Kovel, Ukraine
During the September 2022 Chamblee City Council Meeting, a resolution was adopted to approve a Sister City affiliation with the City of Kovel, Ukraine through Sister Cities International.
To view the adopted resolution, click here.
Chamblee hosts book drive for Kovel, Ukraine English-Language Library.png)
March 31, 2023 — The City of Chamblee, in partnership with the Georgia Branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Chamblee Library, is accepting book donations to stock Kovel, Ukraine’s first English-language library.
“Our community knows that a good book can change the world and we are asking for everyone’s help to make that happen,” said Chamblee Mayor Brian Mock.
The City of Chamblee has a goal of donating at least 1,000 books of different genres to help stock Kovel’s library, which has a capacity for up to 10,000 books. Books can be dropped off at Chamblee City Hall (3518 Broad Street) or the Chamblee Library (4115 Clairmont Road).
In addition to accepting books, the Georgia Branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America is accepting donations to assist with the cost of shipping the donated books. To make a monetary donation, visit ukrainianatlanta.org/donation and include the text “book drive” in the memo line.
“As the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine has passed, Chamblee’s support of our Sister City, Kovel, Ukraine, has continued to grow,” said Mayor Mock.
In September 2022, Chamblee’s City Council adopted a resolution establishing a Sister City relationship with the City of Kovel, Ukraine. During Mayor Mock’s visit to Kovel in October 2022, Ukrainian city officials adopted a similar resolution. In February 2023, Chamblee City Council unanimously approved the creation of a community advisory board supporting the Sister Cities relationship with Kovel.
Chamblee joins Sister Cities International
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 — The City of Chamblee allocated $5,000 to join the Sister Cities International Program and to raise awareness of the program to generate volunteers and create a city commission. Since the adoption of the Sister City resolution, the city has shared several highlights of Kovel on social media, has hosted events and meetings with the local Ukrainian community and Ukrainian dignitaries, and will be hosting a book drive to help stock the English-language library in Kovel.
Sister Cities International Membership: The City of Chamblee will become a member of Sister Cities International (SCI) to provide more structure to the program and engage with other members of the organization. To learn more about the Sister Cities International program, please visit sistercities.org.
Structure for Operations: Sister Cities International (SCI) recommends adopting a formal program structure. The creation of a city commission would provide a formal process to identify priorities and create programs within the gramework of the sister city relationship. creating the commission wil help bring the intnetion of City Council's resolution to life and achieve a meaningful relastionship with Kovel. SCI recommends that the program be led by the community to encourage a long-term relationship.
Goal of SCI: In order to prepare for the future growth of the program, the forming of a city commission is a starting point. Appointees to the commission would meet regularly to identify priorities and programs with the intent of creating a 501c3 that would operate outside of the city's direction.
Chamblee welcomed the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America in observance of Holodomor
Saturday, November 19, 2022 — The City of Chamblee welcomed the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America – GA (UCCA GA) and members of the Ukrainian community on Saturday in observance of Holodomor, the great famine of 1932-33.
The term Holodomor (death by hunger, in Ukrainian) refers to the starvation of millions of Ukrainians in 1932-1933 as a result of Soviet policies. In 2018, on the 85th anniversary of the Ukrainian famine, the United States Congress passed a resolution condemning the systematic violations of human rights of the Ukrainian people by the Soviet government and recognized the 1988 findings of the Commission on the Ukraine Famine that Joseph Stalin committed genocide against the Ukrainian people.
"It's my hope that you will consider Chamblee your second home, you are always welcome here", stated the Mayor Brian Mock. "We recognize that atrocities were committed 90 years ago, just as they are being committed today, and we want you to know that we stand with you".
“Resilience is the word I keep using when describing the Ukrainian people,” stated the mayor as he shared his thoughts from his recent visit to Ukraine.
Faith leaders from several denominations were on hand and offered prayer for the past and the future as members of UCCA GA shared stories of the great famine.
UCCA GA is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization uniting Ukrainians in the United States. Their goal is to promote and expand relationships and mutual understanding through educational, business, and humanitarian programs between Ukraine and the United States.
