The US-based Sister Cities International (SCI) organization has decried Washington's decision to not attend Moscow's Victory Day parade this year and vowed to work on the US public's involvement in the events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the triumph over Nazi Germany, a Sputnik correspondent was told
VOLGOGRAD (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st November, 2019) The US-based Sister Cities International (SCI) organization has decried Washington's decision to not attend Moscow's Victory Day parade this year and vowed to work on the US public's involvement in the events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the triumph over Nazi Germany, a Sputnik correspondent was told.
"The major [event] coming up is probably participation in celebration of the joint victory in the World War II. This is coming up next May and I know that Russian Ambassador [Anatoly] Antonov is interested in doing something, so we are in the early stages of that. I think that will help to bring to mind important memories of our joint efforts ... We will work on the citizens' involvement in that because, disappointingly, the United States government has not participated in the May celebrations in Moscow. Which is very unfortunate," SCI Chairman Emeritus Bill Boerum said on the sidelines of the International Forum of Public Diplomacy, dubbed The Dialogue on the Volga.
Boerum added that the SCI had recently held a summit in Moscow and was granted a briefing both by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the US State Department.
"Despite the discord between national governments and diplomatic organizations, both organizations � the Russian Foreign Ministry and the State Department � have encouraged our efforts, they want to see them. They are grappling with their issues and they know that in the meantime they need to have other connections and engagements going on," the chairman noted.
The Dialogue on the Volga is currently being held in Russia's Volgograd � formerly known as Stalingrad � which has been deemed the hero city over the victory at the Battle of Stalingrad, a turning point in the defeat of the Nazis during the second world war.
The edition of this year's forum is also dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the twin city friendship between Volgograd and the United Kingdom's Coventry, which is located in the central county of West Midlands. The two cities bonded during World War II, as both suffered atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. Numerous municipalities worldwide followed the example set by Coventry and former Stalingrad, giving impetus to the twin city movement.
Sister Cities International is a US-based global organization. It has established more than 2,000 partnerships between cities in 146 countries. About 60 Russian and 70 US cities have sister relations.
