Ukrainian City Joins Vista in Program to Bridge Gap

Drogobych, a city in the Ukraine region of the Soviet Union, has been selected as Vista’s sister city under a program that pairs communities in the United States with Russian towns of comparable size and climate.

The match-up, announced by City Councilman Lloyd Von Haden on Wednesday, comes despite opposition from the rest of the Vista City Council and a handful of residents, who contend that such a partnership would, among other things, fuel “the Russian propaganda machine” and threaten American national security.

But Von Haden, along with other proponents of the pairing, views the sister city concept as one small gesture “that might bridge the gap between the superpowers.”

Arranged by the nonpartisan Ground Zero Pairing Project of Portland, Ore., the agreement paves the way for Vista to initiate contact with Drogobych in an effort to exchange ideas and information. Under the program, cities exchange “community portraits,” which include letters, photographs and other items that provide insights into the city and its population.

Von Haden and a handful of Vista residents have worked to secure a Soviet partner for Vista since September, despite the City Council’s refusal to endorse the project. Von Haden said Drogobych is a wine-producing city of 68,000 with a climate similar to Vista’s.

The Ground Zero Pairing Project was founded in 1982 and has arranged partnerships for more than 1,100 U.S. and Canadian cities, including Escondido and San Diego. The group’s motto describes its mission: “Make the first strike a knock at the door.”