Sacramento and Morelia Finalize Sister City Partnership
July 2026
Sacramento and Morelia hold final Sister City signing ceremony, establishing a foundation for future tourism, economic development, education, arts, and cultural exchange.
The Cities of Sacramento, California, and Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, formally established a Sister City partnership on Thursday, June 25, in Sacramento, CA.
A Special Meeting of the Sacramento City Council and a signing ceremony marked the final step in establishing the Sister City relationship. This follows a Feb. 6, 2026, signing ceremony in Morelia by Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty and Morelia Mayor Alfonso Martínez Alcázar. This agreement will strengthen friendship and collaboration between the two cities and advance shared goals: tourism, economic development, education, and cultural exchange.
“In this time of unnecessary division, we are focused on building bridges. Sacramento and Morelia are united by family, friendship, and shared values,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty. “This sister city agreement formalizes what our communities have long known – that when we invest in cooperation, we strengthen economic opportunity, educational exchange, and support for immigrant families on both sides of the border.”
California is home to nearly two million people with roots in the state of Michoacán and has the largest population of Michoacanos in the United States.
“Over 300,000 people in our region have ties to Michoacán – and I am proud to be one of them,” said Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra. “This Sister City relationship is focused on collaboration and is supported by many Sacramentans who recognize that a strong community helps and learns from others. Both capital cities understand the importance of working together to enhance our shared interests of promoting arts and culture, education, tourism, and economic development while strengthening the bond between our two communities."
A delegation of 35 government, business, and community leaders from Morelia traveled to Sacramento from Thursday, June 25, through Sunday, June 28, to participate in the Sister City Ceremony and a series of activities and meetings that established the foundation for a successful relationship.
The objective of the Sacramento delegation to Morelia in February was to introduce Sacramento community leadership to Morelia and its exchange opportunities.
"Visiting Morelia in February was such a great experience. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, and we saw firsthand the strong connections that already exist between our communities. I’m excited to make this partnership official and continue building on this relationship,” said Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes, District 3, City of Sacramento.
June’s delegation introduced the Morelianos to Sacramento. Now, the Sacramento-Morelia Sister City Committee (based in Sacramento) will form a nonprofit organization to maintain the Sister City relationship, raise funds for activities, and implement programs. Over the next year, Sacramento and Morelia will work together to develop specific projects and programs.
Thursday morning, the delegation visited the State Capitol for a legislative meet-and-greet hosted by Assemblymember David Alvarez, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on California-Mexico Bi-National Affairs. The delegation met with members of both the Legislative Latino Caucus and the Senate Select Committee on California-Mexico Cooperation and Dialogue and was recognized on the Senate and Assembly floor by Sacramento Senator Angelique Ashby and Assemblymember David Alvarez.
Later that day, during a Special Session of City Council, Sacramento leaders unanimously voted to establish Morelia as a sister city. The Sister City Ceremony moved outside for the unveiling of the new Morelia sign on the Sister City signpost outside City Hall and a Liberty Bell gifted by Fundación Honoris Causa USA and Harinera Monarca to the people of Sacramento. This replica of Mexico’s Independence Bell is a symbol of friendship and cooperation between both cities.
“We celebrate the contributions of the Michoacán community in Sacramento, and the warm embrace Sacramento has extended to generations of migrants who have enriched the social, cultural, and economic fabric of California," said Gabriella Castillo, President of Fundación Honoris Causa USA, as she presented the bell.
The day concluded with a dinner hosted by Sacramento State at the Julia Morgan House, where Sac State President Luke Wood discussed academic exchange with the delegation. Assemblymember Maggy Krell gave remarks at the dinner and shared her connection with Morelia – she studied in the historic city for six months.
On Friday and Saturday, the delegation split into focus groups to meet with key representatives in each of the four areas of exchange (tourism, economic development, education, and art, and culture). They were hosted at Sacramento State University, UC Davis’s Aggie Square in Sacramento, and The Gualco Group, Inc. The education session showcased programs that expand access to higher education, workforce opportunities, and global learning for Sacramentans. Presenters highlighted the importance of cultural exchange and arts education in strengthening community connections and celebrating the region's diverse heritage.
The tourism group explored ways to increase visits to Sacramento through festivals, professional sports, and artistic collaboration. Morelia, like Sacramento, is a food and agricultural region. Attendees explored the possibility of Morelia participating in Sacramento’s Terra Madre Americas. Last July, Volaris launched a direct flight between Sacramento’s and Morelia’s international airports, making travel, family reunification, and business connections more accessible than ever. There are already direct flights between Sacramento and other major Mexican cities. This new sister city partnership further strengthens support for Sacramento’s diverse community.
The art and culture meeting established a framework for a bilateral cultural exchange that will directly benefit Sacramentans by bringing world-class Michoacán artisans and performers to enrich our local festivals, museums, and community spaces. In return, Sacramento will share our successful models for integrating public art – like our mural programs – and farm-to-fork tourism into civic planning to help Morelia expand its contemporary creative economy.
As highlighted in the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Hispanic Economic Report, Hispanics in Sacramento are a major contributor to the economy and continue to increase in spending power. Many Sacramentans with Michoacán roots are homeowners and business owners. The economic development representatives identified pathways for business growth, entrepreneurship, innovation, and existing investment programs from SMUD and the Sac Metro Air District available to help businesses participate in a clean energy economy. Increasing high-tech agriculture, biotech, manufacturing, and leading research facilities, such as Aggie Square, present opportunities for workforce training and investment.
Morelia Mayor Alfonso Martínez Alcázar noted the strong connection and economic importance of Michoacanos to both economies: “Michoacán has half of its citizens living in Michoacán and the other half living in the United States, and that makes us even more like family. I hope that this sister-city relationship between Morelia and Sacramento will serve to raise our voices internationally, among other nations, so that we focus not on what divides us, but on what unites us — we can see how the Michoacanos here contribute to the economy of the United States and also contribute very strongly to the economy of Mexico.”
The Morelia Delegation spent the remainder of the trip exploring the culture of Sacramento. They toured Old Sacramento, attended a River Cats baseball game, and went to the Golden 1 Center to see the popular Mexican group Palomazo Norteno draw a full crowd. Morelia is known for its delicious carnitas, so before the delegation left Sacramento, they were treated to Sacramento’s variety of smoked meats at Urban Roots Brewery and Smokehouse.
Through this sister city relationship, Sacramento and Morelia agree to the following:
- Promote tourism and cultural exchange through joint events and artistic collaboration
- Advance economic development, trade, innovation, and growth in agriculture and small business
- Support immigrant and migrant families and strengthen community relationships
- Expand educational opportunities, professional collaboration, and workforce development
- Encourage citizen diplomacy to strengthen friendships, understanding, and shared prosperity
Photo credit: Roberta Alvarado