Cupertino, Italy

In 1776, a Spanish cartographer travelling in Santa Clara named a stream “Arroyo San Jose de Cupertino” to honor Saint Joseph of Copertino — inspiring the name Cupertino. Cupertino and Cupertino’s sister city relationship was formalized in 1963 when previous Cupertino mayor, John Benetti, visited Copertino during the 300th anniversary of St. Joseph’s death.

Toyokawa, Japan

The sister city relationship with Toyokawa was formalized in 1978, and to symbolize this, in 1979, Cupertino sent Toyokawa 25 Redwood tree seedlings, and in 1983, 200 cherry trees were delivered from Toyokawa to Cupertino. To continue to foster this relationship, Cupertino holds a Cherry Blossom Festival and exchange program each year.

Hsinchu, Taiwan

In 2007, Cupertino formalized a sister city relationship with Hsinchu, Taiwan, also nicknamed the “windy city.” In addition to its weather, Hsinchu is known for being a prime center of education and technology. Each year, the Mayor and the Cupertino-Hsinchu Sister City Association hosts delegations and a student exchange program.

Bhubaneswar, India

Bhubaneswar and Cupertino formalized their relationship in 2012. Bhubaneswar honors its cultural heritage through its thousands of temples. Recently, the city achieved a position in India’s Smart Cities Challenge, a challenge to drive economic growth and improve citizen life. Each year, the Cupertino-BBSR Sister City Initiative fosters cultural interactions through exchanges.