By: Robyn Grant

This summer, a spirited delegation crossed the Atlantic to reaffirm a city-to-city friendship that has flourished for more than three decades.

On July 4th, representatives from the Newport Beach Sister City Association (NBSCA), a non-profit, volunteer run organization, joined their counterparts in Antibes, France, for the 35th anniversary of the relationship between the two coastal communities. The milestone event, held in the scenic gardens of Villa Eilenroc, reflected not only the longevity of the partnership, but also the enduring value of international friendship.

The celebration, featuring dignitaries from Antibes, members of the Antibes Jumelage Organization, and even guests from Antibes’ other Sister City, Kinsale, Ireland, embodied the founding principles of the Sister Cities movement. Conceived by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, the program established a grassroots conduit for mutual understanding, where connections between cities would strengthen diplomacy through person-to-person engagement.

Today, California leads the nation with more than 180 Sister City affiliations, and Newport Beach stands proudly among them with three Sister Cities: Antibes, France; Okazaki, Japan; and Ensenada, Mexico. These relationships go beyond symbolic gestures to include official visits, student exchanges, cultural programs, public art and ultimately lasting friendships.

To commemorate the visit, NBSCA President Truly Gold Boring presented to Antibes Mayor Jean Leonetti a city gift, “Newport Beach Beauty,” a painting by noted Newport Beach artist Linda Lawler.

The day unfolded with live music by Harmony Antiboise, a local band blending American and Irish influences, jazzy tunes performed by the Antibes New Orleans Jazz Band, and dancing led by DJ Kim. It included a scrumptious banquet under the Mediterranean sky. The celebration was a fitting tribute to 35 years of shared connections.

The Antibes visit is just one chapter in a larger story.

Earlier this summer, a Newport Beach student delegation traveled to Okazaki, Japan, to mark the 40th anniversary of that Sister City partnership. The visit included school tours, meetings with city leaders, and cultural immersion through the Wendell Fish Student Exchange Program. Named for one of its founders, the late Newport-Balboa Rotarian Wendell Fish, the student program is a model of youth-centered diplomacy. Many young participants maintain lifelong connections with their host families, some even returning as adults to help guide new delegations.

Over the years, these international connections have left a tangible mark on Newport Beach including works of public art and cultural landmarks. Okazaki has gifted several granite sculptures from noted Japanese artist Eiichi Ishida. There is “Nakayoshi, Good Friends,” a charming sculpture of two children embracing nestled on the lawn at the entry to the Central Library with a smaller companion piece installed at Mariners Library. There are also two granite lanterns and the “Tokugawa Friendship Statue” resting among the Japanese Black Pines at Irvine Terrace Park. The original city hall on the peninsula was home to an extensive rose garden with several unique species gifted by Antibes.

As Newport Beach continues to celebrate these international connections with Antibes, Okazaki, and Ensenada, we are reminded that Sister Cities isn’t just about geography, it is based in relationships forged through mutual respect, sustained by culture and passed down through generations.

To learn more about the Newport Beach Sister City Association or become a member, visit nbsca.net or contact President Truly Gold Boring at trulybee@mac.com

Robyn Grant is a member of the Newport Beach City Council. First elected in 2022, she represents District 4. Robyn can be reached at rgrant@newportbeachca.gov or on Instagram @robynbgrant.

About the artist, Linda Lawler:

Newport Beach artist Linda Lawler left a career in journalism and publishing to pursue a lifetime interest in art. She started in watercolors and acrylics and moved to oils taking inspiration from John Singer Sargent, Joaquin Sorolla, Mary Cassatt and Claude Monet as well as all the early California impressionists. Linda splits her time between her two homes, Newport Beach, California and the Sawtooth Valley in Idaho. She also enjoys capturing the people and places from mission trips she has taken to Zambia and Fiji. Linda's paintings are in private collections across the country.