Bottrop celebrates town twinning: together strong for Europe!
Bottrop celebrates town twinning: together strong for Europe!
On April 27, the world day of the partner cities was celebrated, an occasion that was also duly honored in Bottrop. The city currently maintains six active city twinning that contribute to a permanently anchored European and international friendship. These include Merseburg and the Berlin district of Mitte in Germany, Tourcoing in France, Blackpool in Great Britain, Gliwice in Poland and Veszprém in Hungary. In a speech, Mayor Bernd Tischler emphasized the immense importance of these connections for dialogue and exchange in times of global challenges, especially against the background of current geopolitical tensions.
In addition to the official celebration, the display case is used in the foyer of the town hall to exhibit gifts and memorabilia from the partner cities. This small exhibition not only symbolizes the cultural connections, but also the commitment of various Bottrop institutions that are active in the care of these town twinning. Tischler added that the equal exchange and open discussions form the foundation of the partnerships. In addition, he invited citizens to find out about their partner cities and actively participate in this exchange.
historical importance of city twinning
city twinning have a long tradition and were already created in the first half of the 20th century, often in the context of dubious solidarity. After the Second World War, a new approach for these partnerships was developed. They contributed to the development of a Europe of the citizens and helped democratize the relationships between Germany and France torn through the war. Especially since the 1950s, these partnerships have been used to contribute to European unification.
A recently carried out study by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Franco-German Institute showed that around 2,200 town twinning between Germany and France, with 75% of the respondents questioned their relationships with the twin city as very good. The exchange is often carried out by regular trips, student exchanges as well as music and sporting events. These activities achieve a broad population group, especially young people, and create a network of relationships at the local level.
Current challenges and future prospects
Despite the positive aspects, there are also challenges. In particular, the concern for young people within these partnerships is noticeable: 40% of the participants in the study mentioned are over 60 years old. Over 80% of those surveyed would like more active citizens in these programs. This leads to the need to strengthen the commitment in town twinning and make them more visible. The Brexit has also added another dimension because the British government plans to revitalize the city partnerships in the course of this. A future regulation of the financing is considered crucial.
In summary, it can be seen that city twinning not only pursue the goal of maintaining international relationships, but also helping to strengthen the European feeling of togetherness. As the city of Bottrop shows, they are a piece of lived Europe that is of great importance, especially in times of political uncertainties and global challenges. The urban authorities and the citizens are required to maintain and expand these valuable connections.For more information on this topic, a look at the book "City Partnerships in Europe in the 20th century" is recommended, in which the importance and development of these connections is extensively treated. The co -authors Tanja Herrmann and Pia Nordblom from the University of Mainz present interesting perspectives there, which also shed light on the identity formation of a city through partnerships.
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