Reggio Emilia, Italy was Fort Worth's first official relationship. The Fort Worth-Reggio Emilia Friendship Committee provided the cornerstone for Fort Worth's innovative and award-winning Sister Cities programs. This partnership generates many opportunities including allowing Fort Worth to be the sole United States participant in the Olimpiade del Tricolore, where about 500 Fort Worth youth athletes and coaches helped bring home many gold, silver and bronze medals after competing before an international crowd of nearly 5,000. This 25-year-old relationship is grounded in the typical education, culture and sports exchanges and is recognized for developing such first-ever exchanges as:

A Handicap Life Skills Symposium; International Wheelchair Basketball Tournaments; Smithsonian's U.S. Tour of Reggio Emilia's education model; cutting and quarter horse training, breeding and competition; stage, craft and performance arts training programs; marathons; culinary, hotel and professional internships; and fashion and artisan industry programs.

Background Information

Reggio Emilia is an affluent city of northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 167,013 inhabitants and is the main commune (municipality) of the Province of Reggio Emilia.  Reggio Emilia is home to famous opera house and a major ballet company.

Facts.

Mayor: Graziano Delrio

Population: 167,013

Region: Emilia-Romagna

Currency: Euro

Food: Famous for Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, and the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar. Cheese known by the name of "Parmesan" because it was invented in the area of Reggio Emilia, close to the town of Bibbiano, the birth-place of Parmigiano Reggiano.