Milwaukee formalizes Sister City status with Ukraine’s Irpin

“Whereas, Milwaukee and Irpin, sharing a common interest in education, health care and business, and the desire to promote mutual understanding among our citizens do herby proclaim themselves Sister Cities beginning on December 19, 2017, the date of the Milwaukee Common Council resolution establishing the Sister City relationship became effective.” – agreement signed in English and Ukrainian languages

Milwaukee and Irpin, Ukraine signed a Sister City agreement to foster friendship and collaboration between the two municipalities on March 15. The ceremony was held in the City Hall Common Council Chambers.

The City of Milwaukee’s Sister Cities Committee Chair Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II was joined by Mayor Tom Barrett and Irpin Mayor Volodymyr Karplyuk for the formalities, along with a delegation from Irpin, members of the Sister Cities Committee, and Ukrainian supporters in Milwaukee.

The Sister Cities International signing agreement is designed to develop a stronger relationship between the two cities, as they collaborate to tackle issues that affect urban residents globally. The newly established friendship will foster the dialogue necessary to strengthen foreign relations on a municipal scale, while providing possible solutions to international issues.

“The City of Milwaukee has been looking forward to this partnership with Irpin for quite some time. This agreement marks the beginning of a relationship that will strengthen the global community and foster a greater understanding of both Ukrainian and American culture,” said Alderman Stamper. “I would like to thank the Sister Cities Committee, Mayor Karplyuk and his team, and Mayor Barrett for helping turn this friendship into a reality.”

The signing program features remarks from Alderman Stamper, Mayor Barrett, and Mayor Karplyuk, as well as Boris Nayflish of Griffon Brands, and Father Vasyl Savchyn and Joseph Spolowicz from St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Milwaukee is officially affiliated with Sister Cities International, a program with more than 50 years of promoting people-to-people diplomacy. As a result, Milwaukee’s city-to-city relationships, including former friendship cities and unofficial sister cities, are now moving forward. Medan, Indonesia; Daegu Metropolitan City, South Korea; Galway, Ireland; uMhlathuze, South Africa; Zadar, Croatia; Tarime, Tanzania; and Bomet County, Kenya are Milwaukee’s current Sister Cities.