BREST, Jul 1 (BelTA/APP): Brest and Kyrgyzstan’s Karakol have become sister cities. This decision was formalized at a ceremony on 1 July, BelTA learned from the Brest City Executive Committee.
A delegation led by Brest Mayor Sergei Lobodinsky is in Kyrgyzstan to take part in the celebration of Karakol City Day. During the visit, a sister-city agreement between Brest and Karakol was signed by Sergei Lobodinsky and Karakol Mayor Kanybek Adiev. The document formalized the cities’ plans to build relations, mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, science, technology and culture and to strengthen friendship between the peoples of Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
“Brest and Karakol, despite the distance, have a shared goal of promoting cultural exchange, mutual understanding and human contacts. Our cities have long-standing traditions and are proud of their kind-hearted people. We are confident that this partnership will act like a strong bridge between Belarus and Kyrgyzstan,” said Sergei Lobodinsky. He noted that the two cities are located near the border, have a rich cultural legacy and are known for their diverse populations and peaceful coexistence of various cultures,” he added.
In Karakol, the Belarusian delegation joined an international ethnic festival and took part in the opening of a zoo. As a token of friendship, one of the animals – a male llama – was named after Brest.
In June 2025, Brest signed sister-city agreements with Omsk during the visit of a Russian delegation to Belarus and with Astrakhan during the Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia. All in all, Brest has more than 30 sister cities in various parts of Europe and Asia.