Mayor Mock interviews with Atlanta News First to discuss visit to Kovel, Ukraine
Wednesday, November 16, 2022 — To watch the full interview, visit https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/video/2022/11/16/chamblee-mayor-visits-war-torn-ukraine/.
CHAMBLEE, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The mayor of Chamblee recently traveled to Ukraine and saw firsthand what the country is experiencing.
Mayor Brian Mock visited Chamblee’s sister city of Kovel. Chamblee’s city council approved a resolution in September to become sister cities.
“Wanted to see the good and the bad and I really did see the good and the bad,” said Mock.
The day he arrived, he was alerted that a missile strike knocked out the city’s power and water supply, but he chose to continue with the trip.
“The city was pitch black, you couldn’t see the hand in front of your face,” he said. “You don’t really understand their sense of resilience until you’re sitting amongst them.”
He said he had a very warm welcome and was greeted by the American flag flying. He met with Kovel’s mayor, council members, and other Ukrainians as he visited neighborhoods. He said he looks forward to growing the partnership between the two cities and offering guidance.
“It’s not just a short term, we raised a few dollars and bought some clothes. It’s a long-term exchange of ideas and information and over the last six months it’s not consumed my every day but it’s certainly been a passion,” said Mock. “I’m talking to folks over there every day.”
He wants to set up regular Zoom meetings with Ukrainians to speak with Chamblee’s police officers and employees from the Planning and Zoning departments.
“They want to progress, they want to move ahead, they just need some ideas, they need some help with how to progress,” said Mock.
During the more than weeklong visit, which he paid for out of his own pocket, Mock visited other parts of the country including Kyiv, and saw damaged buildings and heard stories of loss and survival. He sat in a basement of a school during air-raid sirens and listened to the Ukrainians singing.
Mock recently hosted a member of the Ukrainian parliament who made a trip from Washington, D.C. to Chamblee to visit metro Atlanta schools and bring back some ideas. Mock said he looks forward to when the mayor and others from Kovel can leave the country and visit Chamblee.
Mock said, “I’m hopeful that sooner rather than later their delegation can come over and visit and we can start the process of helping them to put their city back together.”
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Mayor Mock welcomes visitors from Ukraine
Tuesday, November 15, 2022 — City of Chamblee Mayor, Brian Mock, recently returned from a visit to Kovel, Ukraine after Chamblee City Council approved a resolution to become a sister city affiliate with City of Kovel in September. With this historic action, Chamblee became the first U.S. sister city to Kovel and Kovel became the city’s first sister city.
“I felt that it was important for us to do more than approve a resolution; it was vital that we placed action behind our words and it was important to visit Kovel in person to show support during these difficult times,” said Mayor Mock.
Kovel Mayor Ihor Chayka and Chamblee Mayor Mock spent several days in meetings discussing the impacts of the war and the benefits of the newly established sister city affiliate. Mayor Mock also spent time touring several other war torn Ukrainian cities with local mayors, visiting neighborhoods and speaking with residents.
Common ties of mutual interest exist between the City of Kovel and the City of Chamblee. The exchange of these interests and cultures by the mutual establishment of a sister city relationship will enhance the City of Chamblee and its residents.
“With the sister city relationship, our city as well as the City of Kovel, commit to support and encourage opportunities for mutually beneficial practical exchanges in the fields of business, arts, culture, education, sports and tourism,” concluded Mayor Mock. “In the past few days, I have witnessed the extreme resilience of the Ukrainian people, and I look forward to working with Kovel in the journey ahead.”
The Sister City Program is administered by Sister Cities International and was initiated in 1956 to encourage greater friendship and understanding between cities located in the United States and other national cities through direct contact. The program strives to build global cooperation at the municipal level, encourage understanding and stimulate economic development. Additionally, the program promotes peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation through one individual, one community at a time.
Chamblee City Council approves resolution to create Sister City affiliation with Kovel, Ukraine
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 — The City of Chamblee's Council unanimously approved a resolution to create a Sister City affiliation with Kovel, Ukraine. See the adopted resolution below:
