On December 3, 2019, during their regular business meeting, the St. Mary’s County commissioners signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the chairman of the Maryland Estonia Exchange Council, Tovi Tagamets, to enter into a partnership of sister counties between St. Mary’s County and the Association of Local Authority Pärnu County.

According to the memorandum, the agreement will allow for the “exploration of opportunities to cultivate a greater understanding of each other, raise cross-cultural awareness between both cities and generally advance their friendship. Furthermore, we will work together toward sharing information and creative endeavors between St. Mary’s County and the Association of Local Authorities of Pärnumaa.”

Commissioner President Randy Guy said, “This is a unique opportunity for St. Mary’s County, and we are proud to enter into this agreement.”

The partnership is one of many similar arrangements between other counties in Maryland and Estonia. It is the culmination of several months of work between representatives from St. Mary’s County and the Maryland Exchange Council.

Pärnu County is one of 15 counties of Estonia and is in the south-western part of the country.

For more information about the Maryland Estonia Exchange Council, visit their website.

The special relationship between Estonia and Maryland started in the early 1990s as part of the NATO Partnership for Peace Program at the end of the Cold War, according to the council’s website.