By the Coral Gables Gazette editorial board

Coral Gables has never been a city that looked only inward. From its founding, George Merrick imagined a community with international ties, a place where cultural exchange would be as natural as bougainvillea climbing over stone walls. The Sister Cities program has been one of the ways that ambition took root. But as the recent debate within the International Affairs Coordinating Council made clear, the old model is showing its limits. Symbolism is not enough.

The council’s decision to downgrade Quito, Ecuador, to “emeritus” status and to decline a proposed partnership with Manta reflects a broader shift. Sister Cities must serve residents here as well as build bridges abroad. To continue adding names without ensuring those ties have substance risks reducing the program to a ceremonial roll call. The Coral Gables of today cannot afford empty partnerships.

The Quito relationship illustrates the problem. Established in 1997, it lay dormant for years despite repeated attempts to reengage. At some point, polite correspondence cannot substitute for genuine exchange. Moving Quito to emeritus status was less a slight than an acknowledgment of reality: a Sister City in name only does little to strengthen Coral Gables’ international standing.

The case of Manta shows the other side of the coin. Enthusiasm flowed from the Ecuadorian port city, which sent representatives to commission meetings and expressed a desire to engage. But enthusiasm alone cannot establish alignment. As Council Vice Chair Richard Montes de Oca argued, cultural, architectural, and historic resonance matters. Coral Gables should not dilute its international brand by pairing with cities that do not share enough in common to sustain authentic collaboration. The unanimous vote to decline Manta’s overture showed a welcome insistence on standards.

That insistence is part of a healthier trend. Council member Alfonso Cueto was right when he said that “just to have a Sister Cities relationship doesn’t mean anything.” The program should not operate on inertia or sentiment. Instead, Coral Gables should define what success looks like: cultural exchanges that bring art, food, or history into the community; student programs that widen horizons for young people; or professional exchanges that benefit local businesses. Without such tangible outcomes, the relationships risk draining resources without delivering benefits.

Other voices within the meeting pointed in the same direction. Economic Development Director Belkys Perez stressed the need for reciprocity: “We need something more meaningful as far as we are concerned. A mutual benefit where our residents can benefit as well.” She is correct. Coral Gables has given generously in the past, donating fire trucks and equipment. But giving without balance risks turning the program into charity rather than partnership. Mutuality must guide every future agreement.

The opportunity now is to strengthen what already exists. Coral Gables has six current Sister Cities — Aix-en-Provence, Cartagena, La Antigua, Santa Tecla, San Isidro, and Sevilla. Each offers fertile ground for exchange if properly cultivated. Food festivals, art exhibitions, student visits, or business roundtables could turn dormant agreements into living partnerships. The model should shift from adding new names to activating old ones.

Structure matters as well. The council is considering expanding from seven members to nine. Numbers alone will not make the program more effective. What matters is clarity of role: each council member should take responsibility for a partnership and be held accountable for its vitality. If a city lies dormant, the council should not hesitate to revisit its status. That accountability, paired with clear criteria for new partners, will keep the program from drifting.

The broader history underscores the importance of this moment. Sister Cities were born during the Eisenhower era as a Cold War gesture of goodwill. They carried symbolic weight. In Coral Gables, they have also carried civic pride, affirming the city’s role as an international hub within South Florida. But times change. Residents now ask sharper questions about value. They expect partnerships that enrich local life, not just relationships maintained for prestige.

Ecuador’s double disappointment — Quito downgraded, Manta rejected — marks a turning point. Coral Gables is no longer content to collect titles. It is seeking meaning. That is the right approach. International identity is part of the city’s DNA, but it must be grounded in exchanges that residents can see, feel, and benefit from.

The task ahead is not to diminish the Sister Cities program but to renew it. With focus, accountability, and creativity, Coral Gables can ensure that its international ties reflect Merrick’s vision in a way that matters today. The City Beautiful deserves Sister Cities that are more than names on a list. They should be living relationships that connect cultures, enrich residents, and keep Coral Gables an international city.