Several Tyler elected officials and community leaders traveled to Poland in September to strengthen ties with its sister city Jelenia Góra.
From September 16-20, eight Tylerites representing the Tyler Sister Cities organization participated an official visit that included meetings with dignitaries and business representatives; touring historic and recreational attractions, interacting with municipal government counterparts; and dialogues with education institutions.
Representing Tyler were: Mayor Stuart Hene and First Lady Sarah Hene; City Manager Ed Broussard; City Council members Lloyd Nichols and Petra Hawkins; Fire Chief David Coble; University of Texas at Tyler Provost Barbara Haas; and Tyler Sister Cities Secretary Nancy Slough.
Among the highlights of the visit were a one-on-one meeting with Jelenia Góra President Jerzy Łużniak, who has previously hosted Tyler delegations in Poland and most recently visited the Rose Capital of America in September 2025.
The Tyler delegation also toured Wrocław University of Science and Technology – Jelenia Góra Branch and Karkonosze Academy of Applied Sciences and discussed a shared desire to renew past cooperative agreements and explore future collaborations.
The group visited Kościuszki Hill Park, where Jelenia Góra has a small rose garden in its ‘Avenue of Partner Cities’ and a sign describing the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden and the Texas Rose Festival.
Their Polish hosts also treated the group to a traditional barbecue feast and sightseeing in the nearby Valley of Palaces. Other stops included a high school complex and student residence, a complex of underground tunnels, the Karkonosze Mountains, Crystal Glassworks, Jelenia Góra’s Municipal Transport Company, and Książ Castle in nearby Wrocław.
The visit coincided with Jelenia Góra’s annual Festival of Light, featuring light shows and concerts. The group from Tyler also had an opportunity to connect with Jelenia Góra’s other sister cities from Italy, Germany, and Ukraine.
This sister city partnership dates back to 1993 and has enjoyed a long and vibrant tradition of cooperation in the decades since.
