The San Diego-Jalalabad Sister City relationship will be the 15th such arrangement for the city of San Diego. The purpose and mission of the Sister Cities Program is simple: Aid the development of mutual understanding between US cities and cities of other countries. The actual implementation of any specific Sister City relationship depends upon the composition and nature of the cities involved, and the volunteers who participate.

San Diego Committee (partial)

Afghanistan has several major cities; the largest and most significant is the capital city of Kabul. The country is organized in provinces, as compared to our state structure in the US. Jalalabad is one of Afghanistan’s largest cities. It is the capital of Nangarhar Province, and is the resident city for the province’s Governor. Jalalabad has its own governmental structure presided over by a Mayor. It reflects the beauty and culture established by the Afghans in this region across the centuries, and is the site of many schools, including Nangarhar University. Jalalabad suffers from the current depressed social and economic conditions experienced by the rest of the country. Clean drinking water is not universally available throughout the city, few public schools are operating, electricity is intermittent. Medical care and treatment is very limited.

Jalalabad Committee

The residents of Jalalabad are the same wonderful people found throughout Afghanistan. They strive to improve their social and economic conditions. Jalalabad became the most likely and appropriate candidate to partner with San Diego because of multiple relationships already established. Local Rotary clubs and Rotary International have engaged in relationships and projects with the people of Jalalabad. Relationships with schools have also been established, most notably between Doyle Elementary School in La Jolla and the Najmul Jahad Rotary School in Jalalabad. Charitable and relief organizations (eg, Afghanistan Relief Organization) have worked for months with San Diego people and organizations on projects in Jalalabad.