Washougal explores ‘sister city’ partnership in Poland

A sister-city partnership between Washougal and a community in southern Poland is coming into focus.

Washougal City Manager David Scott told council members during their meeting on Monday, Jan. 9, that the officials in Zielonki, Poland, have “enthusiastically endorsed” Washougal’s efforts to establish a long-distance affiliation between the two communities. 

Zielonki, located north of Poland’s capital city of Warsaw, has about 23,000 residents.

“We have a willing partner,” Scott said. “In fact, they have created a coordinating committee, which is anticipating getting in front of their full council this month, so that’s very encouraging. They’re going to probably get quite formal with their endorsement and do a resolution, which is something that we would do eventually. We’re waiting to hear from them (about) when they’ll have a conversation with their full council. Assuming that endorsement happens, then things could really begin to (move forward).”

Washougal Mayor David Stuebe said during an October 2022 workshop session that the partnership is “a great opportunity” for the City.

“They’re kind of like us, the same size and the same issues that they’re dealing with,” he added. “(A sister-city arrangement would be) a great way to meet new people, open up communication and share new ideas. It’s really exciting.”

A sister-city relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. The city of Camas has enjoyed sister-city arrangements with three cities in Poland — Krapkowice, Morawica and Zabierzow — for many years.

Zielonki is planning to send a contingent of representatives to Washougal in April, according to Scott.

“They would come here around the time of a parallel visit with cities in Poland that are sister cities with Camas,” Scott said. “They’re coming over for what I think is being termed as a ‘leader’s tour.’ The term that we’ve kind of started to use as a working term for the Zielonki group coming to see us in Washougal is a ‘study’ tour, for lack of a better term, or an ‘exploratory’ tour. We may be hosting some new friends in our community in April, and we will be looking to facilitate that (visit) and have a program of activities for them (to enjoy). And we’ll need some hosts.”

Scott said that Zielonki officials are “also very interested in the school facet of the partnership and an English language camp.”

“I think the school program and the English language camp has been a really big success for Camas and the partner communities,” Scott said. “(Camas) students and school district staff go (to the sister city and participate in a) camp with students from that area. Our new friends in Zielonki have already identified a cool place that they have in their community to have an English language camp.”

Zielonki has also invited Washougal city leaders to send a delegation its way later this year, Scott said.

“They extended a very gracious invitation to us to send a delegation in either in June or in September, and they were citing different activities that happen at those times of the year as being a great opportunity to come and engage with them,” Scott said. “I think it’s important to point out that if that (trip happens), it’s privately funded. That trip is not publicly funded for whoever would be participating on our side. In Camas, that’s also true, although they do have a nonprofit that does some fundraising that can be supportive to those that participate in the trip, but it’s privately funded. It’s not travel that’s on the city’s dime.”

Scott said that the makeup of the Washougal delegation — city officials, members of the general public, or a mix of both — that would travel to Poland has yet to be determined. 

 “We are still very early in the process and have not discussed in detail the composition of a traveling delegation or host families, nor the nature of our program if they do visit, including opportunities for the community to engage,” Scott told the Post-Record. “As we get further into the process we’ll bring these things into more focus and we’ll share information.”

Council member David Fritz asked Scott during the Jan. 9 meeting about the potential economic benefits that could result from such a partnership.

“I think that’s integral to the purpose (of the sister city program),” Scott replied. “Whether that ends up with an investment by a U.S. business there or vice versa, that’s another question. But absolutely economic development (is key). And potentially, you could have participation from business leaders. I’m not sure, exactly, but I believe there’s been some of that with Camas.”