St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities Celebrates 65 Years
German delegation visited Nov. 12-15
The St. Louis–Stuttgart Sister Cities (SLSSC) Committee, one of the oldest German sister city relationships in the U.S., is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2025. To honor the anniversary, SLSSC welcomed a delegation from Stuttgart, Germany. Dr. Clemens Maier, deputy mayor for the City of Stuttgart, who oversees the department of security, order and sport, led the Stuttgart delegation as they visited St. Louis from Nov. 12 to 15. The visit to St. Louis included meeting with German companies that have operations in St. Louis and a gala on Nov. 14 at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel to celebrate the 65th anniversary.
“After 65 years, the partnership is about more than just diplomacy, it is about genuine friendship between citizens of two cities nearly 5,000 miles apart,” said Susanne Evens, president of St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities Committee. “The success of the St. Louis–Stuttgart Sister Cities relationship shows that when communities invest in mutual respect, cultural understanding and shared experiences, they create not only international ties, but enduring peace.”
The 65th anniversary celebration on Nov. 14 was also Evens’ last day as president after 20 years on the job. Bob Case has succeeded her in the role of president.
At the Gala, Evens received the German – American Friendship Award, one of the highest honors given by Germany to individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to promoting friendship and cooperation between Germany and the U.S. Evens is the first winner of this award in the state of Missouri.
The St. Louis Sister Cities Program is part of the international mission of World Trade Center St. Louis (WTC), the international division of St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. Sanctioned by Sister Cities International, WTC supports and oversees the 16 sister cities programs in St. Louis.
“We would like to congratulate SLSSC on this impressive milestone,” said Stella Sheehan, deputy director of WTC, who chairs the St. Louis Sister Cities Committee. “This partnership has been instrumental in maintaining a strong relationship with Germany and bringing new business opportunities to the region for decades.”
St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
