Mexicali and Coachella, California to become ‘sister cities’

Coachella to Mexicali

With a large Mexican population, a rich, traditional culture and a budding economy, the city of Coachella, California largely mirrors the city of Mexicali, Mexico.

The capital of the state of Baja California, Mexicali, a two-hour drive from Coachella, is a common destination for residents during the holidays or in the summertime.

Should the Coachella City Council approve a forthcoming agreement, the two could formally become “sister cities.

Such a partnership would promote a cultural and economic exchange between the two cities and foster trade, tourism, education and regional traditions.

“A sister connection with Mexicali just makes a lot of sense,” said Mark Weber, Coachella’s economic development manager.

Cultural celebrations in the fall, such as “El Grito” — which celebrates Mexico’s independence — and “Día De Los Muertos” would make the partnership even timelier, he said.

Leaders in Coachella met with representatives from Mexicali in June to discuss the sister city partnership.

The agreement would take place on behalf of Sister Cities International, formed in 1956 by former President Dwight Eisenhower, as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization aims to promote affiliations between cities in the U.S. and other countries.

“As a community that shares much of the cultural and familial roots with Mexicali and the Baja California region, the city of Coachella looks forward to embarking on a process to find mutually beneficial ways to grow our economic and cultural ties with our neighbors to the south in Mexico,” the staff report said.