Who We Are
Representatives from St. Louis, Missouri, USA and from Stuttgart, capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, met on March 10, 1960 to sign official documents uniting St. Louis and Stuttgart in a sister city relationship and committing each to ongoing activities, which encourage people-to-people and government-to-government interaction. The affiliation was formed under the guidelines of Sister Cities International, Inc., an organization founded by former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote world peace through mutual understanding. St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cites, Inc., a non-profit organization of volunteers, was founded in St. Louis to maintain communication with the director of sister programs in Stuttgart and to manage the activities that achieve the goals set forth in the partnership agreement.

St. Louis and Stuttgart share corresponding characteristics and resources: both are rich in educational and cultural institutions. The two cities have drawn from all of these sectors for over thirty-five years, lending and borrowing ideas, personnel and resources to build a rich and strong association.

Student exchanges are important springboards to reciprocal interchange on other levels; bringing together young counterparts in the sister cities not only promotes friendships that may last a lifetime, but also introduces youth to the concept of international exchange as a means to cultural understanding. St. Louis and Stuttgart have sponsored educational exchanges at high school and university levels, as well as business internships and teacher exchanges. Sports competitions have played a major role in bringing German and American youth together, and the camaraderie surrounding matches adds an additional dimension to the experience for both the young participants and members of the community. The link between the cities has encouraged involvement of art and cultural institutions in both St. Louis and Stuttgart; major art collections, as well as amateur and children’s art have been displayed by museums and galleries in both places. Performances of adult and youth symphony orchestras have brought appreciative audiences to concert halls; world-renowned ballet, modern and folk dance troupes have dazzled sister city spectators. Theater groups and a variety of music and choral groups have participated in festivals and competitions. Mayors representing both cities have led to official delegations to promote trade and tourism; groups of citizens have made mutual visits, always with opportunities for personal contact to reinforce the sister city relationship. A unique and important factor in exchanges of visitors is the homestead tradition, giving guests the opportunity to become a member of a family and learn about day-to-day life in another culture.

An international and a civic organization, St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities, Inc. functions as a civic as well as an international organization, keeping a high profile in the St. Louis community by participating in local ceremonies, conventions, parades and festivals. The organization is united with St. Louis’ other sister city groups and international associations through the office of the St. Louis Center for International Relations.

Stuttgart is the economic, cultural, sporting and social hub of a region in the heart of Europe with more than 2.5 million inhabitants. Even as visitors come in to land at Stuttgart International Airport, they will be impressed by a fascinating landscape consisting of mountains, woods, vineyards, gardens, meadows and fields. Woods account for almost a quarter of the entire city area. The state capital of Baden-Württemberg is a cultural attraction that extends beyond regional borders. The State Art Gallery, Bach Academy, Opera House and Ballet Company as well as the musical hall with the world hit "CATS", the Theatre House and Friedrichsbau Varieté are symbols of the cultural diversity of the city of Stuttgart. Stuttgart and the surrounding region offer something for everyone the whole year round. It's worth making a trip because there is always something to see and do in Southern Germany.

Stuttgart - facts and figures
State capital of the federal State: Baden-Württemberg
Postal code: 70173 International
Phone code: + 49 - 711 -
Residents: 563,000
Square dimension: 207.31 km2
Height above sea-level: 207 - 549 m

Geographical position
Stuttgart, beautifully located in a valley with steeply rising slopes, is unique for its topography and pleasant climate. Surrounded by gentle hills, forests and parks, gardens and wineyards which extend to downtown Stuttgart, almost 20% of Stuttgart's area is under a land preservation order. The public parks and recreational areas cover an area of 5.6 square kilometres. Stuttgart has therefore the reputation to be one of the most beautifully situated cities in Europe. In the centre of Southern Germany, Stuttgart is as well an ideal base for excursions to major tourist attractions. The Black Forest, the Swabian Albs, the Lake Constance and other European countries such as Switzerland, Austria and France are within an easy driving distance (2-3 hours). For more information on the St. Louis – Stuttgart Sister Cities Committee, contact the St. Louis Center for International Relations at (314) 863 – 6777.