Eight high school students from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine and two chaperones will be arriving in October for a visit to ARLINGTON at the invitation of the ASCA Ivano-FrankivskCommittee. This is the second such visit to Arlington by students from Ivano-Frankivsk.

We are looking for host families for these young people from Wednesday evening, October 8 through the morning of Saturday, Oct 19.

The group consists of seven girls and one boy. They will be accompanied by two female chaperons.

We are also interested in volunteers to help with planning the activities for the visit.

A reciprocal visit to Ivano-Frankivsk will follow hopefully in the summer of 2015.

To volunteer or to be a host family please contact:

Mary Beth Zimmerman
mbzarl@gmail.com

click here to read

On a recent visit to Reims, our sister city relationship was renewed, and our 10 year anniversary celebrated!

On May 5, 2014, members of the Arlington Sister City Association Board of Directors hosted a 20th anniversary event focused on community building.

We reached out into the community to find people who were not familiar with ASCA or who might, as a result of their expertise, guide us into our next decade, a stronger and more influential organization.

The event was held at the Arlington Arts Center. The program was led by Master of Ceremonies Carl Lankowski, who inaugurated the ASCA Online Oral History Archive.  Brief statements were made by Arlington County Board Member Walter Tejada, former Miss Sister City Cindy Zavala; Aachen Exchange founder Heidi Addison and ASCA Chairman, Malcolm Phillips.

We were honored to have the following dignitaries with us, who also made brief statements to the enthusiastic crowd: Jay Fisette, Chairman, Arlington County Board;  Daniel Serwer, US diplomat and author; Counselor Stanislav Yezhov, Embassy of Ukraine; Consul General of France, Olivier Serot-Almeras;  Minister-Counselor Karl Bergner,  Embassy of Germany; and Deputy Chief of Mission, Oscar Chavez, Embassy of El Salvador.

Photos of the event can be viewed by clicking here. (Johannes Markus, photographer)

We value all of our members and friends across the area and in this 20th year, are committed to reaching across borders to connect our community, person-by-person, in an enriching network of experience, illumination, and insight. Please help us by joining or renewing your membership, or making a donation by visiting the membership section of website.

Join the Columbia Pike Library and the Arlington Sister City Association — Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine) Committee to learn more about Ukraine and part of its long history with Russia.

Sunday, June 3 at Columbia Pike Library , 816 S Walter Reed Dr., Arlington, VA 22201,

703-228-5710

Directed by Slavko Nowytski, this film documents the Ukrainian terror famine of 1932–33, which caused the deaths of 7,000,000 people. Using interviews with survivors and scholars to supplement rare photographic evidence, it established that the terror famine was deliberately created by the Soviet Government as part of Stalin’s decades-long effort to destroy the Ukrainian peasantry, who resisted the forced collectivization of their lands. Since its original release, it has received many international awards (including an Academy Award nomination) and has been featured on William F. Buckley’s Firing Line program on the PBS television network. A powerful film, Harvest of Despair provides rare insight into one of the last century’s least-known genocides.

Presented by Columbia Pike Library and the Arlington Sister City Association — Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine) Committee

WHAT: Screening of the documentary “Son of Crimea: Struggle of A People,” in observance of the 70^th anniversary of the Crimean Tatar deportation.

WHEN: 18 May 2014, 3-5 pm

WHERE: George Mason University, Arlington Campus, Founders Hall Auditorium

ORGANIZED BY: Arlington Sister City Association, Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine) Committee; in cooperation with International Committee for Crimea, Inc., Washington DC

DESCRIPTION: On May 18, 1944, the Soviet government exiled the entire Crimean Tatar population from the

ir historic homeland. Accused of cooperation with the occupying Nazi forces during World War II, they were sent to Central Asia and the Urals. This 2013  documentary tells the story of the Crimean Tatars’ arduous journey during deportation, unsanitary conditions in cattle wagons used to transport them, and the misery awaiting the deportees in places of exile.  The legendary Crimean Tatar leader and a well-known Soviet dissident, Mustafa Jemilev was only six months old, when his family survived the 22-day journey. Eye-witnesses describe their personal loss and ordeal with the authorities. Commentators explain the real reasons for deporting the entire population of Crimean Tatars:  eliminating the Tatar element from Crimea. Yet, Crimean Tatars survived and managed to retur

n to their homeland with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

DOCUMENTARY: “Son of Crimea: Struggle of A People,” produced by TRT (Turkish Radio and Television), 60 minutes, with English subtitles and narration. (Original dialog is mostly in Crimean Tatar and Russian.)

DISCUSSION: After the screening, comments by Idil Izmirli of George Mason University, specialist on Crimea;  and Paul Goble, analyst and editor of “Window on Eurasia.” Followed by Q&A.

MODERATOR: Maria Sonevytsky.

The Soviet Story:  a 2008 documentary film about Soviet Communism and Soviet–German collaboration before 1941 written and directed by Edvīns Šnore and sponsored by the UEN Group in the European Parliament.

FREE ADMISSION! Click here for Details

Organized by the Arlington Sister City Association-Ivano-Frankivsk Committee