The terms twin towns and sister cities are used to describe a form of cooperative agreement made between towns, cities, counties, oblasts, prefectures, provinces, regions, states and even countries in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.[1] The modern concept of town-twinning, conceived after the Second World War in 1947,[2] was intended to foster friendship and understanding between different cultures and between former foes as an act of peace and reconciliation,[3][4] and to encourage trade and tourism.[1] In recent times, town twinning has increasingly been used to form strategic international business links between member cities.