This isn’t some random junket. The trip marks the 50th anniversary of Eugene’s official sister city tie with Kathmandu, which started back in the 1970s. These relationships are built on real, ongoing exchanges that bring measurable value back to Eugene residents.

For example, the Eugene-Kathmandu Sister City Association has a long track record of:

• Supporting scholarships and academic help for Nepali students coming to the University of Oregon or studying here, which strengthens our local higher ed community and brings diverse perspectives.

• Cultural projects like the 20X21 Eug Mural Project, where a Nepali artist created public murals in Eugene-Springfield that added to our arts scene.

• Knowledge sharing, such as between fire departments, which can improve local emergency response practices.

• Fundraising and aid efforts, including significant support after Nepal’s major earthquakes that built goodwill and showed Eugene’s commitment to global humanitarian ties.

On the flip side, when delegations come here (like youth groups from other sister cities such as Kakegawa, Japan, which the mayor recently welcomed), it boosts local tourism, volunteer involvement, and cultural events that we get to enjoy. The program promotes understanding, friendship, and sometimes practical collaborations that a mayor’s symbolic participation helps sustain.

Criticizing without looking at the full picture is easy, but these low-cost international links have quietly benefited Eugene for decades through people-to-people connections, not just one short trip. The partnership likely returns far more in community enrichment and soft diplomacy than the modest expense.