Countries that want to take their rightful place in the globalized world should give importance to maintaining economic, political and cultural relations with other countries at a high level. In this sense, Azerbaijan, having taken the path of integration into the world, is trying to establish friendly and mutually beneficial relations with countries near and far abroad. Practical steps are being taken in this direction. Actions are taken both at the high level and at the level of public diplomacy, and friendly relations are established with the cities of different countries.

Twinned cities mean internal and external aspects of a certain agreement reached to ensure the cultural and economic relations between large and small cities, even the provinces in geographical and political areas.

The earliest known town twinning in Europe was between Paderborn, Germany, and Le Mans, France, in 836. The first recorded modern twinning agreement was between Keighley and Poix-du-Nord in Nord, France, in 1920 following the end of the World War I. This practice also continued after the World War II.

The international twin cities movement was formed in the years of the World War II. For the first time in 1942, the cities of Coventry, England, and Stalingrad, USSR, decided to establish friendly relations in order to develop the cooperation of citizens for the sake of peace and tranquility.

After that, the twin cities movement began to expand even further, and on April 28, 1957, representatives of the twin cities gathered in Aix-les-Bains, France, and founded the World Association of Twin Cities.

According to a decision adopted in 1963 by this non-governmental organization – the World Association of Twin Cities headquartered in Paris, which aims to strengthen the friendly relations between the cities of different countries, the last Sunday of April every year was declared World Twin Cities Day. In 2000, the federation included 3,500 cities from 160 states.

The main goal of the current World Association of Twin Cities is to develop the economic and cultural cooperation, education, culture, environmental protection and friendly relations between the cities all over the world. Separate member cities, associations or unions of cities participate in the federation as well. The purpose and intention of the World Association of Twin Cities is clearly stated in its charter - the "Charter of Twin Cities" and the "Political Program of Twin Cities". The cooperation of the cities is expressed by the mutual visits of delegations, art and sports collectives, exchange of literatures, films, exhibitions, photo materials about the city life, and information on the experience of urban management.
          
In 2004, the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) was founded in Paris. Thereupon, the merger of huge world organizations uniting local organizations - the World Association of Twin Cities, the Organization of United Cities and Local Governments, as well as the association of giant cities "Metropolis" was completed.

In Europe, twin cities are provided financial support by the European Union. It should be noted that the foundation of this guarantee scheme was laid in 1989. In 2003, 12 million euros of the European Union's annual budget was allocated to the realization of 1,300 projects in this field.

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, has not lagged behind this global trend and has been twinned with cities located on different continents throughout its history. Baku has been a member of the World Association of Twin Cities since 1978.
 
For the first time, Baku was twinned with Dakar, capital of the African country Senegal when Azerbaijan was part of the former USSR. The traces of that event that happened in 1970 remain today. Dakar Square, located near the Neftchilar metro station, is a proof for that.

Later, Baku signed twinning agreements with the Italian cities of Naples (1972), Iraq's Basra (1972), Yugoslavia's Sarajevo (1975), and the USA's Houston (1976). Naples and Sarajevo streets in Baku remain a symbol of that fraternization.

After Azerbaijan gained independence in 1991, cooperation  of Baku with the world cities has entered a new stage. In these years, Baku has become twinned with Moscow and St. Petersburg of Russia, Kiev of Ukraine, Jeddah of Saudi Arabia, Tabriz of Iran, Bordeaux of France, Pretoria of South Africa, Mainz of Germany, Honolulu and Washington of USA, Istanbul and Izmir of Turkey.

The cities of Sumgayit, Ganja, Sheki, Khankendi, Lankaran of Azerbaijan have the status of twinned cities with a number of cities in the world.

Recommended literature:

1. Bakı tarixinin ensiklopediyası: Sara Aşurbəyli- 110 il / T. Ə. Bünyadov [et al.]; red. N. Quliyev; Azərbaycan Respublikasının İçərişəhər Dövlət Tarix-Memarlıq Qoruğu İdarəsi.- Bakı: Elm və Təhsil, 2016.- 88 s.
2. Tapdıqoğlu, Nazim. Azərbaycan ərazisinin şəhərləri : Respublika ərazisindəki qədim və müasir şəhərlər: ensiklopedik bilgilər / N. Tapdıqoğlu ; elmi red. N. Hüseynov ; red. V. Muradov. - Bakı : Zərdabi Nəşr MMC, 2019. - 520 s.
3. Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikasının Naxçıvan şəhəri.- Naxçıvan: Əcəmi NPB, 2008.- 91 s.
4. Bağırzadə, Cavid Vəkil oğlu. Gəncə şəhəri müstəqillik dövründə / C. V. Bağırzadə ; elmi red. E. Ə. Aslanova ; Gəncə Dövlət Universiteti. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2014. - 66 s.
5. Quliyeva, Ulduz İsmixan qızı. Azərbaycan Respublikasının beynəlxalq iqtisadi-mədəni əlaqələrində Sumqayıtın rolu: 1991-2005-ci illər : monoqrafiya / U. İ. Quliyeva ; elmi red., ön sözün müəl. H. C. Əlibəyli ; AMEA A.A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2017. - 344 s.