Town Twinning was developed mainly after the Second World War to promote mutual understanding and friendship.

 

Harrogate Borough Council has been twinned with Luchon in South West France since 1952.

 

Originally developed as a way for promoting bilingualism by linking the spa towns, the twinning extended to tourism/educational/sporting and leisure activities.

 

Harrogate also has sister-city relationships with Wellington, New Zealand and Harrogate, Tennessee.