OFFICIALLY ‘SISTER CITIES’: SALEM MA (USA) AND EAST BUDLEIGH (UK) (SPRING 2026)

 



Above: Salem City Council members following the ‘twinning’ vote 

 On February 12, 2026, Salem City Council voted to formalize officially its relationship with the Devon village of East Budleigh, issuing the following announcement: 

 ‘As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026, Salem is celebrating a much earlier milestone. Four hundred years ago, Roger Conant founded a settle ment that predates the nation itself. Throughout the quadricentennial year, the City of Salem is commemorating that legacy with Salem 400+, marking the enduring impact of Roger Conant, who was known as a tradesman, peace maker, and community builder. This spring, Conant’s legacy will be celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic, with events in Salem, Massachusetts, and in his birthplace of East Budleigh, England, including the formal establishment of a Sister City relationship – known as ‘Twinning’ in the UK and Europe – between the two communities.’ 

 ‘Salem 400+ honors not only our complex history, but also the values of peace, courage, and cooperation that continue to shape our city,’ said Salem’s Mayor Pangallo. ‘Roger Conant is central to Salem’s story, and we are proud to celebrate that legacy alongside our friends in East Budleigh. We are thrilled to commemorate our milestone anniversary by formalizing this relationship, and we look forward to the next 400 years of friendship between our communities.’ 

 ‘There has been tremendous interest within the East Budleigh community in celebrating Roger Conant’s achievements,’ said John Tresidder, Chair of East Budleigh with Bicton Parish Council. ‘We are delighted to support this historic anniversary and to recognize the enduring connection between East Budleigh and Salem through our twinning.’

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