SONOMA-KANIV SISTER CITY COMMITTEE

Kaniv is a beautiful city in the Ukraine, in the Cherkasy Oblast or province. It is a port city on the Dnieper River, which is now the Kaniv Reservoir. From the middle 12th to middle 14th centuries, Kaniv was an important trade center on the Dnieper route to Constantinople. The city’s history is rich with princes, military and culture. It is the burial site of Taras Schevchenko, the great Ukrainian poet and artist.

On August 24, 1991, Ukraine was the first Republic to declare its independence from the Soviet Union, establishing itself as a free nation. This action led others to declare their independence, thus ending the Cold War. Sister cities, such as Kaniv, could now make exchanges and contribute to these new relationships, opening the gate of freedom.

Kaniv is known as the Humanitarian Capitol of the Ukraine. The town's people are involved in some interesting programs, such as the student exchange program and the "Lions in Sight", which takes place under the direction of Dr. Wayne Cannon, where he examines the eyes of over 2,500 children and adults in Kaniv. He even provides free eyeglasses to those in need. The town of Kaniv received an award from the Reader's Digest Foundation for their many humanitarian activities.

Today, with a population of about 29,000, Kaniv is a cultural center with educational, vocational-technical schools and museums of folk art. Preserving their rich history, Kaniv welcomes visitors to Saint George’s Cathedral, the Kaniv Musuem-Preserve, the Kaniv Nature and Historical Reserve and numerous archeological sites.

The Sonoma-Kaniv Sister City Committee operates under the auspices of the Sonoma Sister Cities Association (SSCA), a registered nonprofit organization (SASC federal tax identification: 68-018056).