Historic occasion as Wexford twins with northern Ukrainian city – ‘This partnership reflects the solidarity between the regions’

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

As war rages on in Ukraine, Wexford has reiterated its support for the besieged nation by entering into a twinning agreement with the city of Nizhyn which is is located in Chernihiv Oblast in northern Ukraine. To mark the occasion and the formal signing of the twinning documents, a special ceremony was held in County Hall where the mayor of Nizhyn, Mr. Oleksandr Kodola, exhanged mementos with Wexford mayor Councillor Garry Laffan.

The ceremony began with a performance from local uileann piper Mick Lawlor before Mayor Laffan addressed a congregation which included members of the local Ukrainian community, voluntary groups who have supported refugees arriving in the county, and Ukrainian students from Wexford CBS, Selskar College, and the Presentation College.

"When the proposal to enter into a twinning arrangement with Nizhyn was made it was unanimously agreed that we should respond positively,” said the mayor. “As a county Wexford is proud of its efforts to provide safe refuge to the people from Ukraine who have come here and, in many regards, our countries share a common history, as we too once suffered at the hands of an imperial oppressor.”

Describing it as a “great honour” to be involved in this twinning project, Mayor Kodola expressed his “sincere gratitude” to the people of Co Wexford for their continued support during the war. “This partnership has special meeting for us and reflects the solidarity between the regions, it will build friendships and foster lasting connections.”

There then followed a rendition of some traditional Ukrainian music by the New Ross Choir as the two mayors signed the agreement and compared ceremonial maces. The students then entered their names into the history books as the official record of twinning was opened up to the gallery to sign.