During a Special Meeting on Friday, April 7, 2023, the Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved AR 2023-120, As Amended, to suspend the Municipality of Anchorage Sister City relationship with Magadan, Russia. The resolution calls on Mayor Bronson to temporarily remove or cover any remaining municipal symbols of the Sister City linkage to Magadan, Russia officially displayed on municipal websites, buildings, flag poles or structures.
Assembly Members Christopher Constant, Kevin Cross, Robin Dern, Kameron Perez-Verdia, Pete Petersen, Austin Quinn-Davidson, Felix Rivera, Randy Sulte, and Daniel Volland sponsored the resolution. During the meeting, Member Volland, representing District 1, North Anchorage, made the following statement:
"While we can recognize and appreciate the long history we have shared with Magadan, we cannot turn a blind eye to the actions of the Russian government.
The aggression and incitement of conflict are in stark contrast to the values of peace, cooperation, and citizen diplomacy that we hold dear and which Sister Cities International purports to espouse. Recent reports of Ukrainian children forcibly separated from their parents and relocated to a “re-education” camp in the Magadan region, where they are taught Russian propaganda, are particularly disturbing.
This decision is not a reflection on the people of Magadan, but a decision based on the actions of their government and military, actions that do not align with our shared values. I want to express my gratitude to the people of Magadan for their friendship with and support to Anchorage over the years. I hope that our shared history and the memories we have created will compel us to speak hard truths and inspire us to remember our shared humanity."
The Anchorage Sister Cities Commission was established in 1970 to formally recognize the importance of international cultural and educational exchange with cities around the globe as a means to foster mutual respect and goodwill.
The Municipality of Anchorage formalized a Sister City linkage with Magadan, Russia in 1991. In March 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Anchorage Sister Cities Commission issued a recommendation to the Administration to pause the Sister City linkage in alignment with written public comments and a statement by Sister Cities International.
The Sister City linkage with Magadan, Russia may be reinstated by Assembly Resolution after the Sister Cities Commission recommends its reinstatement.
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CONTACT
Daniel Volland | District 1
daniel.volland@anchorageak.gov
Christopher Constant | District 1
christopher.constant@anchorageak.gov