Sister Cities of Des Moines: Shijiazhuang, China; Kofu, Japan; Pristina, Kosovo Commissioners provide service as volunteers. The Commission is not a travel club.
The Greater Des Moines Sister Cities Commission was created to to further economic cooperation/cultural exchange between Des Moines and foreign cities, recommend cities appropriate for designation as Sister Cities, and to coordinate Sister Cities activities. The Sister Cities Commission is not a job placement service for citizens of either the US or any foreign city, country. We are interested in
02/21/2026
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02/21/2026
02/21/2026
Thank you Governor Kim Reynolds for officially recognizing February 17 as Kosova’s Independence Day in the State of Iowa 🇽🇰🇺🇸
02/21/2026
Join us for Hatsugama, the first event of the year and the opening event of our Way of Tea project.
Experience tea served in a traditional tea house, prepared and presented in authentic Japanese style. Tea gatherings are deeply seasonal, and this special occasion brings together multiple celebrations in one setting:
- Wishing for prosperity in the Year of the Horse
- An early celebration of Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) with Hina Doll
- Snow-viewing (Yukimi) atmosphere
All woven into a single, meaningful tea experience. Seatings are limited.
Date: 2/22/2026 3:30 - 5:00
Place: JASI HQ at 4801 Franklin Ave. #1240 (2nd floor), Des Moines, IA 50310
Admission is free.
Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScun_RKMZpmJOgceMMKQ1JYjAhpX3d3OPIJVDWkp99HIp90Iw/viewform?usp=header
02/21/2026
Celebrating the 18th anniversary of the Independence of Kosovo tonight at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates with dignitaries from Kosovo as well as area mayors as part of the Greater Des Moines Sister Cities Commission--with Des Moines Mayor Connie Boesen, Johnston Mayor Paula Dierenfeld and Norwalk Mayor Tom Phillips. Iowa and Kosovo are forever joined in solidarity to freedom. Congratulations!
02/17/2026
Today, we honor and celebrate Kosovo's Independence Day. Iowa and Kosovo have a very close and special relationship and today we celebrate their independence in becoming Europe's youngest country. The people of Kosovo are some of the most resilient, dedicated, and warmest people in the world and we are honored to celebrate this day with our friends🇽🇰🇺🇲❤️
12/30/2025
Join us tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Just south of the State Capitol, west of the Iowa Supreme Court building! Dress warmly and bring a big smile!!!! Delightfully fun! See you there. The more who come, the shorter the time in the cold!
Join us this Wednesday for our last event of the year at the Yamanashi Peace Bell site, to toll the bell 108 times and welcome the New Year!
We will be serving Udon around 8:30am and start tolling the bell at 9am.
This event will be live stream on our Facebook, so if you can't come in-person, stop by and say hello on Facebook live!
10/22/2025
This week, 10 bright, talented scholars from our Sister City of Shijiazhuang China are in the Des Moines metro as part of the Global Youth Institute activities surrounding the internationally-acclaimed World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue events. Sister Cities Chairman Sherill Whisenand presented them with small tokens of welcome. The Foreign Language School students have come every year for 13 years!