Duhok & Gainesville

Gainesville and Duhok became friendly municipalities in 2006, but it wasn’t until 2020, when the resolution document was signed by both mayors, that the relationship became an official sister-city relationship.

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Since 2006

Gainesville and Duhok have been linked since 2006, when then Mayor of Gainesville, Pegeen Hanrahan, and then Mayor of Duhok, Tamar Fattah, established this sister city partnership.

“We are honored to start this partnership between our communities…”

Tamar Fattah, 2006

On March 8th, 2021, Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe met with Duhok’s new Governor, Ali Tatar, in a virtual ceremony to renew the initiative, re-sign the official resolution documents, and celebrate the many activities and cultural exchanges we have embarked upon thus har.

Official Resolution Document

Memorandum of Understanding

Exchanges & Delegations

The Director of the Gainesville/Duhok sister city program, Mrs.Bahar Armaghani has successfully brought 17 students to Gainesville to experience different projects around Gainesville and get hosted by families in the city.

Get to know Mrs. Bahar Armaghani
Ali Tatar
Governor of Duhok

Lauren Poe - Wikipedia
Lauren Poe
Mayor of Gainesville

Duhok-Gainesville Sister City Program Committees

  • Education committee
  • Health committee
  • Tourism committee
  • Business and economic committee
  • Cultural committee
  • Sustainable development committee

Projects and Infrastructure

Current projects

Creation of new website with Gainesville, Florida students working with students from Duhok.

Future projects

Travel to Duhok with students.

Cultural exchanges

Duhok students came to Gainesville to study and participate in different projects. This has been the biggest project to date.

Infrastructure

Duhok has several universities, Technical Institutes and The American University of Kurdistan based in Duhok.

Stories

“Good Words, Good thoughts, Good Deeds” also known as “Be Good, Think Good, Do Good”

Sheni speaking on Duhok’s historic Zoroastrian religion.

“We brought 17 students from Duhok high school and middle school to Gainesville. They experienced the city through projects. It was great.”

Mrs. Bahar Armaghani