Protocol and International Affairs The Office of Protocol and International Affairs (OPIA) is located within the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia.  The office is the District government's primary liaison with the diplomatic and international community for both ceremonial and substantive matters. The District of Columbia has a thriving international presence and is home to more than 170 embassies.  The Office of Protocol and International Affairs has numerous responsibilities, including diplomatic receptions, meetings with foreign officials, educational exchanges with foreign student groups, special events, and letters honoring embassies' national day celebrations.  Aside from the office's ceremonial functions, the Office of Protocol and International Affairs advises the Mayor on international issues.  Working with the US State Department's Office of Foreign Missions, the office helps to provide a wide range of municipal services to our local embassies and members of the District's international community. The Office of Protocol and International Affairs performs a variety of functions: Community Relations International Events Sister City Relationships Community Relations The international community’s embassies and residences are sprinkled throughout several Washington, DC neighborhoods.  We are pleased that District residents have excellent relations with their temporary neighbors.  On occasion, however, there can be misunderstandings between neighbors, or the need to alert embassy staff to temporary construction, paving, or other infrastructure projects being carried out by DC government.  The Office of Protocol and International Affairs is responsible for facilitating communication among the State Department, the diplomatic community, neighbors, and government agencies.  We are pleased to offer this service, which ranges from helping embassy staff understand parking regulations to alerting diplomats to the pending sewer replacement project. International Events The Office of Protocol and International Affairs plans and organizes special events for the Mayor, such as the administration of the meeting of the Washington, DC Electoral College.  The office also supports international events and activities within the District of Columbia that are sponsored by other organizations and agencies.  We assist the international community in understanding the Districts requirements for permits and other issues relating to large events. Sister City Agreements As the Capital of the United States of America, Washington partners with National Capitals throughout the world.  Each nation’s capital has its own culture, character, history, challenges, and priorities, which it brings to the table through Sister City Agreements and Protocols of Friendship.  These partnerships create opportunities for the partners to learn from each other in the areas of government administration, economic development, education, and cultural exchange. The District of Columbia has signed Sister City Agreements or Protocols of Friendship with:  Bangkok, Thailand (since 1962*, renewed 2002*) Dakar, Senegal  (since 1980, renewed 2006*) Beijing Municipality, People’s Republic of China  (since 1984, renewed 2004*) Brussels Capital Region, Belgium (since 1985, renewed 2002*) Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa  (since 2002*, renewed 2008*) Paris, France (since 2000, renewed 2005*) Athens, Greece (since 2000*) Seoul Metropolitan Government, Republic of Korea (since 2006*) Accra, Ghana  (since 2006*) Sunderland, United Kingdom – George Washington’s Ancestral Home (since 2006*) View Sister City FAQs* * This document is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF). A PDF reader is required for viewing. Download a PDF Reader or Learn More About PDFs.