As the capital of the United States of America, Washington, DC generally partners only with national capitals around the world. Each nation’s capital has its own culture, character, history, challenges and priorities that are shared through Sister City Agreements and Protocols of Friendship. The District of Columbia has also partnered with Sunderland, England, the ancestral home of the first president, George Washington.
These partnerships create opportunities for the sister cities to learn from each other in the areas of economic development, education, social, youth and cultural projects or exchanges and government administration. Four to five specific projects are developed under each relationship.
The District of Columbia has signed Sister City Agreements or Protocols of Friendship with the following 15 cities:
Bangkok, Thailand (since 1962, renewed 2002, renewed 2012)
Dakar, Senegal (since 1980, renewed 2006) 
Beijing Municipality, People’s Republic of China (since 1984, renewed 2004, renewed 2012)
Brussels Capital Region, Belgium (since 1985, renewed 2002, renewed 2011)
Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa (since 2002, renewed 2008, renewed 2011) 
Paris, France (since 2000, renewed 2005) 
Athens, Greece (since 2000)
Seoul Metropolitan Government, Republic of Korea (since 2006) 
Accra, Ghana (since 2006)
Sunderland, United Kingdom–George Washington’s Ancestral Home (since 2006, renewed 2012)
Rome, Italy (since 2011, renewed 2013)
Ankara, Turkey (since 2011)
Brasilia, Brazil (since 2013)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (since 2013)
San Salvador, El Salvador (since 2018)