Investigating the impact of sister-cities on urban development with emphasis on urban diplomacy and national development, Case Study: Shiraz metropolis

Diplomacy is interaction with societies for securing benefits, increasing influence and reducing vulnerability through the least cost and efforts to prevent hostilities and increase political and economic cooperation and exchange of knowledge, art and preparation of foreign relations. Management diplomacy is a non-violent method with the aim of achieving interests and values and improving the political and economic position of a country in the world. Through official and unofficial representatives, diplomacy helps the government collect, coordinate and secures the public interests of the country. After the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 and the emergence of nation-based government, the principles of diplomacy were established, though their history goes back to before Westphalia. Since the traditional diplomacy is only concerned with affairs between governments, the management of relations between countries, and the search for national interests, it is unable to respond to the current complexities of the world. Because after the Cold War, power has spread on a wider level [5], and the national sovereignty and the monopoly of the governments are weakening. At the beginning of the 21st century, NGOs and multinational companies played an increasing role in diplomacy. On this same basis, public diplomacy is the establishment and review of interaction between new players in the international arena beside the governments.Cities and urban institutions are international actors that have created the new concept of urban diplomacy. Relying on the increasing attention to the economy and economic activities and aligning with the process of globalization and with proper use of diplomacy, cities are trying to protect their interests against the challenges of the global economy and the expansion of the security field in the appropriate and specific area of relations, i.e., the global network of cities, to increase opportunities in the fields of Foreign capital attraction, technology transfer, export of services and expansion of foreign trade. In this way, cities want to find a superior position in the field of global decision-making. Therefore, to reduce and monitor conflicts along with peace, interaction and sustainable income for local and global citizens, urban diplomacy is a set of urban policy tools and processes, institutions and economic, political, social and cultural arrangements of urban management in the form of local governments.Urbanization is directly tied to modernization, industrialization and the wisdom-based sociological process. Today in the world, cities are more important than any issue, and as a political-social unit, they are growing in terms of power in the age of globalization. Cities are the driving force behind the development and economic growth of countries and more income, better health, and a better life; all indications of the reasons for urbanization's growth.

The method of this research is mixed in that, according to the qualitative and quantitative data, the analysis tools and methods are inevitably qualitative and quantitative as well. The present article tried to use different tools, such as document and library fields, interviews and websites. The research is theoretical-applied and descriptive-analytical according to its nature and method. In accordance with the library data, four main components of the research were identified, and corresponding to them, indicators that can act as effective factors of sisterhood relationships in urban development were extracted.

Based on the library sources and data and the background of the research conducted in the first step on the establishment of sisterhood relations between metropolises and urban development, twenty-six important indicators were identified. In the second step, these twenty-six indicators were placed into four main components, including: 1) political and sustainable security; 2) economic development; 3) development of human resources; and 4) socio-cultural development. The political component, sustainable security and human resources development have six indicators each, and the economic development and socio-cultural development components have seven indicators each.

In establishing sisterhood relations, urban diplomacy and its impact on the urban development of Shiraz metropolis, the results obtained from two categories of library and field sources show some effective factors. According to the amount of research, a variety of indicators were identified in this field, which are placed and analyzed in four basic components: 1) political and sustainable security; 2) economic development; 3) human resources development; and 4) socio-cultural development. The findings showed that, compared to the past, sister city ties have had a great impact on the development of Shiraz metropolis.Expansion of the globalization process of metropolises in bilateral and multilateral arenas and in the political, economic, social and cultural fields has a significant impact on strengthening the growing international interactions, realizing foreign policy goals and securing the interests of governmental and non-governmental actors in the international arena. The communication of cities in the process of multilateral interactions of economy and global politics and bilateral political and economic cooperation emphasizes the role of local officials as vital elements in order to strengthen friendly relations, resolve international conflicts, improve inter-nation and inter-city relations, and make appropriate use of diplomacy to increase opportunities in the fields of attracting foreign capital, transferring new technologies, exporting services, expanding foreign trade, strengthening the tourism industry, getting access to global markets, and protecting human interests against global problems and challenges. Shiraz metropolis also seeks to develop diplomacy with a number of cities in other countries through the conclusion of sisterhood agreements and various memoranda of understanding. Despite the opportunities and necessities that Shiraz has for the presence and promotion of productivity in the field of urban diplomacy, due to numerous obstacles, it does not have a suitable position in the field of urban diplomacy. Considering the obstacles of foreign relations and sanctions at the international level, paying attention to Shiraz's active role in the field of urban diplomacy is a double necessity. In this regard, goal-setting and macro-policy, as well as institution-building, planning and capacity-building with the aim of Shiraz cooperation in the field of urban diplomacy and playing an active role on international scientific, professional and specialized forums, are accessible due to its high capacity. The urban management complex, i.e., councils and municipalities and other service organizations, can benefit from seeking participation and maximum Participation by using the tools of active urban diplomacy in international urban organizations and, through each other's successful experiences, actively participating in global and local governance.