Erbil, Nashville officially become sister cities
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Governor of Erbil, Omed Khoshnaw, and the Mayor of Nashville, John Cooper, signed a sisterhood agreement between Erbil and Nashville on Saturday in the presence of a number of political figures from the Kurdistan Region and the United States.
Both the Erbil governor and Nashville mayor delivered a speech at the ceremony.
“It’s a historic day for Nashville… This is a unique relationship, bringing two diverse cities closer together to have a profound impact on our community because the bond between Nashville and Erbil transcends geographical boundaries and it fosters cultural understanding,” Cooper said.
Nashville's mayor also stated that through the sister cities, residents of both cities have the opportunity to experience the rich tapestry of each other’s cultures.
“Hopefully this partnership will open doors for economic collaboration and businesses from Nashville and Erbil will find common ground to export to new markets,” he reaffirmed and added that "tourism between the two cities will flourish.”
Moreover, the Erbil governor conveyed the greetings of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to the Kurdish diaspora in Nashville.
"The process of signing this sisterhood agreement has been ongoing since 2014, but we both decided last year to sign it," stated Khoshnaw.
He also hoped that the agreement would facilitate trade between the two countries, as well as benefit the cultural, educational, health, and artistic sectors.
Furthermore, Cooper in May also visited the Kurdistan Region and thanked the Kurdish leadership for their hospitality at the end of his visit.
Read More: Nashville Mayor John Cooper: We have so much to benefit from a direct relationship with Kurdistan
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Representative to the US, Treefa Aziz, also attended the event. She told Kurdistan 24 “It’s a historic event joining our two people Nashville and Erbil and I’m looking very forward to helping and assisting and facilitating as the program goes forward.”
Erbil, Nashville sister cities signing ceremony ‘historic event’, Treefa Aziz, the KRG representative in the US, told Kurdistan 24
— Kurdistan 24 English (@K24English) September 9, 2023
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