City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2023-00823 6/20/2023 Consent Item 16.
Consideration of Establishing a Sister City Relationship with the City of Sumy, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine
File ID: 2023-00823
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution of Intention to establish a Sister City relationship with Sumy, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine.
Contact: Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk, (916) 808-5442, [email protected], Office of the City Clerk
Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Letter of Intention Signed by Mayors Oleksandr Lysenko and Darrell Steinberg 3-Resolution of Intention
4-Draft Memorandum of Understanding
Additional Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Mayor has received a formal request to initiate the establishment of a sister city relationship between the City of Sumy and the City of Sacramento. The City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy recognize the importance of cooperation and exchange of expertise and experiences between the two cities, and will encourage visits, exchanges, and joint initiatives by their respective citizens, institutions, and organizations and wish to enter into a formal sister city relationship.
Policy Considerations: Staff support has been historically limited to coordination of Mayor and Council participation in sister city activities. Therefore, new sister city relationships must demonstrate community interest and participation in each city since the community is responsible for developing and implementing activities.
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
Environmental Considerations: Not applicable.
File ID: 2023-00823 6/20/2023 Consent Item 16.
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: Adopting a Resolution of Intention is an initial step to establishing a Sister City relationship. Sister city relationships encourage multi-cultural and cross-cultural learning and foster opportunities for social, cultural, and professional exchanges through the guidance of the Sacramento Sister Cities Council. Adopting a resolution of intention to establish a Sister City relationship with the City of Sumy will further strengthen the existing ties between Sacramento and Sumy. This action will initiate the formal “registering requirements” necessary through Sister Cities International for both cities before formal implementation of a sister city relationship.
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background: The City of Sacramento has a Sister City program with eleven relationships across the world. The program is managed by the Sacramento Sister City Council (SSCC). Sacramento’s sister cities and their respective establishment dates include:
· Manila, Philippines (1961)
· Matsuyama, Japan (1981)
· Jinan, China (1984)
· Hamilton, New Zealand (1988)
· Liestal, Switzerland (1989)
· Chisinau, Moldova (1989)
· Youngsan-gu, Korea (1997)
· San Juan de Oriente (2006)
· Bethlehem, Palestine (2009)
· Ashkelon, Israel (2012)
· Mexicali, Mexico (2013)
The SSCC is comprised of a president, or designee, from each of the sister cities. Guided by their mission statement, “Promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation,” SSCC meets five to six times a year to develop mutually beneficial cultural, educational, social and/or economic relationships between the citizens of Sacramento and its sister cities. SSCC activities include dissemination of newsletters, announcements of events, engaging in joint activities, and networking with other internationally oriented organizations. The City Clerk attends these meetings and provides staff support.
File ID: 2023-00823 6/20/2023 Consent Item 16.
Following informal discussions with the mayor about the possibility of establishing a sister city relationship between Sumy and Sacramento, Sumy mayor Oleksandr Lysenko formally expressed his desire to promote a sister city relationship with Sacramento.
Dear Recipient,
We are writing to express our desire to establish a Sister City relationship between the City of Sacramento, California, USA and the City of Sumy, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. We hope that by agreement, we can foster a partnership that will support the citizens of '[Jkraine as a whole and the residents of the Sumy City Territorial Corpmunity in, their efforts to protect and rebuild their homes and country, and provide an opportiinity for enriching cultural exchange and trade between the cities of Sumy and Sacramento.
We are writing this letter to bring the issue of cooperation between the cities to a forinal vote of the Sacramento City Corincil to approve the Sister Cities Partnership Agreement.
With the support of both mayors and the International Aid to Ukraine, we are confident that this partnership will be mutually beneficial for both municipalities for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Oleksandr Lyse o,
Mayor of S y
Darrell Steinberg,
Mayor of the City of Sacramento
RESOLUTION NO.
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
Resolution of Intention by the Sacramento City Council to Establish a Sister City Relationship Between the City of Sacramento, California, United States and the City of Sumy, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine
BACKGROUND
A. The mission of the Sister Cities Council of Sacramento is to develop mutually beneficial cultural, educational, social, and/or economic relationships between the citizens of Sacramento and its Sister Cities.
B. The City of Sacramento has benefitted from having Sister Cities in eleven countries around the world but has not yet established a Sister City relationship with a city in Ukraine.
C. The Mayors of Sumy and Sacramento have signed a letter expressing the desire to establish a sister city relationship to foster a partnership that will support the citizens of Ukraine as a whole and the residents of the Sumy City Territorial Community in their efforts to protect and rebuild their homes and country and to provide an opportunity for enriching cultural exchange and trade between the cities of Sumy and Sacramento.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The Sacramento City Council gives its endorsement of intent to formalize a sister city relationship with City of Sumy, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine under the guidance of the Sacramento Sister Cities Council.
Section 2: The City Clerk shall send a copy of this resolution to the Sacramento Sister Cities Council.
Section 3: The City Clerk shall send a copy of this resolution to the City of Sumy, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Between the City of Sacramento, California, United States and the City of Sumy, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine
WHEREAS, the City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy seek to promote international understanding and friendship through the establishment of sister city relationships; and
WHEREAS, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has caused immense suffering for the people of Ukraine and has tested the resilience of its cities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Sacramento acknowledges the role that it can play in supporting the Ukrainian people and promoting peace through citizen diplomacy;
NOW, THEREFORE, the City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy agree as follows:
1. The City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy hereby establish a sister city relationship.
2. The City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy recognize the importance of cooperation and exchange of expertise and experiences between the two cities, and will encourage visits, exchanges, and joint initiatives by their respective citizens, institutions, and organizations.
3. The City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy commit to exploring ways in which their respective cities can support each other, including through the sharing of best practices and expertise in areas such as community development, infrastructure, and municipal governance.
4. The City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy agree to work together in promoting people-to-people exchanges, cultural understanding, and educatio nal programs between the two cities.
5. The City of Sacramento and the City of Sumy agree that the establishment of a sister city relationship is a symbol of hope and friendship between the United States and Ukraine, and a commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective City Councils, have signed this memorandum of understanding on this [insert date] day of [insert month], [insert year].
For the City of Sacramento For the City of Sumy
_____________________________ ____________________________ Darrell Steinberg Oleksandr Lysenko
Mayor Mayor