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City and County of Denver

Human Rights and Community Partnerships

Heidi Rodríguez, Public Information Officer

C: 720-948-4645

E: hrcppio@denvergov.org

Denver and Dnipro Sign Historic Friendship City Agreement

Leaders from both cities sign partnership to strengthen cultural, civic, and international ties

Denver, CO — The City and County of Denver, through Denver Human Rights & Community Partnerships (HRCP), is proud to announce the signing of a Friendship City Agreement between Denver and the city of Dnipro, Ukraine. This marks Denver’s first Friendship City partnership since 2017.

The agreement was officially signed this morning by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov during a hybrid ceremony attended by representatives from Denver Sister Cities International (DSCI), Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO), HRCP, the Denver-Dnipro Friendship Committee, and Ukrainians of Colorado.

“Some of the strongest bonds between cities are built not through geography, but through shared values and the determination of the people who call them home,” said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. “Denver is honored to establish this Friendship City relationship with Dnipro, and we look forward to building lasting connections between our communities, learning from one another, and strengthening the ties that bring people together across borders.”

The Friendship City Agreement creates a foundation for future collaboration between Denver and Dnipro through cultural exchange, civic engagement, and community partnerships. The agreement also represents an important first step toward the potential development of a formal Sister City relationship.

“This agreement is a reflection of the work of Ukrainians of Colorado and our partners at DSCI and in Dnipro,” said Mark Dillen, Chair, Denver-Dnipro Friendship Committee. “We thank Mayor Johnston, Mayor Filatov and their respective city governments for supporting this launch. Together with DSCI, we look forward to working with the citizens of our two great cities to broaden and deepen our growing connections.”

Denver Sister Cities International, which supports Denver’s global partnerships and citizen diplomacy efforts, connects Denver with approximately 20 million people across its 10 global partnership cities through cultural exchanges, youth leadership programs, humanitarian initiatives, and citizen diplomacy. In 2025 alone, DSCI organized and hosted 31 cultural exchanges, facilitated seven official delegations between Denver and partner cities, coordinated five student exchange programs involving 48 young ambassadors, and completed two humanitarian initiatives focused on medical partnerships and international assistance.

“The signing of this Friendship City agreement marks an important step in strengthening the ties between Denver and Dnipro,” said Riccardo Mazzeo, Chairman, Denver Sister Cities International. “Through cultural exchange, educational collaboration, economic engagement, and people-to-people connections, we reaffirm our shared commitment to international friendship, mutual understanding, and cooperation. Denver Sister Cities International is honored to help facilitate this partnership and looks forward to fostering meaningful relationships between our two communities for years to come.”

For more than 75 years, HRCP and Denver Sister Cities International have partnered to foster cross-cultural understanding and build meaningful connections that strengthen communities at home and abroad.

About HRCP: At Denver Human Rights & Community Partnerships, we are dedicated to protecting the human and civil rights of our community through advocacy, partnerships, and direct support. At the heart of our work is inclusiveness, building a Denver where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered.

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