Odesa has two new sister cities — which ones they are?
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Odesa has established partnerships with two more cities. These are Heidelberg in Germany and Fortaleza in Brazil. The former has provided significant support to the people of Odesa during the full-scale war, while the latter shares many similarities with the Ukrainian city.
This decision was made at a session of the Odesa City Council on Wednesday, December 4.
German partners
The city of Heidelberg is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It has preserved its historic buildings and almost escaped destruction during the Second World War. Heidelberg is also considered one of the traditional educational centers of the country. The local university is the oldest in the country.
After the start of full-scale aggression, Heidelberg provided assistance to Odesa.
"Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Heidelberg has demonstrated solidarity and support for Odesa. In particular, in October 2022, we received a fire truck, which is very modern and much needed. And last year, the German city hospitably hosted our Odessans in a youth camp," said Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov.
Friends from Brazil
Fortaleza is the capital of the state of Ceará and the fourth most populous city in Brazil. More than 2.4 million people live here. The city has a vibrant nightlife, popular beaches, and a scuba diving reserve. It is also known for its cultural diversity, which combines the traditions of the Portuguese, black Brazilians, and indigenous people.
"Odesa and Fortaleza are very similar cultural and historical centers of their countries. Fortaleza annually attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world, just as Odesa did in peacetime," says Hennadii Trukhanov.
It is worth noting that both Heidelberg and Fortaleza have already decided to partner with Odesa.
As a reminder, the German city of Zuhl refused to be "friends" with Podilsk in Odesa region because of its twinning with the Russians. We also wrote that the Finnish city of Kotka became a partner of Mykolaiv.
