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County of Santa Clara/Ukraine Citizens Diplomacy Commission

The commissioners of the County of Santa Clara/Ukraine Citizens’ Diplomacy Commission work to foster art, culture and education exchanges through citizen-to-citizen diplomacy. 

The County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors officially changed the name of the commission, from County of Santa Clara/Moscow Commission to the new Ukraine Citizens’ Diplomacy Commission, on October 8, 2024. This action followed the Board’s resolution on March 2, 2022, ending the relationship between the County of Santa Clara and the governments of the City and Region of Moscow. The resolution condemned all actions by the Russian government against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. 

In 2023 and 2024, the commission broadened its global connections to include Ukraine and began hosting Ukrainian delegations funded by grants from the U.S. Congressional Office of International Leadership (COIL) Open World Program. The commission had previously established a connection with the Open World Program, having received six COIL grants in past years to host delegations from Moscow.

The commission, established in 1994, is composed of 15 members appointed by the Board of Supervisors, with a term of three years.

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