<P> Sister cities or twin towns are a form of legal or social agreement between towns, cities, counties, oblasts, prefectures, provinces, regions, states, and even countries in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties . The modern concept of town twinning, conceived after the Second World War in 1947, was intended to foster friendship and understanding between different cultures and between former foes as an act of peace and reconciliation, and to encourage trade and tourism . By the 2000s, town twinning became increasingly used to form strategic international business links between member cities . </P> <P> In the United Kingdom, the term "twin towns" is most commonly used; the term "sister cities" is generally used for agreements with towns and cities in the Americas . In mainland Europe, the most commonly used terms are "twin towns", "partnership towns", "partner towns", and "friendship towns". The European Commission uses the term "twinned towns" and refers to the process as "town twinning". Spain uses the term "ciudades hermanadas", which means "sister cities". Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic use Partnerstadt (De) / miasto partnerskie (Pl) / partnerské město (Cz), which translate as "partner town or city". France uses ville jumelée (twinned town or city), and Italy has gemellaggio (twinning) and comune gemellato (twinned municipality). In the Netherlands, the term is partnerstad or stedenband ("city bond", when providing mutual support). In Greece, the word αδελφοποίηση (adelfopiisi--fraternisation) has been adopted . In Iceland, the terms vinabæir (friend towns) and vinaborgir (friend cities) are used . In the former Soviet Bloc, "twin towns" and "twin cities" are used, along with города - побратимы (Ru) (sworn brother cities). </P>

What does it mean to twin a city
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