Belleville Re-Establishes ‘Sister City’ Ties With Town In Italy

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Belleville and Forino, an Italian town of 5,376 residents about 500 miles south of Rome, have re- established their sister city ties, officials announced Wednesday.

The Belleville Town Council passed a resolution to adopt Forino as a “sister city” at their Feb. 8 meeting.

Forging ties with Forino can create “great benefits to all residents from the cultural exchange with other municipalities and towns from around the world,” the resolution states.

Belleville officials gave some background about the town in a news release:

“Forino, a quaint town on the southwestern coast of Italy, located on a hillside between Salerno and Avellino, is known for its quiet, sleepy streets and restaurants serving up authentic regional cuisine. At more than 12 square miles, the town in Italy’s Avellino province is steeped in centuries of history. In fact, the town was founded in pre-Roman times. Several structures from the medieval period have survived, including the Church of St. Nicholas, the Church of the Rosary, the Church of St. Stephen and the Church of the Annuziata – which features a 15th century layout with an artistic, wooden choir.”

Former Belleville Mayor Jerry Digori originally established a relationship with Forino, which current mayor Michael Melham said he hopes to continue.

“We chose Forino as our sister city because we should always be on a quest to widen our views of the world and seek greater cultural awareness,” Melham said. “Over the years, we have warmly welcomed Forino citizens to live here and visit here.”

Melham said he looks forward to building a relationship with Forino Mayor Antonio Olivieri, as the sister cities program evolves.

The Township Council is also planning to formally create a sister city connection with a municipality in Ecuador, Melham added.

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