State College is set to partner with a Ukrainian town as the borough’s first ‘sister city’
State College Borough could soon add its first official “sister city” in Nizhyn, Ukraine — and council members and residents alike are hoping the greater community steps up in support.
Svitlana Budzhak-Jones, a Ukrainian woman who’s lived in the borough more than 20 years, first formed the idea last year with the Highlands Civic Association. For months, they teamed up to raise money and hand out flyers to help war-torn Nizhyn (pop: 65,830), a university town nearly 5,000 miles away from Happy Valley. Eventually, they wanted to expand that support beyond their neighborhood, hoping others might donate a few dollars while learning about another culture.
And State College Borough Council was only too happy to help.
“The fact that a neighborhood, one of our neighborhoods, got together and did this and has done this — to me — is very meaningful,” Councilman Peter Marshall said in December. “I would jump on board.”
On Monday, Borough Council unanimously approved a resolution put forth by council President Jesse Barlow that seeks to make its “sister city” Nizhyn, located about 90 miles northeast of Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv. The goal is to help a historic town in need, while at the same time forming a long-term partnership that could eventually lead to a cultural exchange that includes international cultural festivals, exchange programs and more.
Although the borough cannot directly provide money to Nizhyn — “No tax dollars,” Barlow said — it can still highlight fundraising efforts. Even in the written resolution, Barlow mentioned Budzhak-Jones’ local Ukrainian organization, Sister’s Sister, which continues to seek donations for Nizhyn.
Those interested can donate via Venmo through @SistersSister or via check to 357 E. Prospect Ave., State College, PA 16801. (Checks should be made out to Sister’s Sister Inc.)
“This is really an important move, a historical move, and we’re really looking forward to helping you develop relationships with the city of Nizhyn,” Yuliya Ladygina, a dual American/Ukrainian citizen, told council on Monday. “And in these days, it’s really very meaningful that our own town stands by Ukrainians in their fight for freedom.”
The concept of sister cities has existed for more than a millennium. But it became modernized and gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s after U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower emphasized the importance of person-to-person “citizen diplomacy.” Today, Sister Cities International — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — includes sister city programs in nearly 500 communities.
Some sister cities — such as Munich and Cincinnati — remain very active in their relationships. The two towns host academic exchanges for students, teachers and faculty; exchange artworks among their respective museums; and bring in traveling musicians from the sister city. Even a Munich firefighter once visited for several weeks over the summer to learn about differences.
Barlow hoped that, one day, State College might be able to take advantage of that exchange.
“Musical exchanges would probably be really nice,” he said. “And, art, they probably have that better than we do because that’s a very old city. It dates from the mid-12th century.”
It’s still unknown exactly when State College and Nizhyn will officially become sister cities. Barlow hopes it’s by the end of this year, but he can’t say for sure — since, well, the borough hasn’t done this before. But, in the meantime, officials in both towns are still looking to start a relationship.
State College Mayor Ezra Nanes said he and Nizhyn’s mayor have already exchanged holiday cards.
“This is really an effort that is driven by the community, and that’s something I wanted to emphasize,” Nanes said. “... The substance and the body of this comes from the community and all the neighborhoods, and that is really why we’re able to undertake this with full intention to support a war-torn city and hopefully grow in our relationship with them.”
