Lismore has six cultural relationships with cities around the world, with the most significant being with Yamato Takada, Japan.
The Sister City relationship with Eau Claire in the United States is maintained through Southern Cross University's exchange program, and Lismore has a strong connection to Italy celebrated through the annual Friendship Festival.
The town-twinning concept, started in 1947 to promote friendship and reconciliation, has grown to include over 500 sister city affiliations in Australia.
Lismore City Council's Sister City relationship with Yamato Takada, Japan, started on 7 August 1963 and is the council's most significant and actively maintained relationship.
It was formed through a connection between Father Paul Glynn, who worked in Yamato Takada, and hometown businesses in Lismore, which raised funds to build a kindergarten in Yamato Takada.
The official agreement was signed in 1963, marking the first Sister City relationship between Australia and Japan.
There have been numerous visits and exchange programs between the cities since then, including a formal delegation to Lismore in 2013 to celebrate the 50th anniversary, a return visit by Lismore officials in 2014, and a visit by Yamato Takada officials in 2018.
The annual Sister City Student Exchange Program, which started in 1985, was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, but correspondence and virtual meetings have continued throughout 2020-2022.
Lismore City Council is looking forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Yamato Takada relationship in 2023.
On 10 June 1991 a Mutual Friendship Declaration was signed with Conegliano and Vittorio Veneto, Italy.
Council's long-standing relationship with these cities aims to provide opportunities for a broad spectrum of exchange in sports, culture, education and business.
This mutual friendship is currently reinvigorated through active contact with the Mayor of the Comune of Conegliano and its citizens by a committee from Lismore Friendship Festival Incorporated and an annual Friendship Festival – LisAmore! It is held in Lismore for locals and visitors to celebrate this connection and Italian culture. The Mayor of Conegliano is regularly invited to attend.
Over the years Lismore City Council’s mayors have sent a letter of introduction to the Mayor of Conegliano on behalf of visiting Lismore residents.
Lismore established a Sister City relationship with Eau Claire through a video link on 23 January 2001.
The relationship was formed due to the similarities in history, industries, and demographics of the two cities.
Southern Cross University already had an exchange program for academics and students between the cities.
A delegation from Eau Claire visited Lismore in 2001, and a Rotary exchange participant and his group visited the mayor in the early 2000s.
There was a lot of contact between the cities in 2000 and 2001, but no record of contact between the mayors until 2012.
In 2012, Mayor Jenny Dowell reestablished contact through an introductory letter and gift, and the correspondence was further developed in 2015 with the opening of the Hotel "The Lismore" in Eau Claire, which Mayor Dowell visited in 2016.
Mayor Smith welcomed students from Eau Claire studying in Lismore in 2019, and Mayor Ekins sent a letter of introduction to Eau Claire in 2021.
The president of Eau Claire has also sent correspondence in the past for the 2017 floods, 2020 bushfires, and 2022 floods.
This relationship is especially strong in education, particularly through the connection with Southern Cross University and the Hotel "The Lismore".
Lismore, New South Wales, established a Sister City relationship with Lismore, Ireland, through a video link on 31 October 2000.
The relationship aims to encourage the exchange of cultural, social, and commercial ideas and information, and was formed for heritage purposes.
A delegation from Lismore, New South Wales, visited Ireland in 2002, and several individual residents have also visited.
The last recorded communication was an exchange of emails between the mayors of the two cities in 2017 in regards to floods and an article in a local newspaper.
The Twin Relationship between Lismore and Ujung Pandang (now Makassar), Indonesia, was established on 18 September 1981.
Lismore was chosen as the pioneer city for Sister City Relationships with Indonesia due to its potential for upgrading municipal infrastructure.
Both sides made efforts to share infrastructure ideas, but finance was an issue.
In 1991, Lismore City Council expressed concern over civil rights matters in Ujung Pandang.
There was one official visit to Ujung Pandang for the official signing and the last official correspondence was in 1999.
While the agreement is still in place, this relationship has not been active for several years.
Lismore established a Friendly Exchange relationship with Wudi, China, through a letter of intent signed on 24 June 1998.
A delegation from Wudi visited Lismore in 1998 for the signing ceremony and to explore partnering and joint venture opportunities, and the Lismore mayor visited Wudi in 1999.
The last recorded correspondence was sent in 2000.