Yang Yufang, (in the red dress) vice mayor of the Chinese city of Zhuzhou, addresses an audience at Duke Gardens' Doris Duke Center Wednesday before she signed an agreement making Zhuzhou a "sister city" with Durham.
The Sister City program links cities across the world to help build understanding and a stronger international community. Zhuzhou is Durham's fifth sister city and the first since 1991.
Durham Mayor Pro Tempore Cora Cole-McFadden (background) signed for the city. The Durham City Council approved the agreement in June.
The sister city partnerships promote a variety of programs from international visits to Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots effort. This past summer, a delegation from Durham, including the Durham Children's Choir, visited Toyoma, Japan, for several performances, meetings with city officials and appearances at local middle schools.
In addition to Toyama and Zhuzhou, Durham's sister cities are Durham, UK; Arusha, Tanzania; and Kostroma, Russia.
Photo by Jim Wallace/Duke University Photography