Petrozavodsk, Russia
Note: In light of Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine, Duluth Sister Cities acknowledges the complexities surrounding our long-standing relationship with Petrozavodsk, and the suffering that the war has caused. We stand with those affected by violence and conflict and hold deep compassion for those whose lives have been uprooted by war. Neither the City of Duluth nor Duluth Sister Cities has any official relationship with any government entity in Russia. Duluth Sister Cities only engages with independent Russian civil society organizations.
Duluth’s Sister City Relationship with Petrozavodsk, Russia
Our Sister Cities relationship with Petrozavodsk is non-governmental and citizen-driven. It exists to build cultural understanding, educational exchange, and personal connections across borders. Over the decades, the Duluth–Petrozavodsk partnership has included student exchanges, cultural collaborations, and friendships between families, artists, and educators.
At times of global tension, these people-to-people relationships are even more meaningful. They remind us that beyond politics and policy, individuals across the world share common hopes for peace, safety, and a better future for their communities.
Our work with Petrozavodsk is collaborative, and the areas of focus in this project are determined as the conversation continues between experts, practitioners and volunteers working in our communities.
Throughout our relationship, we identified several areas of focus, including sex trafficking, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, domestic abuse, child abuse and raising emotionally healthy children. Our current efforts focus on delivering a Duluth-created model of combatting domestic violence to our civil society partners in Petrozavodsk. Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs is working with Russian civil society organizations in Petrozavodsk and other towns to introduce novel ways to curb domestic and partner abuse amid the loosening of Russia's laws around domestic violence.
As we continue, we work to keep our eyes and ears open for new areas of focus, learning as much as we can from each other in what has proven to be a powerful international exchange of experience and expertise. We continue to evaluate our programming with care and sensitivity to current global events, always guided by our mission to promote understanding between people.
Duluth Sister Cities remains committed to the principles that guide the global Sister Cities movement: mutual respect, cultural exchange, and the belief that personal connections can contribute to a more peaceful world.