Lord Mayor welcomes young visitors from twin city Zaporizhzhia

A group of young people from Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, Birmingham's twin city, has spent a week in Birmingham as guests of local families, welcomed at the Council House by the Lord Mayor.

The visitors, aged 12 to 17, met the Lord Mayor, Councillor Zaker Choudhry, on 16 September and toured the Council House before visiting Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

A week away from the war

Growing up against the backdrop of Russia's continuing war against Ukraine, the young people were given the chance to step away from the pressures of daily life, experience Birmingham and make new friends. Their programme included civic, educational and cultural activities, a trip to London and Parliament, and days out to historic places.

The visit was organised by the Bosnia and Herzegovina UK Network with Birmingham City Council and Zaporizhzhia City Council. Host families across Birmingham welcomed the young people into their homes.

A welcome passed on

At the heart of the project is a city welcome being handed from one generation to the next. In the 1990s, survivors of the Bosnian genocide found safety in Birmingham. Three decades on, the network that community founded, based at Bosnia House, recruited the host families and coordinated the visit.

"This visit shows Birmingham at its best - our council, voluntary organisations, families and communities working together to offer friendship, support and a warm welcome," said the Lord Mayor.

Dr Anes Cerić, Honorary Consul of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Midlands and chief executive of the network, said that thirty years ago Birmingham had opened its doors to Bosnians forced from their homes by war. "Now we have an opportunity to extend that same welcome to young people from Ukraine," he said.

The group was due to fly home on Saturday 19 September.