Sister City Agreement of Collaboration Between City of Ejmiatsin (Republic of Armenia) and Town of Yarmouth
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REQUEST FOR DECISION SUBJECT: Sister City Agreement of Collaboration between City of Ejmiatsin (Republic of Armenia) and Town of Yarmouth RECOMMENDATION: It a recommended that the Town of Yarmouth enter into a Sister City Agreement of Collaboration with the City of Ejmiatsin, Repubic of Armenia. It is also recommended that the Town establish a Sister City Advisory Committee to identify the areas of collaboration between the two organizations and citizens. CAO Comments: REPORT/DOCUMENT Attached DETAILS Key Concept/Issue Defined The Town adopted a Twinning/Sister Cities Policy on February 13, 2020 in support of future Sister Cities initiatives. 2019 marked the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Red Cross nurse Sara Corning, a native of Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia in the city of Constantinople with 250 other relief workers, and over the next 11 years she helped rescue and care for thousands of Armenian and Greek orphans, often risking her life in the process. The Yarmouth Sara Corning Society with support from the Town of Yarmouth had projects underway in Yarmouth to bring greater recognition to Sara Corning, including the unveiling of a bronze statue of Sara with two small children on the Museum grounds, a dramatization of her life of service, and the establishment of a nursing scholarship in her name at the Yarmouth campus of the Dalhousie University School of Nursing. The Town of Yarmouth reached out to the H.E. Mrs. Anahit Harutyunyan, The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Canada, Ottawa, Ontario with an expression of interest for the establishment of a "sister city" relationship between Yarmouth and a town of similar size around or near the Armenian capital city of Yerevan, or the city of Etchmiadzin. The Town of Yarmouth, Mayor Pam Mood, expressed that a "sister city relationship would strengthen the already strong bond between Yarmouth, the Province of Nova Scotia, and Canada with the Republic of Armenia." The H.E. Mrs. Anahit Harutyunyan, The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Canada confirmed Armenia's willingness to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with the Town of Yarmouth, and identified the City of Ejmiatsin (www.ejmiatsin.am), population of 59,311, a member city of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (2007) known as a spiritual and cultural centre. A sample Agreement of Collaboration and a Community Profile of the City of Ejmiatsin (see attached) has been provided to the Town for consideration of entering into a Sister City Collaboration Agreement. Relevant Policies, By-laws and Legislation: Twinning/Sister Cities Policy ToY 51 - https://www.townofyarmouth.ca/town-hall/policies.html Strategic Relevance: The Sister City Agreement of Collaboration with the City of Ejmiatsin is in keeping with the vision outlined in the Town's Integrated Community Sustainability Plan and the goals of the Twinning/Sister Cities Policy. Twinning/Sisters City Policy Goals are: 2.1 To create a global network of social community and economic relationships that will enhance the quality of life of Town residents. 2.2 To expand and enhance cultural diversity and awareness. 2.3 To create international awareness of Town’s assets. 2.4 To advance international understanding, goodwill and peace for future generations. Desired Outcomes: To establish a Sister City relationship between the City of Ejmiatsin in the Republic of Armenia and the Town of Yarmouth. Response Options: a) Approval b) Reject c) Refer back to staff with direction for more information IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION General: Organizational: To establish a Sister City Advisory Committee, appointed by Council made of up members from the community at large and Council with support from the CAO's office. A Terms of Reference for a Sister City Advisory Committee would need to be developed to support the activities of the Sister City Agreement with the City of Ejmiatsin and the Town of Yarmouth. Financial Budget to be identified. Follow-Up Actions: Establish a Sister City Advisory Committee Establish budget for 2020/21 Activities. Co-ordinate the signing of the Sister City Agreement of Collaboration with the City of Ejmiatsin. Communication: Use town communication methods and channels as required. Other Comments Submitted by: Economic Development Officer AGREEMENT OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF EJMIATSIN (REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA) AND THE CITY OF______________________________ Taking into consideration the will to develop mutually beneficial relations between the city of Ejmiatsin (Republic of Armenia) and the city of ________________, taking into account the fact that the friendly