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A town in northern Italy and a community near Paris could be twinned with County Durham under plans due to go before councillors next week.
Durham County Council's cabinet is being asked to approve a new town twinning arrangement between Durham and Castiglione dei Pepoli in Italy.
Plans include reinstating a historic link between Bishop Auckland and Ivry-sur-Seine in France.
Members meeting on October 14 will also hear that discussions are continuing with Tauranga in New Zealand over a possible future partnership linked to the Durham Light Infantry.
Council leaders say the proposals could help raise County Durham's international profile and create opportunities for collaboration in areas such as tourism, heritage, culture, business and regeneration.
Councillor Karen Allison, cabinet member for leisure, tourism, regeneration and high street, said: "The value of town twinning relationships is significant as they contribute to our ambitions to supercharge our economy and build better communities.
"They do this by enhancing County Durham's international profile and strengthening its reputation as an outstanding place to live, work, invest, study, and visit; supporting our visitor economy and promoting cultural exchange."
The proposed Italian partnership follows a formal request from Castiglione dei Pepoli, in the Emilia-Romagna region.
A council report says the two areas share strong heritage links through pilgrimage routes and religious tourism, with opportunities to work together on cultural projects, walking tourism and visitor economy initiatives.
Meanwhile, Bishop Auckland and Ivry-sur-Seine were formally twinned between 1962 and 2002 before the arrangement lapsed.
French officials have now expressed a wish to re-establish the relationship.
The report says renewed links could support cultural exchanges, business networking, educational projects and community engagement, while helping to promote Bishop Auckland's transformation through recent regeneration and heritage investment.
County Durham has maintained international partnerships for more than 70 years.
It currently has active links with communities in Germany, Slovakia, Spain and Durham, North Carolina, in the United States.
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A former partnership with Kostroma in Russia was formally ended following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Councillors will also be updated on discussions with Tauranga, where links stem from the 68th Regiment of Foot, which later became part of the DLI and served in New Zealand during the 19th century.
Any formal proposal for a partnership would return to cabinet for approval at a later date.