The city of Phoenix is the only city in the country to receive three awards from Sister Cities International in recognition of its long-term and comprehensive sister city programs.

The Phoenix Sister Cities Commission earned the Best Overall Program Award for a city with a population greater than 500,000, the Innovation Award for Sustainable Development and the National Organization for Disability Advocacy award.

Representing more than 2,300 communities in 130 countries, Sister Cities International presented the award to the Phoenix Sister Cities Commission on July 30 during its annual conference in Spokane, Wash.

The Sister Cities Commission has been recognized five times in the last nine years for having the Best Overall Program in the United States. Also, last year the Sister Cities Commission earned the Innovation Award for Education for its annual youth ambassador exchange program, short-and long-term teacher exchanges, the Global Connections World Technology Conference and the Chengdu, China management training program.

Phoenix’s sister cities include Calgary, Canada; Catania, Italy; Chengdu, China; Ennis, Ireland; Grenoble, France; Hermosillo, Mexico; Himeji, Japan; Prague, Czech Republic; Ramat-Gan, Israel; and Taipei, Taiwan. For more information, call 602-534-3751.