Cluj-Napoca, the capital city of Cluj County, Romania is located in the beautiful Western Carpathian Mountains in an region known as Transylvania. This area of Romania is rich in culture and character, as its history goes back hundreds of years. The city of Cluj-Napoca has roots as far back as 1316 AD, when it first acquired "town" status. Today the population of Cluj numbers around 350,000 people.

The Sister City relationship between Columbia and Cluj began in 1994. A group of Christian lay people in South Carolina under the banner of "Laity: Alive & Serving, Inc.," began ministering around the Cluj-Napoca vicinity in June 1990. Soon after, the Mayor and Prefect (Governor of Cluj County) requested that Columbia, SC become an official Sister City. Mayor Robert Coble agreed to this request, and the Sister-City relationship was established. 

The connections between these two cities are strong, and projects are ongoing. A sister-radio station relationship has been established between Columbia radio station WMHK-FM at Columbia International University and The Voice of The Gospel radio station in Cluj-Napoca. Several South Carolinians have traveled to Cluj to help train broadcasters and to share technology, and a group of Romanian radio workers have visited WMHK-FM in Columbia. 

In addition, many shipments of medical and other needed supplies continue to be collected and shipped to medical facilities in Cluj. Through a federal grant, Providence Hospital was able to develop an exchange relationship with the Cardiac Institute in Cluj. More than 60 doctors and nurses were trained in cardiac care by Providence Hospital, and now Cluj-Napoca serves as the "Heart Center" of Romania.