International relations

Palmy is a growing hub of international activity and networks. We are home to world-class education and research institutes, international firms and businesses in trade. We welcome students from all over the world and speak over 130 languages in our community.

Our international connections are part of what makes Palmy a great place to live. And Palmerston North City Council has an important role in helping our city become more internationally connected, competitive, and vibrant. We do this in a number of ways.

We work to build strong relationships with Embassies, High Commissions and national organisations that support international connections. These include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Sister Cities New Zealand, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Asia NZ Foundation. The Mayor and Council also formally welcome international visitors who have economic, social or cultural significance for the city.

We also build relationships and cooperation with cities around the world where we share common interests. 

These relationships are known by many names: sister cities, twin cities, friendship cities and strategic partnerships. But they all help us to extend and strengthen the networks that support our regional needs and priorities.

In Palmy, many of our international partnerships support priority sectors such as education, agribusiness, and food science. You can read more about our international city partnerships on the pages below.