The 2026-27 Digital Pen Pal Program
Here at Sister Cities of Long Beach, we promote bilateral dialogue, which brings the global community closer. The Digital Pen Pal Program is our initiative to connect high school, college, and university students from Long Beach with students from our 8 sister cities. Our goal is to create citizen ambassadors who appreciate the need for cross-cultural understanding and enduring friendship.
In today’s globalized world, staying connected and building meaningful relationships is more important than ever. That’s why the Long Beach Digital Pen Pal Program is excited to continue its mission of fostering international friendships. We are thrilled to announce our 7th annual Digital Pen Pal Program, and for the second year, high school students from the greater Long Beach area will join! Students will be paired with peers from our sister cities around the world. This all-digital cultural exchange program offers a unique opportunity for high school, college, and university students to engage in cross-cultural communication and compete for scholarships!
Dates & Scholarship Opportunities:
The program will take place from November 2026 to March 2027. Though it is a pen pal program, it is not limited to just writing: if you are an artist, we will try to match you up with artists! If you like to take photos, make videos, or write, then we will try to pair you with others who have similar interests. That’s the beauty of this program, we encourage accepted participants to incorporate whatever creative medium they prefer into their project!
Participants have the chance to win a scholarship award for their “end-of-program” projects. Scholarships will be presented at a celebration in March 2027, where all participants can showcase their work. The program is completely free to join. Application submissions will open in September 2026.
Background:
The Digital Pen Pal Program was established in 2020 by the Long Beach-Qingdao Committee, in collaboration with the Qingdao University of Technology, with generous support from the Port of Long Beach and Qingdao Port. The Long Beach-Qingdao Association is part of the Sister Cities of Long Beach, an organization dedicated to promoting social, cultural, economic, educational, and diplomatic ties between the cities. In 2023, the program was expanded to all of Long Beach’s sister cities. We now also welcome applications from cities beyond our sister cities. This program aims to create citizen ambassadors who appreciate the need for cross-cultural understanding and enduring friendship.
Application & Deadline:
Application submissions will open in September until October, 2026. Fill out the Interest Form now to be notified. Spots are limited!
For any inquiries, please contact the Program Director; Salma Elhabashy at s.elhabashy.96@outlook.com
