RICHMOND, Va. – Danville will be partnering with Loudoun County in northern Virginia in a new government exchange program.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced the exchange program for Southside and Southwest Virginia on Wednesday. Northam says the exchange program will give local government firsthand experience with the state’s diversity.

The exchange also includes Alexandria and the city of Norton and surrounding Wise County. Wise County and Norton, for instance, are closer geographically to Atlanta than they are to Alexandria, a suburb of the nation’s capital.

The pilot program is modeled after the Sister Cities International initiative, which has been in effect since the mid-50s.

Gov. Northam launched the Virginia initiative.