On May 19, the twinning agreement between Vinnytsia and Karlsruhe was solemnly signed at the meeting of the Vinnytsia City Council. After the agreement was approved by the German municipality on April 22, Vinnytsia deputies voted for it today. Symbolically, both times the agreements were approved unanimously, as reported by the official website of the Vinnytsia City Council.

“Congratulations to all people of Vinnytsia on our new friend,” said Serhii Morhunov, Mayor of Vinnytsia, after the vote. “Today we meet as old friends, and we would like our guests to enjoy our hospitality to the fullest. Karlsruhe and Vinnytsia are two modern European cities that are opening a joint page in their history. We will make every effort to ensure that our partnership is successful and contributes to the development of both municipalities.”

According to the mayor, the German delegation led by Frank Mentrup, Mayor of Karlsruhe, arrived in the Ukrainian city despite the war and all associated risks. This speaks of the courage and determination of our partners in establishing friendly relations between municipalities.

Mayor Frank Mentrup believes that Vinnytsia and Karlsruhe have a lot in common.

“Our delegation has already been able to experience Vinnytsia in the morning; we saw that our cities have a lot in common. I would like to invite the people of Vinnytsia to get to know our city and its history and invite the people of Karlsruhe to Vinnytsia,” Frank Mentrup said.

In turn, the mayor of Vinnytsia expressed hope that the residents of both municipalities could establish tangible ties such as those that currently exist with other sister cities, including Kielce, Poland, with which friendly relations had been ongoing since 1956.

According to the signed agreement, cooperation between the two cities should be diverse, including the focus on IT, alternative energy sources, urban planning and urban mobility, culture, science and education. Incidentally, in April, a Memorandum was already signed in Karlsruhe between the oldest STEM higher educational institution in Germany — Karlsruhe Institute of Technology — and Vinnytsia National Technical University.

In addition, as Frank Mentrup promised, Karlsruhe will support both Ukraine and its partner Vinnytsia in furthering European integration.

Serhii Borzov, Deputy of the Vinnytsia City Council and Head of the Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration, in turn thanked the German government for the assistance provided and the delegation from Karlsruhe for not being afraid to visit the city at such a time.

“I firmly believe that the signing of this agreement will boost further integration,” said Serhii Borzov.

According to Viacheslav Sokolovyi, Head of the Vinnytsia Regional Council, it is very fortunate that we make not just foreign partners, but friends and brothers in such a difficult time.

“We share common values, and the Ukrainian army is fighting today for these values, such as a democratic and free Europe. I would like to thank the partner countries for the help, for the training of our soldiers, for giving shelter to our women and children, for helping with generators in the difficult period of blackouts and other assistance... Today, our main objective is to defeat the enemy, and it is very important that we are not alone in this,” said Viacheslav Sokolovyi.

At the end of the meeting, the leaders of the twin cities redeemed the stamp “Cities of Peace and Balance. Karlsruhe-Vinnytsia”.

The special stamp has a unique design, bringing together the symbols of both cities, the Karlsruhe Palace, whose architectural image is complemented by the Tower, and the symbol of Vinnytsia, the Artynov Water Tower.

In addition to being a valuable collectible for all philately enthusiasts, the stamp will become a symbol of the beginning of the new partnership. It will remind us of the importance of friendship, cooperation and European values.

On April 22, the Twinning Agreement was signed between the representatives of the municipalities of Vinnytsia and Karlsruhe. Next the Twinning Agreement was signed in Karlsruhe, where a delegation from the Vinnytsia City Council led by the city’s mayor Serhii Morhunov arrived.

Communication between Vinnytsia and Karlsruhe began in the spring of 2022 when the German side reached out to establish sisterly relations with the Vinnytsia Urban Municipality.

In the summer, the Municipality of Karlsruhe approved the intention to establish friendly ties. On 30 September 2022, during its meeting, Vinnytsia City Council approved the decision to develop international cooperation with Karlsruhe.

Later, Karlsruhe provided Vinnytsia with humanitarian aid that included special equipment and a tent for Points of Invincibility, which were equipped with various devices.

Karlsruhe is a city in Southwest Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, with a population of 300,000. The city has a rich history and cultural heritage and is famous for its developed transport and electrical engineering, oil refining, metalworking, chemical, printing and food industries. Karlsruhe is also Germany’s second-largest river port and has the country’s largest oil refinery. The city has many notable architectural landmarks, and tourism is developed here.

It is also an important academic centre, as it is home to the University of Karlsruhe and the Leopoldshafen Nuclear Research Centre. As the oldest STEM higher education institution in Germany, the university is known for its significant contributions to mechanical engineering, computer science and electrical engineering.

Cultural and artistic institutions such as the State Academy of Fine Arts, the Baden Land Museum, the State Art Gallery and Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM), a multimedia art museum, are also located in the city of Karlsruhe. In addition, the first International Congress of Chemists that offered the first clear definitions of the atom and molecule was held here in Karlsruhe in 1860.