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Wichita's Sister Cities for #NationalSisterDay

Updated: Aug 17, 2021

Happy #NationalSisterDay! While our LLC doesn’t have a sister, the city of Wichita has FOUR…four sister cities that is! These cities include Tlalnepantla and Cancun, Mexico; Orléans, France, and Kaifeng, China.


Tlalnepantla, Mexico - 1973

  • Became sister cities after their Presidente Municipal (Mayor) Joaquin Rodriquez Lugo visited Mayor James Donnel in Wichita.

  • A replica of the Keeper of the Plains was presented to Tlalnepantla in 1975. This replica now stands in Tlalnepantla’s “Plaza Wichita.”

  • (For more info on the Keeper of the Plains, check out our past post here: https://rem.ax/3flJJ5X)


Orléans, France - 1974

  • The 137th Infantry of Kansas 35th Division helped liberate Orléans from Nazi occupation in August 1944.

  • When they became sister cities in 1974, they exchanged statues. Wichita gave Orléans a replica of the Keeper of the Plains, and Orléans gave Wichita a Joan of Arc statue in return.

  • Joan of Arc, also known as the “Maid of Orléans,” was considered a heroine in France for her role in the Hundred Year War. (More info on her here: https://rem.ax/3jeFev6)


Cancún, Mexico - 1975

  • Officially became sister cities November 25, 1975.

  • Wichita gave Cancún a replica of the Keeper of the Plains one year later.

  • On September 27th, 1978, Cancún presented Wichita with a replica of the Mayan Rain God, Chac. This can now be found at the Mid-America All-Indian Center.

  • Wichita has aided Cancún in the past by supplying medical supplies and developing a project to upgrade Cancun’s water supply.

  • Cancún has since named its elementary school “Wichita-Cancún Elementary School” in honor of this relationship. Wichita then went on to send supplies such as crayons, scissors, and paper to the school.


Kaifeng, China - 1985

  • In early 1985, Mayor Robert Brown sent a task force to Kaifeng to determine if Wichita should establish a Sister City relationship with a city in the Henan Province.

  • On December 3rd, 1985 this Sister City relationship became official.


For more information, visit: https://rem.ax/3C1bt9M


Happy National Sister Day!


*Originally posted on our Facebook page on August 1, 2021.*

The Keeper of the Plains replica in Tlalnepantla, Mexico.


The Keeper of the Plains replica in Orléans, France.

Source: https://rem.ax/3ye79Se


Joan of Arc statue in front of the Wichita Public Library in Wichita, KS.

Photo was taken by Keith Wondra, 2010. Source: https://rem.ax/3zXhMJF


Mayan God of Rain, Chaac

Source and more info: https://rem.ax/3fk7rzu


The Wichita-Cancún Elementary School in February 2019.

Source: https://rem.ax/3zVx4P2

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