Kiel delegation’s visit to San Francisco seals a long-term town twinning arrangement

The state capital of Kiel and San Francisco are continuing their town twinning partnership, which has been in place since 2017, on a permanent basis. Back in July 2025, the Kiel City Council decided to make the partnership, which was originally limited to five years, permanent. This successful collaboration is largely thanks to the Kiel-based association The Bay Areas e.V. and the San Francisco–Kiel Sister City Committee. 

A delegation from Kiel will now travel to the Californian twin city from 22 to 27 February. Mayor Ulf Kämpfer and City President Bettina Aust will officially seal the extension during a joint signing ceremony at San Francisco City Hall. At the same time, the visit serves to strengthen existing personal and institutional ties. City President Aust is also using the trip for her inaugural visit. 

Representatives from Kiel’s business and academic sectors will accompany the delegation. Plans include discussions with companies, institutions and opinion leaders in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, as well as visits to existing cooperation projects. In his capacity as Head of Economic Affairs, Mayor Kämpfer will, among other things, seek to foster dialogue on research collaborations. The aim is to further raise the profile of Kiel and Schleswig-Holstein as an attractive hub for innovation and business, and to provide new impetus for transatlantic cooperation.  

Since the partnership began in September 2017, diverse and ongoing relationships have developed between the two cities. The local authorities have exchanged views on urban development, climate protection and education, amongst other topics. Further information is available at www.kiel.de/sanfrancisco and www.the-bay-areas.de.