Rennes – France

Rennes, the capital of the Brittany region in north-western France, is home to around 230,000 people and is one of the country’s major centres of culture, education and innovation. Known for its strong approach to local government, environmental and climate policies, and sustainable urban development, Rennes also stands out among Europe’s leading municipalities for its work in international solidarity and local diplomacy.

The relationship between Diyarbakır and Rennes dates back around forty years, well before the two cities formally became sister cities. The foundations of their solidarity were laid through the friendship established between the then Diyarbakır Municipality and Rennes City Council, as well as a municipal bus donated by Rennes to Diyarbakır in 1978. This meaningful act of solidarity gradually helped build strong ties not only between the two municipalities but also between the people of the two cities.

For around four decades, mutual visits, cultural events and cooperation between civil society organisations have kept the relationship alive. The relationship between Diyarbakır and Rennes is not simply the result of institutional cooperation between the two municipalities. The cultural and social ties developed by the Kurdish community living in Rennes, civil society organisations and local actors in both cities have been among the most important forces sustaining this friendship. The official sister-city protocol between the municipalities was also built on the foundation of trust and solidarity that had developed between their communities over many years.

This long-standing relationship entered a new phase in 2025 with the signing of a Sister-City Protocol between Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and Rennes City Council. The long-standing friendship was thus transformed into an institutional partnership, creating a strong foundation for developing joint projects in a wide range of areas, including environmental and climate policies, sustainable urban development, culture and the arts, youth initiatives, social solidarity, social policies and international cooperation.

Today, the sister-city relationship with Rennes is more than a formal partnership between two municipalities; it is the institutional expression of more than forty years of solidarity, mutual trust and friendship between the people of the two cities.

Yatta – Palestine

Yatta, located within the boundaries of the Hebron Governorate in southern Palestine, is an important Palestinian city known for its rich historical heritage, strong community ties and approach to local government. Despite the region’s challenging socioeconomic conditions, Yatta Municipality remains committed to maintaining local services, strengthening social solidarity and supporting sustainable development, while also placing importance on cooperation with municipalities internationally.

The sister-city relationship between Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and Yatta Municipality in Palestine was established on the basis of solidarity, peace and mutual support between the two communities.

The partnership aims in particular to strengthen the sharing of experience between local governments operating under particularly challenging conditions, develop cultural ties and place international solidarity on a more structured institutional footing.

Through the sister-city protocol, the two municipalities have expressed their commitment to working together on sharing local government experience, developing cultural and social projects, initiatives for women and young people, sustainable urban services and expanding international cooperation.

The sister-city relationship between Diyarbakır and Yatta is more than a formal partnership between two municipalities; it is a symbol of a strong cooperation carried forward into the future on the basis of shared values, solidarity and friendship between their communities.