relations between the residents of two cities have laid the foundation of the collaboration between the organizations and citizens of the cities of Ejmiatsin and ____________ and has contributed to the realization of the joint projects, following the aim to continue and develop the relations between the cities of Ejmiatsin and ____________, aiming at strengthening the friendly relations between Armenia and _____________, realising the fact that by developing and strengthening social-economic and cultural relations, the Parties will contribute to the peace and mutual understanding, as well as to the development of relations in various spheres between Armenia and __________, the cities of Ejmiatsin (Republic of Armenia) and _________________, hereinafter Parties, agreed as follows: Article 1 The Parties intend to collaborate in the following fields: culture, education and science, health care and social security, local government, ecology, economy and investment activity, urban economy, sport, tourism, information technologies. To assist and support the establishment of further direct relations in different areas between urban institutions, organizations, non-governmental organizations, companies and specialists. Article 2 The Parties are obliged to coordinate and confirm particular projects of collaboration every year by regular exchange of letters. Article 3 To realize the exchange of city delegations and establish further relations between the official representatives of two cities. Article 4 To realize the exchange of the best practice of successful projects between the populations and bodies of local self-government (Municipalities) of the Parties. Article 5 To support and develop mutually beneficial practical, commercial relations, contribute to the mutual visits of business delegations and realization of mutually beneficial economic relations. Article 6 To make a regular monitoring of the execution of the Agreement by the exchange of letters or by mutual visits. Article 7 The Agreement will be effective on the day of its signing. Neither party may make changes and additions in the Agreement without of the written consent of the other. Each party has the right to terminate the Agreement by giving a 6 month’s prior written notice to the other Party. Article 8 The Agreement is executed in two originals: in Armenian and English. The two texts are equivalent. Signed on --------, in the city of ___________________. From the city of Ejmiatsin From the city of ____________ ____________________ ____________________ Mayor of Ejmiatsin Mayor of _______________ Diana Gasparyan ____________________ Country, Province: RA, Province of Armavir Mayor: Diana Gasparyan Area: 4424 ha. Population: 59311 Distance: 18 km far from Yerevan (22 minutes), 8 km (8 minutes) far from Zvatrnots Airport Climate: The average temperature in January is – 4.80 C, in July + 25.50 C Telephone area code: +374(231) Postal Index: 1101 E-mail: [email protected] Official Web Site: www.ejmiatsin.am Ejmiatsin, the spiritual centre of All Armenians, is one of the ancient settlements of the Armenian people. The first written record about Ejmiatsin dates back to King Rusa II of Urartu. According to the cuneiform inscriptions found at Zvartnots, the area of Ejmiatsin was originally called Quarliny, where Rusa II (685-645 BC) laid a canal from the Ildoruny (Hrazdan) river. A century later, Vardges Manook, the son-in-law of Armenian King Yervand Sakavakyats (570-560 BC), built a large settlement in the same area and named it Vardgesavan. Later Arshakunian King Vagharsh I (117-140) fortified the settlement, and renamed it Vagharshapat proclaiming it as the capital city of Armenia. During the Armeno-Roman wars, when the Armenian capital of Artashat was being destroyed, Vagharshapat was again proclaimed as the capital city bearing name Kainepolice (New Town). Vagharshapat used to have the role of the capital city as a royal residence till the end of the Arshakuni dynasty rule (428). The fame of the city became greater after the adoption of Christianity as a state religion (301). Agatangeghos wrote that Gregory the Illuminator saw a vision in which Jesus Christ (''miatsin''- the only son of God) descended from the heaven (''ej”- descent) (from here comes the name Ejmiatsin), and with a golden hammer pointed the place where ''a house of prayer'' was to be built in honor of the martyrdom of the Saint Hripsimian virgins. Abiding by God’s instructions, there Gregory the Illuminator built Mother See of Holy Ejmiatsin, the first Christian church of Armenia. Later the city was named EJMIATSIN. As the religious centre of Armenia, Ejmiatsin held significant spiritual and cultural importance in the country. It was here that the first school, matenadaran and seminary were founded. Here Mesrop Mashtots and Sahak Partev founded the first Armenian school. It was here in Ejmiatsin that Armenia's first printing house (1771), paper