BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds and Daly Reyes Hernández, Patillas’ director of human resources, signed a sister city agreement and exchanged gifts Friday, officially designating Patillas, Puerto Rico, as Bethlehem’s sixth sister city.
“This is a special day for the city of Bethlehem,” Reynolds said during the flag-raising ceremony at City Hall. “For all the contributions of those families to our city, on behalf of the city, I say thank you.”
The ceremony celebrated the longstanding ties between Bethlehem and Puerto Rico, notably the migrants from Patillas who came in the 1940s and 1950s to work at Bethlehem Steel.
Community leaders, government officials, and residents gathered to honor the cultural and historical connections.
“This is not just a flag-raising. This is an acknowledgment of the sacrifices and victories of our Puerto Rican leaders,” said Janine Santoro, director of equity and inclusion in the mayor’s office. “As someone who is Puerto Rican and has longed to see our community recognized in history, this is a powerful moment for us all.”
Guillermo Lopez, a longtime resident and community leader, shared emotional reflections on his family’s journey.
“I have this rush of feelings thinking of my family, my parents, and the early settlers who came to this community,” Lopez said. “Who would have imagined that we would be here in this moment?”
Lopez recounted how his parents and three other families put their homes up as collateral to purchase the first Puerto Rican Beneficial Society building.
“They stuck their necks out… They believed that much in their community,” he said. “I hope that we continue that philosophy and that belief in ourselves.”
The event also highlighted the efforts leading up to the sister city designation.
In 2022, the Mayor’s Latino Advisory Council initiated a community-driven process to select a sister city. After receiving overwhelming support from Bethlehem and Patillas residents, Patillas was ultimately chosen.
“On the last day of tallying the surveys, we received close to 60 surveys not from Bethlehem, but from Patillas, Puerto Rico,” Santoro said. “Know that the stories of your families that came from Puerto Rico or Patillas are a gift to the city of Bethlehem, and we’re grateful for you.”
Bethlehem has seen significant contributions from its Puerto Rican community over the decades, including programs created for adults and students in the 2000s and the reception of over 100 students and families displaced by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
“This city struggled at first to embrace us, but eventually, they sought to understand us,” Lopez said. “I want to thank the city of Bethlehem for honoring the early roots and traditions that continue to thrive here today.”
In an interview after the ceremony, Lizette Melendez, operations manager at Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, expressed optimism for future collaborations.
“We’re all here for the same cause, and it’s to bring unity,” Melendez said. “Going forward, more cities doing the same thing—not only in Puerto Rico but all the other Latin countries around the world.”
Patillas Mayor Maritza Sánchez Neris could not attend the ceremony. Reyes Hernández represented her, conveying gratitude and a commitment to fostering the new partnership.
The sister-city relationship promotes cultural exchange, educational partnerships, and economic collaboration. Discussions during the week focused on climate resiliency, nonprofit cooperation, and tourism.
Bethlehem’s other sister cities include Murska Sobota, Slovenia; Tondabayashi, Japan; Foiano di Val Fortore, Italy; Corfu, Greece; and Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany.
