Amid the war between Russia and Ukraine, an East Tennessee town is changing its relations with the people of both nations.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is a sister city to Obninsk, Russia, leading collaborations and visitor exchanges between the cities. Both have been centers for nuclear energy research, with Oak Ridge home to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Obninsk to the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering.
Sister Cities wait
The nonprofit organization Sister Cities International promotes partnerships between cities in different countries and traces its origins back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s post-World War II efforts to promote citizen diplomacy.