland Islands share a long history dating back centuries, with Port Stanley serving as a strategic anchorage for the Royal Navy and a last port of call for Antarctic explorers setting sail from Portsmouth.
Cultural Exchange: The partnership encourages cultural, social, and educational relationships, with a work plan agreed upon to support these ties.
The proposal to formalize the link was initiated following a visit by Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly members to the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth in 2019, expressing a strong interest in a formal relationship. The link was officially established by the Portsmouth City Council in June 2021.
The Falkland's Memorial in Portsmouth was upgraded in time for the 40th Anniversary of the war in 2022.
To see more information on this campaign click here
View another Portsmouth News article on the new links with Halifax NS and the Falkland Islands here.
Valletta, Malta - Formalised at the Mayor Making Ceremony in May 2025.
Portsmouth and Valletta, Malta, are moving towards a "Sister City" partnership to formalize their long-standing historical, naval, and cultural ties. Key motivations include shared naval history, a significant Maltese community in Portsmouth, and potential for future collaboration, such as in tourism and economic development through their international ports. Portsmouth City Council has taken steps to explore the relationship, with a formal agreement being a recent step forward.
Key connections and motivations
Naval history: Both cities have a deep history with the Royal Navy; Valletta was a major British naval base, and many Portsmouth service members were stationed there.
Maltese community: A large Maltese community, with families spanning three generations, resides in Portsmouth, largely due to immigration in the 1970s for work in the dockyard.
Cultural and historical links: Both are historic, fortified maritime cities with rich heritage. Valletta was also the European Capital of Culture in 2018 and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Economic potential: The partnership could boost tourism and economic ties, especially given both cities have busy international ports.
Recent developments
Proposal: The idea was proposed by Portsmouth Labour group leader, Charlotte Gerada, who is of Maltese descent.
Council approval: Portsmouth City Council agreed to move forward with the plans and to approach Valletta to explore a formal sister city relationship.
Sister agreement: In May 2025, Portsmouth City Council members signed a formal sister agreement with Valletta, including a memorandum of understanding
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