On 20 May 2010, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Belgium, Mr. Bersheda, held in the world renowned Waterloo Museum complex (nearby Brussels) a ceremony of handing over of the copiers of documents from the Odesa Region State Archives (Ukraine) testifying that in 1819 the village of Waterloo named after the famous battle site was founded in the south of Ukraine. From 1946 till now, the village has been known under the name of Stavky (the Mykolayiv Region).

During the ceremony, the leadership of the Waterloo Museum complex has demonstrated the world map recently renovated by museum’s researchers, in which the Ukrainian village also appeared among many towns named Waterloo.

From now on, hundreds of thousand of visitors attending one of the most famous museums in Belgium will have an additional opportunity to witness the fact, which is little known by far, of the linkage between Ukraine’s history and the history of Europe and the world.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the local authorities, scientific circles and Belgian mass media. The First Deputy Mayor of Waterloo, the Walloon Brabant Province deputy, Mr. Vander Cruysen expressed the interest in establishing direct ties with the Mykolayiv Region Administration.