Parma, Italy, became Stockton's fifth Sister City in September 1998. Parma, located in northern Italy, is Stockton's first European Sister City, and the two cities share many similarities. Parma, founded in 183 B.C. along the Via Emilia, presently has approximately 170,000 inhabitants. This beautiful city, rich with art works of Carreggio and Parmigianino, also is the home to the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in Italy, which has approximately 30,000 students.

The city boasts a strong agricultural base, world famous for Parmigiano cheese and Prosciutto ham. Parma's food processing manufacturing is also well known throughout the entire world. Recently, the fashion industry has become an important base to Parma's economy.

Their city is now home to the sophisticated fashion industry's Parma Couture, a consortium of over fifty fashion companies. The Parmigianis' love of music comes from its rich historical roots which boast the talented musical composers Verdi, Toscanini, Pizzetti all having been born in or near Parma. Anyone visiting Stockton's first European Sister City is sure to find it welcoming.