The Schaumburg Sister Cities Commission has formal relationships with two sister cities: Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany and Namerikawa Japan. The Sister Cities program offers a unique opportunity to engage with people from other cultures who have an interest in learning more about our culture.

Schaumburg-Lippe is the region in the northern part of Germany from which the first settlers came to Schaumburg, Illinois.

The Commission participates in inbound and outbound exchanges with Schaumburg, Germany, and invites members of the community to participate as host families. Anyone who hosts a guest on an inbound exchange is then eligible to travel to Germany on a future outbound exchange. For information, call 847-923-3607 or email us.

The History

Sister city, county, and state affiliations among the United States and other nations after World War II developed into a national initiative when President Dwight Eisenhower proposed a "People- To- People" program at the White House conference. Once a part of the "National Leagues of Cities" Sister Cities International (SCI) became a separate not-for-profit corporation in 1967 because of its tremendous growth and popularity. 

Eisenhower intended to involve individuals and organized groups in citizen diplomacy and strongly believed that personal relationships fostered through sister city, county, and state affiliations would lessen the chances of future world conflicts.