Our History

Promoting Peace and International Understanding

Burlington-Alamance Sister Cities  was officially established April 27,  2000 under the leadership of Dr. Beth Powell who, along with members of the community developed our organization based on the ideas of Sister Cities International.  Dr. Powell and the committee members developed the original By-Laws which were signed in 2000.

After a search of “Cities Seeking Cities” on the SCI website, the city of Soledad de Graciano Sanchez in the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico  was selected. The selection committee consisted of Dr. Clyde Christmas, Dr. Sandra Moulton, Bob Byrd and Dr. Beth Powell.  The first visit by members of BASC to Soledad was in November, 2003.  The Partnership Agreement between the two cities was officially signed April 15, 2004 at a ceremony at the Historic Depot in Burlington. Mayor Steve Ross of Burlington and Mayor Roberto Cervantes-Barajas of Soledad signed the Partnership Agreement which formalized the relationship between the two cities. 

In the year 2011, BASC  membership began a search for a second sister city under the leadership of Dr. Powell and Sang Ho Lee.  The city of Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Provence, South Korea was selected .  Gwacheon  Mayor Yeo In-Kook  and Burlington Mayor Ronnie K. Wall signed the Partnership Agreement July 26, 2011 at a ceremony at City Hall in Burlington, NC.  Gwacheon’s first group of  24 students arrived for a two week home-stay in January, 2012.  Home-stays by students have continued each January since the original visit.