ePetition details

We believe that it is important for Cambridge, as a multicultural city of international importance, to promote international co-operation and understanding. Twinning with a city in Ukraine would provide opportunities for deepening existing cultural ties, exchanging relevant governing experience, promoting education and innovation and, most importantly, promoting peace.

Although this is not well-known, Cambridge has an important connection to Ukraine. Cambridge University graduate Gareth Jones was the first Western journalist to openly write about the Soviet extermination of Ukrainians, known as Holodomor, after having visited the Kharkiv region in 1933. Cambridge University was also one of the first academic institutions in the UK to offer courses in the Ukrainian language and establish a position of Professor of Ukrainian Studies. Currently, Cambridge continues to be home to Cambridge Ukrainian Studies, an academic centre dedicated to the study of Ukraine. At the same time, the city of Cambridge is home to many organisations that focus on Ukraine. The city of Cambridge also became filming grounds for the film Magura, produced by Lviv-born opera singer Anna Starushkevych. Finally, Cambridge serves as home to many Ukrainians. According to the Cambridge City Council, the city has hosted at least 600 Ukrainian families since 2022, and the Cambridge4Ukraine information channel includes 953 members – primarily Ukrainians living in Cambridge and surrounding areas.

Ukrainian cities could offer mutually beneficial partnerships that could enrich Cambridge. Ukraine has a fast-growing IT sector and a status of Emerging Innovator according to the European Commission. Many Ukrainian cities advance technological innovation and have organisations that work closely with municipal authorities: Lviv IT Cluster, Kharkiv IT Cluster, IT Dnipro Community and many others. Some cities in Ukraine face problems similar to Cambridge. For instance, Lviv is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is working on modernising the city and providing accessibility, while preserving authenticity and architectural heritage. Many cities in Ukraine, such as Ostroh, serve as homes for some of the oldest academic institutions in Eastern Europe. Therefore, twinning with a city in Ukraine would provide ample opportunities for exchange in the fields of innovation, education and preservation of historical heritage.

Finally, twinning with a city in Ukraine would promote peace globally. As a City of Sanctuary, Cambridge is determined to provide help to people suffering from war and persecution. Aligning itself with a city in Ukraine would send a message of support for peace globally.

This ePetition runs from 22/02/2026 to 08/05/2026.

126 people have signed this ePetition.