Bari starts twinning with Ukrainian city Mykolaiv

BARI, 07 MAY – Italy and Ukraine are even closer after the signing of the letter of intent which starts the process for twinning between the cities of Bari and Mykolaiv. The initials to the document were added this morning, on the day the celebrations for Saint Nicholas begin, in the headquarters of the Municipality of Bari, by the two mayors, Antonio Decaro and Oleksandr Syenkevych. With them, among others, also the consul general of Ukraine in Naples, Maksym Kovalenko, and the mayors of other cities to which the Apulian capital is linked by close friendships and devotion to Saint Nicholas. “I wanted to open the days of celebration in honor of the Patron Saint with the mayors with whom we share a twinning in the name of San Nicola – said Decaro – therefore a heritage of values, traditions and history”. “Saint Nicholas – he added – is the saint of everyone, of anyone who recognizes themselves in his values. We are fortunate enough to keep his relics in Bari. Saint Nicholas unites people in the name of hospitality and peace”. The letter of intent marks the beginning of a collaboration in honor of the Saint in the hope, explained Decaro, that “it can inspire a message of peace for all countries affected by war”. Ukrainian mayor Syenkevych said that his city “managed to stop the invasion in southern Ukraine. In the first year of the war we were bombed for 265 days, 165 people died and we have buildings destroyed, even if no one remained killed inside them. We think that it was Saint Nicholas who protected our city.” At the end of the meeting the two mayors exchanged some gifts. Decaro gave him the traditional Apulian pumo, his counterpart gave him a book and a painting which portrays “one of the beautiful sunsets of our city”. (HANDLE).