Activity and Established Communication: Dubno Has a Partner in the USA
Having good partners is important at any time and in various fields. But it is especially valuable when partnerships are established at the city, regional, or higher levels. Dubno can now boast an official cooperation agreement with a city in the United States. Recently, the community leadership signed a memorandum to develop partnership relations with the mayor of Oxford, Ohio.
This agreement was preceded by more than two months of preliminary negotiations. Initially, American Jeffrey Glenn, who first came to Dubno in 2016 as a Peace Corps volunteer, fell in love with our city. Driven by his desire to help the community, he searched for opportunities in the U.S. to establish a sister city relationship. Through his acquaintance with well-known volunteer and friend of Ukraine, Jeffrey Hartman, founder of the charitable organization Ukrainian Action, hey successfully established communication and gained the interest of the Oxford city administration in international cooperation with Dubno.
“We are very pleased that you agreed to sign a community partnership agreement with us. This hall is symbolic because it was here that the first agreement with a Lithuanian city was signed. Today marks the second such event in our city. I am very happy that this is happening and that we will have great prospects for cooperation between our cities and, in general, between Ukraine and the United States of America,” said Mayor Vasyl Antonyuk. “The mission has been accomplished. The agreement is signed. I believe that in the future, this cooperation will greatly benefit the Ukrainian people in their fight against the aggressor who attacked our country.”
Despite the ongoing war and air raid alarms, Oxford’s mayor was accompanied to Dubno by former city mayor, Miami University professor Mike Smith, and Ukrainian Action founder Jeffrey Hartman.
“I want to thank Geoff Hartman and Ukrainian Action. Not only for everything they do for Ukraine but also for what they have done for us by connecting Oxford and Dubno,” said Oxford Mayor William Snavely. “We look forward to many years of cooperation and friendship between our cities.”
The sister city partnership between the two municipalities is a great opportunity for experience exchange and strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships in various fields.
“It is a great pleasure to be here in Dubno. Together, our two cities will work on a range of cultural exchanges and development projects, and where possible, Ukrainian Action will be honored to participate in these initiatives. We wish both cities a long and successful relationship for many years to come,” noted Jeffrey Hartman.
