World Day of Twin Cities (24/04)

World Twin Cities Day is held annually on the last Sunday of April by decision of the World Federation of United Cities, founded in 1957.

World Federation of Twin Cities (WFIG) — is an international non-governmental organization whose goal was to — strengthen friendly ties between cities of different states. It united over 3,500 cities in more than 160 countries (by 2000). As a result of unification with the International Union of Local Authorities and Metropolis in 2004, the World Organization «United Cities and Local Authorities», UCLG (English) emerged. United Cities and Local Governments, UCLG), and WFIG ceased to exist.

The purpose of UCLG activities is to promote the development of friendly ties between cities of various countries in the field of economic and cultural cooperation, education, medicine, environmental protection, etc.

The first agreement on friendship and cooperation between the cities of the countries allied in the Anti-Hitler Coalition was signed back in 1942 between Soviet Stalingrad and English Coventry — cities, almost completely destroyed during the Second World War.

In 1962, at the initiative of the World Federation of Twin Cities, it was decided to celebrate World Twin Cities Day every year since 1963, on the last Sunday of April.

In 1964, Soviet sister cities united into the Association for Relations between Soviet and Foreign Cities. It joined the Union of Soviet Friendship Societies (SSOD) and was a collective member of the World Federation of Twin Cities (WFY).

In Russia, the organizer of the movement of cities wishing to develop friendly relations was the International Association of «Sister Cities» (IAPG), as the international non-governmental organization successor to the Association for Relations of Soviet and Foreign Cities. More than 180 cities in Russia and the CIS countries participate in the activities of MAPG.

Moscow was one of the first to establish broad ties. Now the Russian capital actively cooperates with dozens of capitals of foreign countries. St. Petersburg (formerly — Leningrad) is friends with Osaka, Manchester, Hamburg, Bombay, Volgograd — with Coventry, Port Said, Hiroshima, Dijon, Kiev — with Tampere, Kyoto, Florence, Baku — with the capital of Senegal Dakar.

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