Sister City Program
The City of Moreno Valley has an established Sister City relationship with San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco, Mexico.
A sister city is a long-term partnership between two communities in different countries. Moreno Valley's sister city is San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco, Mexico.
Supported primarily through community and cultural organizations, the program promotes cultural and educational exchanges — fostering greater understanding, collaboration, and connection between the communities. Learn more about the Sister Cities International Program.
About San Juan de Los Lagos
San Juan de los Lagos (English: Saint John of the Lakes) is located in the northeast corner of the state of Jalisco, Mexico, in a region known as Los Altos. It is best known as the home of a small image of the Virgin Mary called Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos (Nahuatl: Cihuapilli, lit. "Great Lady"). Miracles have been ascribed to her since 1632 and have made the Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos a major tourist attraction. The city's coat of arms is a Spanish-shaped Renaissance shield with the Latin legend “SALVETE O PEREGRINI BEATI CIVITAS SANCTI IOHANNIS.”
The economy of San Juan de los Lagos is heavily dependent on the flow of pilgrims to the shrine, which amounts to nearly 9 million visitors per year. Just under 50% of the working population is dedicated to commerce and services, with most of this related to tourism.
