The concept of “Sister Cities” was first initiated by President Eisenhower after World War II and was designed to promote these kinds of bonds between culturally different areas, and, by doing so, to initiate “citizen-to-citizen” diplomacy. Karla Guinigundo, director of global partnerships in Miami’s Global Initiatives program, thinks this partnership will encourage just that.

Representatives of seven Cleveland cultural and educational institutions met Cuban counterparts face to face and saw firsthand evidence of the rapprochement with Cuba started under President Barack Obama in 2014. The visit also provided a snapshot of Cuban life at an unusual point after the death of the country's longtime president, Fidel Castro, in November, and the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, who could freeze or reverse the normalization started by Obama.

Hiram College will form what it calls "non-traditional partnerships among American and Pakistani high schools, universities, local community partners and government agencies," with a grant from the U.S. State Department.