The idea of the borderless cooperation between cities and communes was born after the tragedy of the Second World War. The aim of building agreements and friendly relations between local communities is to overcome stereotypes through mutual relations and to develop practical cooperation between various environments.
Currently, the city partnership movement has become a natural and significant element of activities conducted by the local government communities. The partnership agreements signed by municipal authorities create the ground for diverse cooperation between the residents of the cities, the cities' public institutions, educational and cultural establishments, companies, non-governmental organizations, local associations, or sport clubs.
The basis for the partner relations of Olsztyn is provided by school youth exchanges, vocational training trips of doctors and teachers and training courses for town councilmen, visits of artistic groups and sports teams, and participation of the local craftsmen and producers in fairs.

Partner cities of Olsztyn:
Rovaniemi (Finland) – since 1976
Châteauroux (France) – since 1991
Gelsenkirchen (Germany) – since 1992
Kaliningrad (Russia) – since 1993
Richmond (Virginia, the United States of America) – since 1995
Lutsk (Ukraine) – since 1997
Offenburg (Germany) – since 1999

Olsztyn has also signed cooperation agreements with Halmstadt in Sweden (2003) and, as the representative of Warmia (together with the Olsztyński, Braniewski, and Lidzbarski District Governor's Offices), with the Italian province of Perugia (2004).