Dresden Sister City, Inc. is a non-profit organization in Columbus, Ohio, that promotes the sister city relationship between Columbus and Dresden, Germany.
February 13th – A Day of Remembrance
Every year on February 13 Dresden commemorates the bombing of Dresden in 1945 during World War 2. The city remembers the suffering and damage while looking toward a peaceful future.
This article on the city of Dresden website shares the significance of the February 13 date.
To learn more, visit our February 13 Remembrance page
Happy New Year – Gesundes Neues Jahr
We hope your new year is off to a nice start.
Our President, Peter Coccia, summarized our organization’s 2025 accomplishments in his year-in-review letter. We invite you to take a few moments to read about the success of our programs.
A Successful 2025 Marathon Season
Five Columbus residents traveled to Germany in October for the Dresden Marathon and five Dresden residents came to Columbus for the Columbus Marathon.
Congratulations to the Columbus runners who traveled to Dresden: Tom Gabalski, Joshua Gandee, John Hykes, Traci Mehalic and Amanda Swanson.
After his trip, Josh Gandee wrote an essay documenting his experience in Dresden. His personal essay documents the life-changing impact of the marathon program.
“When I think of the Dresden/Columbus Marathon Exchange, I don’t think about the Marathon. I don’t think about the 600 miles I ran in preparation, or the way I felt upon finishing.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think back on my time in Germany is the people, and what the program has meant for them. “
Joshua Gandee
To learn more about the Columbus runners and why they were excited to represent Columbus in Dresden, visit our 2025 marathon page.
Connecting the Residents of Columbus, Ohio, and Dresden, Germany
Dresden Sister City programming is focused on two goals.
First, we connect the people of Columbus and Dresden through sports, art and educational programs.
Second, we create opportunities for Columbus residents to gather and explore their shared interest in German culture, language and history.
Who should join? Anyone interested in learning about the city of Dresden, celebrating their German ancestry, meeting new people and promoting Columbus to the world.
Dresden Sister City 