Council Votes to Suspend Sister City Ties

Charlotte City Council voted unanimously on March 28 to suspend ties with its sister city Voronezh, Russia to show solidarity with the local Ukrainian community and the people of Ukraine in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last month. Governor Roy Cooper issued an executive order in February encouraging cities and counties to ensure that public dollars and operations do not benefit Russian entities.

Charlotte and Voronezh became sister cities in 1991. Charlotte's sister city relationships are run by volunteers who promote global citizen diplomacy and direct contact with sister cities through educational, cultural and civic exchanges. The government-to-government relationship has been mostly ceremonial in recent years. Charlotte residents called for an end of the relationship in 2013 over anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Russia.

Voronezh, founded in 1586 as a fortress, is the administrative centre of Voronezh region in western Russia. It lies along the right bank of the Voronezh River above its merging with the Don River. Peter I the Great built his naval flotilla there. Voronezh became a major center for grain trade and flour milling and has a wide range of engineering, chemical, and food-processing industries. Power comes from a thermal electric plant and an atomic power station. The city has a university with agricultural, medical, veterinary, forestry, and teacher-training institutes.* 

Charlotte City Council's resolution reads, in part:
"THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE shall immediately suspend its sister city ties with the City of Voronezh.

Sister city status can be reviewed and considered for re-admittance in the sister cities program after a period of one year following the declaration of peace, the return of sovereign and territorial integrity to Ukraine and the establishment of democratic systems in Russia.

At this time, we will not support any exchanges between our governments, businesses, nor residents of Russia.

We are hopeful that a peaceful solution will be found quickly and that we can again join with Voronezh to celebrate the commonalities that bring us together instead of acknowledging the political differences and violence that tarnish a 30-year relationship based on peace, diplomacy and democratic exchange."

I encourage every citizen of Charlotte to uplift democracy at home and exercise their sacred right to vote.

I very much want to continue the work I have started as your At-Large City Councilwoman and so I humbly ask for your vote in the upcoming primary election. Early voting begins April 28 and ends May 14. Click here for info on locations and times. Click here to invest $22 for our 2022 campaign. Thank you!