37588

Resolution

Declare the City of Lviv of Ukraine as an official Friendship City

Adopted

WHEREAS, residents of Portland have recognized shared values with the City of Lviv in Ukraine; and  

WHEREAS, the intent to establish a Sister City relationship between Portland and Lviv first appeared in 2006 when Portland hosted a delegation through a USAID sponsored program on energy efficiency; and

WHEREAS, a Ukrainian group was warmly welcomed to Oregon by our local Ukrainian American community as part of a delegation that visited Portland in 2008 at the invitation of former Mayor Tom Potter; and

WHEREAS, the city-to-city connection between Portland and Lviv has continued to grow and foster mutual understanding; and

WHEREAS, Portland and Lviv share a passion for culture and the arts; and in 2009, Lviv was designated the Cultural Capital of Ukraine; and

WHEREAS, Portlanders have traveled to Lviv for business, education, tourism and volunteer work, and have ongoing personal and professional relationships with Lviv-based individuals, businesses, and educational and art institutions; and

WHEREAS, per the City of Portland’s Sister City policy, a Friendship City association between two cities is designated on a one-year trial basis prior to establishing a formal Sister City relationship; and

WHEREAS, true to the spirit of friendship cities, the connection between Portland and Lviv will help promote business, educational and cultural exchanges; and 

WHEREAS, one of Portland’s coffee houses offers a Lviv Latte based on the recipe brought to Portland from Ukraine by University of Oregon professor who recently volunteered in Lviv; and

WHEREAS, the Lviv Latte has a Facebook page  and was recently profiled in our local Ukrainian language magazine Kanon that outsources some of its design work to Lviv-based professionals; and

WHEREAS, there is a significant population of Ukrainians in all professions and with diverse expertise who call Portland home, and who have contributed greatly to the cultural fabric of Portland; and

WHEREAS, following the invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian American Cultural Association and Ukrainian Foundation have worked to provide humanitarian support in response to the war; and 

WHEREAS, the City of Lviv became a humanitarian hub in response to the invasion; and 

WHEREAS, the City of Portland stands with Ukraine and condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and 

WHEREAS, in 1956, Sister Cities were created as a means of increasing people-to-people diplomacy to not just impact the lives of the individuals in the communities, but to encourage world peace; and

WHEREAS, in the current moment of heightened tension, grassroots diplomacy can play an important role to link local efforts across nations with the potential to contribute to peace; and

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of Portland, Oregon, do hereby proclaim September 28th, 2022 to be the day when Portland and Lviv became official Friendship Cities.

Impact Statement

Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information

The purpose of this resolution is to designate Portland and Lviv as Friendship Cities. Friendship City status, as stated in ART-1.01 in the City of Portland's Sister City Criteria is the status designated prior to the potential establishment of a Sister City Relationship. There is no formal structure to the city-to-city connection and there are no formal obligations between the cities. Consideration will be made to move forward to formalize a Sister City Relationship after one year, if all the criteria are met.

Financial and Budgetary Impacts

There is no financial or budgetary impact as this is an informal Friendship City connection that is non-binding and has no legal obligations.

Community Impacts and Community Involvement

This resolution has no impact on the community as it recognizes work that is already being done to foster a stronger connection between Lviv and Portland. 

100% Renewable Goal

Not applicable. 

Agenda Items

Adopted

  • Former Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Yea
  • Commissioner Mingus Mapps Yea
  • Commissioner Carmen Rubio Yea
  • Commissioner Dan Ryan Yea
  • Mayor Ted Wheeler Yea

Introduced by

Contact

Chido Dhliwayo

Government Relations Specialist II

Requested Agenda Type

Time Certain

Date and Time Information

Requested Council Date
Requested Start Time
2:00 pm
Time Requested
45 minutes (2 of 2)
Confirmed Time Certain