Debrecen4U September 24, 2026

Debrecen to Gain Twin City in Kazakhstan

Last week, we reported that Debrecen had signed a sister-city agreement with the municipality of Kharkiv in Ukraine. The agreement entered into force following a supporting decision by the Debrecen General Assembly on Thursday. As the first step in the sister-city relationship with Kharkiv, children from the Ukrainian city have arrived in Debrecen, where arrangements have been made for them to enjoy a holiday and some rest. Mayor László Papp also said that Debrecen could provide assistance to its Ukrainian sister city in the form of used buses.

The General Assembly unanimously decided today that Debrecen will sign a twinning agreement with Shymkent in Kazakhstan. Located near the border with Uzbekistan, the Shymkent has held a special status known as “city of republican significance” since 2018. With a population of more than 1.2 million, the city is the third-largest in the country and an important economic, cultural and transport hub. A favourable geographical location, particularly its proximity to Tashkent, has shaped its trade and regional relations for centuries.

Debrecen will therefore have 24 sister cities: Brno (Czech Republic), Cattolica (Italy), Jyväskylä (Finland), Klaipėda (Lithuania), County Limerick (Ireland), Lublin (Poland), Moscow (Russia), Oradea (Romania), New Brunswick (USA), Ningde (China), Paderborn (Germany), Patras (Greece), Rishon LeZion (Israel), Setúbal (Portugal), Shumen (Bulgaria), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Syktyvkar (Russia), Taitung (Taiwan), Tianjin (China), Toluca (Mexico), Tongliao (China), Târgu Mureș (Romania), Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Shymkent (Kazakhstan) – the agreement with the latter will be signed at a later date.

You can read about the mutual benefits of twin city relationships here.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu