Twinning
What is twinning?
The concept of Twinning, also known as Sister Cities, began in Europe after the Second World War as a visionary way to build bridges between communities. It was designed to promote peace, friendship, and mutual understanding by encouraging people from different cultures to connect and collaborate.
Twinning celebrates diversity, fosters international cooperation, and creates opportunities for learning and growth.
Cork City is proud to be twinned with six vibrant cities around the world:
- 1958 Coventry, UK
- 1982 Rennes, France
- 1984 San Francisco, USA
- 1988-Cologne, Germany
- 1994 Swansea, Wales
- 2005 Shanghai, China
Cork also maintains partnerships with Wuxi, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen in China.
These partnerships are active, living relationships that bring people together through shared projects, cultural exchanges, and educational initiatives.
Why twinning still matters?
Twinning opens up exciting opportunities for collaboration across a wide range of areas. It celebrates culture by sharing arts, heritage, and traditions, and supports education through student exchanges and partnerships with our universities. It helps promote Cork as a vibrant tourist destination while welcoming visitors from around the world. In science and technology, twinning encourages innovation and the exchange of ideas. It also plays a role in building inclusive, connected communities through social development, and opens doors for economic growth by creating links for trade and business. Through these connections, Cork continues to grow as a globally engaged, forward-thinking city, offering residents meaningful ways to learn, connect, and grow.
Twinning Grants:
What are they?
The Twinning Grant Scheme offers a unique opportunity for Cork-based organisations to:
- Develop meaningful international links
- Internationalise their work or community engagement
- Collaborate on projects that are educational, cultural, sporting, social, or economically beneficial
Whether you're a school, community group, sports club, or cultural organisation, this grant can help bring your international ideas to life.
How do I apply?
Applications for the 2026 Twinning Grant Scheme will open in early 2026, and we’d love to hear from you!
If you have a project idea that connects Cork with one of its twinned or partner cities - whether it’s cultural, educational, sporting, or community-based, start planning now! We’re excited to support initiatives that build international friendships and enrich life here in Cork.
Key Details:
- Applications open in early 2026 (Details will be posted here in due course)
- Funding covers up to 50% of eligible project costs
- The 2026 Twinning Grant will be open for application by the Diaspora
- Travel is not required – virtual and local projects are welcome
Cities of Welcome: Connecting New European Communities
In November, Cork City welcomed groups from its twinned cities of Rennes and Cologne for "Cities of Welcome: Connecting New European Communities".
‘Cities of Welcome: Connecting New Europeans’ presented an opportunity for migrant representatives, civil society groups, private sector and policy makers across the three European cities to meet in-person and discuss the opportunities and challenges which migration presents to cities. 15 migrant representatives travelled from Rennes, France, and 10 migrant representatives travelled from Cologne, Germany to meet with 15 migrant representatives from Cork, Ireland.
The conference fostered the understanding that while migration is a European issue, local authorities have a front-facing and important role in engaging with and connecting the new European communities who call these cities home.
The programme also included a run with the Cork-founded Sanctuary Runners. The Sanctuary Runners enable Irish residents to run alongside, and in solidarity with, migrants, asylum seekers and refugees thereby fostering friendship, positivity and respect while bringing greater awareness to the migration system.
The programme was supported by the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) and by EU50 funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.
Twinning Grants 2025
Cork City Council is delighted to announce the launch of the 2025 Twinning Grant Scheme and invites interested individuals or organisations who wish to partake in a project with one of Cork’s twinned cities to apply online by close of business 7th February.
Cork is currently twinned with Cologne, Coventry, Rennes, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Swansea. Projects involving Cork’s partner cities of Wuxi, Hangzhou and Shenzhen are also eligible for support under this grant.
Cork City Council’s twinning grant gives organisations in Cork City an opportunity to develop international ties or internationalise an aspect of their work. The nature of the activity or project may be community-based, voluntary, social, cultural, educational, sporting or of general social and economic benefit. There is no pre-requisite to travel to the twinned cities and virtual interactions will also be considered.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Lord Mayor Cllr Dan Boyle said:
"As a city, we embrace internationalisation to bolster our status as a globally connected, innovative, socially progressive, economically vibrant and culturally rich city.
Since the introduction of the twinning grant many years ago, it has provided opportunities for Corkonians to develop meaningful connections with our international partner cities.
I would encourage all interested organisations and groups within our community to “Think Global and Act Local”, and consider submitting an application to the scheme."
Applications must be submitted online here with the closing date for submission of application before close of business 7th February.
Cork City Council’s International Relations Office are available to those interested to answer any questions on the application process, and can be reached at international_relations@corkcity.ie