HISTORIC ties between Adelaide and George Town were cemented for another 50 years as the Lord Mayors of both metropolises signed an agreement to continue their “special” sister city status.

George Town in Penang and Adelaide in South Australia, located approximately 6,009 km apart, share one of the world’s most notable sister (twinning) city stories.

In 1786, Francis Light, the apparent colonial founder of Penang, secured a deal with the then Sultan of Kedah. Fifty years later, Light’s son, Colonel William Light, a British military officer, explored Australia and founded Adelaide.

As a result, the Light legacies are evident in both Penang and Adelaide. Now, 238 years later, the mayors of these two cities signed a pact on Saturday to extend their special twinning relationship for another 50 years.

Mayor Anthony Rajendran represented George Town and the Penang Island City Council, while his counterpart, Hon Dr Jane Lomax Smith, represented Adelaide and the City Council of Adelaide during the signing ceremony.

Adelaide and George Town celebrated 50 years as sister cities in 2023, a relationship formalised in 1973 by then Penang Chief Minister Dr Lim Chong Eu and then South Australia Governor Don Dunstan at the Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Penang.

Smith and her 17-member delegation, including executive adviser Ben Makepeace, recently concluded a week-long reciprocal visit to George Town to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations.

During their visit, Smith’s delegation attended the inauguration of a new pocket park in Union Square, enjoyed dinners, and took a cruise aboard the new Penang cross-channel ferries.

Another highlight was a visit to the state think tank, Penang Institute, where they were briefed on higher education opportunities at Disted College and the UOW Penang branch campus, as well as the state agency Digital Penang.

Penang Institute’s executive director, Ooi Kee Beng, noted that such ties have the potential to be further harnessed. He discussed possible new collaborations with Adelaide’s institutions, focusing on areas such as trade, education, technology, and tourism.

Last December, a 25-member Penang delegation, led by state executive councillor Jason H’ng Mooi Lye and Rajendran, visited Adelaide to herald the start of a new era in the special relationship between the two cities.

Rajendran said the unique status both cities enjoy are Adelaide as a Unesco City of Music, while George Town is acclaimed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. – August 13, 2024.