Sister City Signing Ceremony Between Cities of Gainesville and Duhok, Iraq

Press release from City of Gainesville

The City of Gainesville and the City of Duhok, capital of the Duhok Governorate located in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq, will renew their Sister City partnership with the signing of an agreement by current leaders during an official virtual ceremony Monday.

Who: Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe and Duhok Governor Ali Tatar

When: 9-10 a.m. Monday, March 8

Where: The public is invited to view the event online at  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89494837999. The program will be recorded and archived on the City of Gainesville website. 

More: The Gainesville City Commission is expected to adopt a new resolution recognizing and renewing the relationship at its meeting today, March. 4. An original resolution was adopted, and agreement signed, in 2006.

The Sister City partnership is designed to promote the cultural exchange of ideas and foster collaboration between public and private sectors in both municipalities. The cities share a common interest in economic development, healthcare, sustainability, education, business and the desire to promote mutual understanding among its citizens. They will enter into agreement in cooperation with the Sister City Program of Gainesville, Inc., a not-for-profit Florida organization that administers the City of Gainesville’s nine Sister City relationships.

The Sister City Program, governed by Sister Cities International, was initiated in 1956 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower to encourage greater friendship and understanding between the U.S. and other nations.