Cologne's town twinning: A look behind the most international friendships!

Cologne's town twinning: A look behind the most international friendships!

In August, Cologne's mayor Henriette Reker signed the latest city twinning with Dnipro in Ukraine. Cologne is the city in Germany with the most partner cities, a total of 23 that are distributed over the globe. But what is behind these partnerships and what are you in today's context?

The partnerships that Cologne maintains with cities from various continents range from Europe to South America and Asia. In addition to the international partnerships, there are also two inner Germans and several "partnerships through incorporation". According to Kai Pfundheller from abroad company.de, Cologne is active at a high level when it comes to foreign policy. "Cologne plays Champions League," says Pfundheller.

The function of city partnerships

city twinning offer a platform for the dialogue between municipalities. When the mayors encounters, important topics such as student exchanges or economic initiatives are discussed. Specialists also exchange departments about current problems, be it in the area of ​​climate protection or social matters. The citizens are also actively involved; Many visit the partner cities regularly, organized by local partnership associations, which are supported by the Cologne Alliance. A total of around 2500 people in Cologne are involved in these clubs and actively contribute to the care of relationships.

The importance of partnerships

The origins of city twinning are in the post -war period, at a time when the goal was to understand international understanding. Especially until the 1980s, partnerships made an important contribution to peace. These relationships contributed to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening democratic values. The latest partnership with DNIPRO underlines the relevance of these relationships in today's world, especially against the background of the current conflicts in Ukraine.

However, there are also critical voices that question the benefits of the partnerships. Critics argue that in times of the Internet and inexpensive travel options the concept is out of date and often only has a symbolic character. In addition, some see the relationships with autocratic governments, such as Russia or Turkey, critically, especially due to human rights violations. This even led to the partnership with Wolgograd based on the war in Ukraine.

However, the advantages of the partnerships should not be underestimated. Claudia Burger, deputy chair of the Cologne Alliance, emphasizes that trips that are organized with the partner cities offer a special experience. The importance of personal encounter and direct exchange is emphasized, which goes far beyond an ordinary vacation trip. Your experience shows that communication and exchange of people in difficult situations, such as in Volgograd, are important to strengthen civil society.

A symbolic initiative of the city of Cologne was the invitation queer activists from partner cities for exchange. Such meetings that took place in Düsseldorf and Katowitz show that the poverty of local societies can often be mitigated by international exchange and understanding.

The city of Cologne continues to discuss possible extensions of its partnership landscape. Although the proposal of a new partnership with a Scottish city was rejected, there are constant inquiries from different countries, including Peru and Argentina. Claudia Burger recently announced that the last request for a partnership with Havana has been received.

For a comprehensive consideration of the city partnerships in Germany and their long-term importance, Pfundheller refers to the essential role of these relationships: "The deep bonds create a strong foundation for Franco-German relationships at federal level." The Cologne city partnerships not only have historical roots, but also remain an active and dynamic element of international cooperation.

For further information, See the current reporting at www.ksta.de .