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A delegation from the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv – St. Helier’s newest twinned city – was given a foot-stomping welcome by Jersey politicians as they visited the States Chamber yesterday.
The group, which includes Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Senkevych, are spending the week on the island.
Yesterday, they visited the States Assembly – where they were given a rapturous welcome by States Members – and later paid a visit to Maritime House, where they met Jersey's Harbourmaster.
Their agenda for the rest of the week includes visiting slave worker memorials and meeting the local Ukrainian community, as well as building cultural and business ties as the city rebuilds and plans for a future after the war.
Mykolaiv, which lies near the Black Sea, has been twinned with St. Helier since February this year. This is the first of St. Helier’s twinnings that doesn't draw on historical ties. The delegation is made up of Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych along with Deputy Mayors Serhiy Korenev and Dmytro Kolosovsky.
Constable of St. Helier Simon Crowcroft said: “Mykolaiv has a port, has a very important harbour, has a big zoo. It's kind of on the outpost, a bit like the way we are in Jersey and St. Helier, an outpost of the British Isles.
"And it's obviously got educational institutions and all sorts of things we can link with. Agriculture is very important as it is in Jersey. And it also has a lot of maritime history and heritage."
During the past year-and-a-half, Mykolaiv saw its population decrease from 500,000 to a low of around 230,000 and the city struggles with its drinking water supply after Russian forces bombed the pipes that brought freshwater from the Dnipro river.
The city’s officials are in Jersey to build cultural and business ties, with potential future exchanges between schools and the zoo.
“We’re really pleased to be here with this warm meeting and warm hospitality that we have here," Mayor Senkevych said.
“I hope someday we will see Mayor Simon in Ukraine in Mykolaiv and will be also able to show our Ukrainian hospitality.”
Pictured top: St. Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft and Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych.
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