Lexington City Council approves support for sister city program in Ukraine

During the Lexington City Council meeting on July 17, 2025, a significant discussion centered around the establishment of a sister city program, particularly focusing on a potential partnership with a community in Ukraine. This initiative, driven by local residents, aims to foster cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two cities.

The city manager introduced the topic, highlighting that the sister city relationship would be resident-led, with the city council playing a supportive role. This approach allows the council to maintain focus on its broader work plan while empowering residents to take the lead in this initiative. The council expressed strong support for the program, recognizing its potential benefits for cultural exchange.

A resolution was presented for approval, affirming the city’s support for exploring this sister city relationship. The resolution has already been reviewed by the resident group that initially proposed the idea, and they expressed satisfaction with its wording and intent. The council emphasized that further steps would be necessary once a specific Ukrainian city is identified.

In addition to the Ukrainian initiative, a council member inquired about a previous proposal for a sister city relationship with a community in Ghana. The city manager acknowledged that while there had been interest, particularly from faculty at Washington and Lee University, there had been no recent follow-up on that potential partnership.

The council moved forward with a motion to approve the resolution supporting the exploration of the sister city relationship with Ukraine, indicating a willingness to consider multiple sister city partnerships in the future. The discussion concluded with questions about the timeline for the initiative, reflecting the council's commitment to ensuring that the process remains open and flexible.

Overall, the meeting underscored the city council's dedication to fostering international relationships through resident-led initiatives, while balancing its ongoing priorities. The anticipated next steps will involve further engagement with the community as they identify a specific city in Ukraine for the partnership.