SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) has welcomed the Willoughby City Council’s decision to elevate their Friendship City relationship with Yerevan, Armenia, to a Sister City status.
In April 2025, the ANC-AU formally submitted a proposal to Willoughby City Council, supported by letters from the Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (AYF) and Hamazkaine Armenian Educational & Cultural Society, to elevate the Friendship City relationship to a Sister City Relationship.
The proposal was reinforced through a series of meetings led by ANC-AU Political Affairs Director, Mr Sebastian Majarian, with councillors in July and August, to highlight the initiative’s significance for the local Armenian-Australian community.
At a Council meeting on 25 August 2025, a motion moved by Mayor Tanya Taylor was carried, stating: “That Council elevates Yerevan (Armenia) from a Friendship City to a Sister City, effective immediately, and works with the Armenian National Committee, Armenian Community Welfare Centre, Armenian Relief Society, and other relevant organisations to strengthen and grow this relationship.”
The motion was strongly supported by all Councillors, including Cr. Anna Greco and Cr. Robert Samual who spoke in support of the expansion of this relationship.
On 29 September, 2025, Mayor Taylor penned a letter to Yerevan’s mayor, Mr Tigran Avinyan, outlining the council’s decision to elevate Yerevan to a Sister City relationship. In the letter, Taylor wrote that, “this decision reflects the deep and enduring contribution of the Armenian community to life in Willoughby.
The Armenian National Committee of Australia formally wrote to all members of the Willoughby City Council expressing the community’s appreciation and gratitude for their support.
Armenian National Committee of Australia Political Affairs Director Sebastian Majarian said: "We welcome this decision from Council, which shows a deep appreciation for the contributions Armenian-Australians have made in Willoughby and a willingness to enhance people-to-people ties with our homeland.”
According to Willoughby City Council’s Sister City and Friendship City Policy, a Friendship City agreement is generally less formal in nature, often focused on a specific area of a community or region, with a single goal or target in mind. In contrast, a Sister City relationship represents a more formal and long-term collaboration between two cities, encompassing broader and ongoing exchanges.
