Dartmouth plans to get closer to one of its fellow sister cities, as Select Board member Shawn McDonald prepares for a seven-day trip to the Azorean town of Lagoa in late June.

Located on the São Miguel island, the town has a population of about 14,000. Dartmouth has been connected with Lagoa through the sister cities program for about 15 years. The program is intended to create community partnerships and unite international communities through the establishment of formal connections and cultural programs.

“It’s a typical Azorean community on the island,” McDonald said. “It’s heavily agricultural and has a fishing industry.”

Delegates from all nine of Lagoa’s sister cities are invited to go on the trip. Locally, Fairhaven, Taunton, Fall River and Bristol, Rhode Island are among the towns that share a sister city designation with Lagoa.

McDonald aims to listen to what the delegation and Lagoa leaders have to say. He’s open to building stronger community relationships with the Azorean town as well, like a cultural exchange program for students.

He also plans to work with Dartmouth Community Television to bring along videos highlighting Dartmouth, including its 350th celebration and work to boost green energy with solar fields.

It isn’t the first time McDonald has traveled to Lagoa. He visited the community in 2012 to swap ideas and examine educational models among sister city members.

Dartmouth's other sister cities include the Portuguese cities of Nordeste and Povoção, and Dartmouth, Devon in the UK.