SEPTEMBER 13, 2026 — The city council of Oxford, Ohio has officially approved a new commemorative burgee-shaped city flag to mark an upcoming diplomatic visit from its sister city of Dubno, Ukraine, says 91.7 WVXU.
According to additional reporting by the Oxford Free Press, the new design was selected following a public survey where it secured 157 out of 257 total votes among the finalist options presented to community members. Conceived by Assistant City Manager Jessica Greene and created by designer Alyse Capaccio of Polyrhythm Studio, the project drew inspiration from municipal flag initiatives in nearby Cincinnati.
A delegation of six residents from Dubno is scheduled to arrive in Oxford from September 18 to 26, 2026. The ceremonial flag will be formally raised during Oxford’s annual “Oxtoberfest” celebration.
Documents showcasing the design indicate that the swallowtail or burgee format directly pays homage to the state flag of Ohio. At the heart of the field sits a central yellow hexagon symbolizing a honeycomb, a nod to the area’s legacy in modern beekeeping and Lorenzo Langstroth’s movable frame beehive, while representing wisdom, education, and innovation.
Encircling the hexagon is a ring of red bricks, designed to reflect the local brick architecture of Miami University and Oxford’s paved streets, alongside the Myaamia value aahkokeelintiiyankwi, meaning “we care for each other”. Radiating white lines depict a crossroads while joining the circular layout to evoke an overhead view of a traditional wiikiaami (house) in the Myaamia language, acknowledging the city’s location on the ancestral homelands of the Myaamia (Miami) Tribe.
City officials explicitly sought consultation and an endorsement from the Myaamia Tribe prior to finalizing the design. The surrounding field features a teal shade representing the patina of local architectural cupolas, while white lines represent community, peace, and harmony.
The sister city relationship was initially formalized in 2023 when an American delegation visited Dubno, during which Ukrainian hosts raised a previous version of the Oxford city flag despite ongoing military conflict and frequent air raid sirens in the region.
Former mayor and current council member Bill Snavely noted that the upcoming trip offers Dubno delegates a brief respite from Russia’s “ruthless, dirty campaign”.
Image: City of Oxford
