World Cup
“It’s a match made in heaven,” said a visitor from Glasgow, Scotland.
Mayor Michelle Wu signs a letter of intent to establish a “sister cities” partnership with Glasgow, Scotland. Jessica Rinaldi/Global Staff
The Tartan Army takes over Boston for the World Cup. Now, Boston and a Scottish city are taking things a step further.
Mayor Michelle Wu signed a letter of intent Thursday to establish Boston and Glasgow, Scotland, as “sister cities” starting next year, a move aimed at strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two communities.
“Boston is clearly the best World Cup city right now. It’s largely thanks to the Tartan Army.” Wu said while announcing the partnership in Sanctuarya Scottish restaurant in Jamaica Plain.
Waugh was greeted with bagpipes and cheers, scenes that have become increasingly familiar around Boston since Scotland’s arrival for the tournament. The Tartan Army has made its presence felt throughout the city, with kilt-clad fans filling bars, sampling local foods, and forging cultural connections with residents.
“The most beautiful thing about this whole experience is not just seeing fans who have as much passion for your teams and your heritage and your culture as Boston fans, but then seeing those connections built across different cultures,” Wu said. “Finding ways in which we share a connection — something we can feel yet out in the world.”
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Scotland felt the love in Boston before, during and after their inaugural World Cup win
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WATCH: Scotland fans sing the national anthem together before the World Cup match at Boston Stadium
Boston currently has 11 sister cities, including Hangzhou in China and Praia in Cape Verde. the program It is designed to promote international understanding and goodwill through long-term partnerships between communities in different countries.
Wu said she spoke by phone on Thursday with the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Jacqueline MacLaren, about the similarities the two cities share. The agreement is expected to be officially signed next April when McLaren visits Boston to celebrate Tartan Day.
“This type of agreement will ensure that you always see Boston as a home base,” Wu told the crowd. “We want you to come back again and again.”
Tourism officials estimate that nearly 50,000 Scottish fans have descended on Greater Boston for World Cup matches, turning the city into a temporary home away from home. Many have embraced local traditions – from singing at Fenway Park to exploring Boston’s neighborhoods – while exchanging pieces of Scottish culture in return.
For visitors like Cameron Duncan, a 22-year-old from Glasgow who is attending the tournament with his brother, the proposed partnership seems like a natural next step.
“It’s a match made in heaven,” Duncan said. “Everyone here was really friendly. It made us feel really welcome.”
Boston resident Ada Nicodemus, 21, said she welcomed efforts to connect Boston with communities abroad.
“It’s very cool to connect the city to other places in the world,” she said. “It’s a really great initiative.
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