PSKOV, 17 October (BelTA) – The meeting of the twin cities of Belarus and Russia aims to advance interregional ties, Executive Vice President of the International Association Sister Cities Sergei Paramonov said during the 11th meeting of sister cities of Belarus and Russia in Pskov on 14-16 October, BelTA has learned.
For 24 years the international association has been closely cooperating with the Belarusian public organization Twin Cities. Belarus-Russia meetings have been held on an ongoing basis. The previous discussion of the cooperation between the twin cities of Belarus and Russia took place in October 2021 in the Belarusian Zhodino, and now Russia's Pskov hosted the discussions on ways to further Belarusian-Russian ties.
Sergei Paramonov noted that the international association Sister Cities was founded in 1964. The year 2024 will mark its 60 anniversary and 80th anniversary of the first twinning: between Soviet Stalingrad and English Coventry, which marked the beginning of the entire international movement of twin cities. The association has developed a two-year action plan 2023-2024 dedicated to these two anniversaries and aimed at restoring inter-municipal ties within the framework of public diplomacy.
The event in Pskov brought together representatives of about 60 cities of Belarus and Russia to discuss topical issues of development and prospects for bilateral cooperation. The focus was on trade, economic, investment, social, cultural and educational cooperation.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Russian President sent greetings to the 11th meeting of the twin cities of Belarus and Russia.
