Odesa oblast – is the region that absorbed the European spirit, created multi-ethnic and multicultural world. European traditions have deep historical roots and can influence the activity and consciousness of modern generations. During the years of Ukraine's independence the decentralization of international cultural cooperation, the emergence of a significant number of civic organizations gave an opportunity to reach a qualitatively new level of international relations. The Odesa oblast is a member of five European organizations and the Lower Danube Euroregion; takes part in dozens of European programs and UN Development Program. Three districts in Odesa oblast, one district of Odesa, 16 cities and towns have the friendship or cooperation agreements with 48 cities in 15 countries, and Odesa has 23 sister cities, 1 compact of intent and 16 partners from 30 countries. Of course, not all relationships are equally active. They are characterized by their rhythms, activity peaks and recessions. Public, private organizations and individuals are increasingly becoming carriers of ideas of cultural diplomacy, developing cultural, educational, environmental and tourism directions of cooperation with international organizations, twin cities. Combining the efforts of all participants in international cooperation allows solving the main goals of cultural diplomacy: raising awareness of Ukraine; forming a positive image of our country and its values, attracting foreign investments and political partners to solve urgent problems. At the same time, we are faced with the problems of the novelty of this area of activity, namely, the absence of a strategy in practical terms, both by the state and local self-government bodies. The practice of interregional and municipal partnership requires further research.
In today's conditions of active growth of the non-government parties' participation in international relations and fast development of the municipal partnership, the issues of identification, analysis and generalization of the source base of the formation of a complex phenomenon of twin cities as participants of the international cooperation are becoming of paramount importance. The article analyzes the source base of the process of formation, development and modern state of twin and partner relations of Odessa, as well as international cooperation of Odessa Region in the second half of the XXth - beginning of the XXIth centuries. The basis of the source for the study consists of published and unpublished archival materials which are stored in the archives of the Union of Soviet Friendship and Cultural Relations with foreign countries, the Association of Soviet and Foreign Cities, the regional and city committees of the Communist Party of Ukraine, the archives of regional and state administrations, city councils and city executive committees, archives of local authorities of twin and partner cities. The second group of sources is represented by materials from periodicals containing reports on exchanges of delegations, joint events, speeches by members of delegations of twin cities. A separate group of sources consists of journalistic publications, materials from the Internet portals, information resources, which quickly covers the news and expert opinions on cultural, educational and other international events, the establishment of twin/partner relations and the development of the international volunteer movement. In general, the source base is wide and diverse and quite sufficient for a comprehensive analysis and comprehensive coverage of the international cooperation of Odessa Region during the specified period. Large-scale complex of archival documents that are stored in the State Archives of the Odessa Region, the Department of Archival Affairs of the Odessa City Council and departmental archives of the region are required further scientific
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