Opinion: Riverside's Global Ties Make Us Stronger at Home

'Where are you from?' Did anyone hear that question while traveling this summer? I hope you answered, 'Riverside!' with pride. One of the privileges of serving as your Mayor is representing Riverside beyond our city limits. My priority is always our residents and I take that very seriously when I serve as your City's representative. Some of my daily duties include hosting, greeting and engaging with visitors to our hometown. When I meet with a mayor from one of our nine Sister Cities, talk with an international business considering investing here, or welcome a visiting student, I am reminded that Riverside's relationships around the world ultimately come down to relationships between people. I believe those connections build on three of Riverside's greatest strengths. First, we prioritize building relationships. At a time when relationships at the federal level can feel strained, cities have an important role to play in keeping doors open. This is called 'subnational diplomacy,' but it is really something Riversiders already understand: find common ground, build trust, and work together on shared problems. Research from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found that eight in ten Californians say we are interconnected with the world, and a similar percentage believe diplomacy and international development are essential to our security and prosperity. Californians also remain supportive of state and local leaders pursuing global connections that encourage trade and policy dialogue. I have seen the power of these relationships firsthand. In September, I met a firefighter from Sendai, Japan who served his community during the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Riverside rallied during that tragedy, raising approximately $600,000 for our Sister City. More than a decade later, that firefighter now serves as a tourism leader in Sendai. When we met, he wanted the opportunity to personally say thank you to the people of Riverside who had supported his community during one of its darkest moments. And just this month in Ensenada, as we celebrated 50 years as Sister Cities, I was reminded again how long these relationships endure. During a visit with Ensenada firefighters, a third-generation firefighter brought a trophy his grandfather had received from Riverside firefighters decades ago. His family had kept it all these years. The past decades have benefited our fire departments as they continue to learn from one another through training and the exchange of knowledge and best practices. Riverside and Ensenada both understand the very real threat fire poses to our communities, giving our firefighters common ground to share what works, learn from one another and strengthen their ability to respond. Diplomacy can sound like something that happens far away, but cooperation between firefighters is about something very close to home: the safety and security of our residents. As sister cities, we share emergency-response practices, discuss climate resilience and learn how another city approaches common challenges. International cooperation can help us become a safer and better-prepared Riverside. Governments sign agreements, but people sustain relationships, and those relationships can make our communities stronger and safer. Second, we turn relationships into economic opportunity. International engagement is also an important part of Riverside's economic development strategy. Our Community and Economic Development Department works to attract foreign direct investment, companies bringing capital, jobs, technology and opportunity into our community. Last year, I met directly with South Korean companies considering investment in the United States. One company, Chaevi, was being courted by three American cities. During our conversation, we discovered its CEO had actually visited Riverside as a child. Suddenly, this wasn't simply a business pitch. There was a Riverside connection. While diplomacy is a long game that fosters invaluable relationships over decades, there are more immediate measurable returns to this work, too. Following these Korean business meetings, one particular company made a significant monetary investment in Riverside. When we compare that investment to what the City spent on the trip, every $1 in City travel expenses corresponded to $586 invested back into Riverside. Riverside does not have unlimited homegrown resources. Attracting outside investment strengthens our local economy, creates opportunities for Riverside businesses and workers, and brings new resources into our community. We want companies around the world to know what we already know: Riverside is a great place to invest, innovate and grow. Third, Riverside knows how to build community. Government cannot, and should not, do this work alone. Our universities, businesses, cultural organizations and residents are some of Riverside's greatest international ambassadors. At UCR's Los Angeles Consular Corps Forum, representatives from 17 consulates came to Riverside, helping us establish relationships and create opportunities for future engagement. And for decades, our International Relations Council has connected Riversiders with our nine Sister Cities around the world. Student exchanges, artists, firefighters, educators, runners, business leaders and residents have all participated in this work. Today, the IRC has a new board, new bylaws and an implementation plan built upon its recently completed strategic plan, positioning this longtime Riverside organization for its next chapter. These people-to-people connections are Riverside's superpower. As we look toward the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in our own Southern California backyard, the world will quite literally be coming to us. I think about the team spirit we have already seen throughout Riverside during international sporting events and can only imagine the excitement of welcoming friends and visitors from around the globe in 2028. I want Riverside to be ready, not simply to welcome the world, but to show the world who we are: a city confident in its identity, open to new relationships, eager for new opportunities, and always proud to call Riverside home. For more information regarding international relations and the City of Riverside, please contact alee@riversideca.gov