Composition
The Stadtjugendring Partnership Committee consists of six representatives from the Stadtjugendring, elected bi-annually at the Stadtjugendring AGM, and four representatives of the Heidelberg Sportjugend and a delegate from each of the Friendship Groups for the six twin cities, the same Stadtjugendring AGM being notified of their names.

Aim and Objective
The Partnership Committee's aim is to bring young citizens closer to those of other nations as a contribution to the work of lessening tensions between populations.

In each twin city there is an organisation that corresponds to our Partnership Committee, and our exchanges are a tradition that Heidelberg and its twin cities intend to continue.   The Stadtjugendring Partnership Committee will support this worthwhile activity, and develop and implement new ideas.

Partnership events
The Partnership Committee organise annually exchange events in Heidelberg or a twin city, for interested associations and groups.  When an event takes place in Heidelberg, the Partnership Committee arranges a master programme with opening and closing meetings, trips, and a series of talks on different ranges of topics.   When young people from Heidelberg go to a twin city, the Partnership Committee organise the journey, and send a member, who may be contacted during the visit, as escort.

The basis of the exchanges is that participants are accommodated in families.   Each person should take part at least twice in the exchange - once as a guest and once as a host.

Interested associations, groups, etc. from Heidelberg, or from any of the twin cities, should address enquiries to the Partnership Committee.

Contacts

Cambridge
The first exchange of the year is with Cambridge.   This has always occurred during the Easter holidays.   In even years, we fly to England; in odd years, our friends come to Heidelberg.   The partnership event lasts from Good Friday to the Friday after Easter.

After the first contacts in 1979, there were, in 1980 and 1981, several meetings between sport associations from Cambridge and Heidelberg.  During these two years approximately 450 young people from Heidelberg met young people from Cambridge.   The first Partnership Festival occurred at Easter 1982.

Many groups and associations have participated in this exchange from the beginning, so that over the years a deep and close friendship has developed and there are now second generation participants.  Both sides, however, constantly endeavor to involve new groups of young people.

Montpellier
This partnership event occurs at Whitsun.

At about the same time as the first Cambridge Partnership Festival, the idea grew of an international youth exchange with Montpellier.  The first Partnership Forum took place in Heidelberg in 1982 during the Whitsun period.

This exchange is still the largest of those organized by the Partnership Committee.  One reason is the relatively low cost of the journey (by bus).  Also, a voluntary committee was formed in Montpellier after the Heidelberg model.  This committee works very effectively for the partnership exchange, with the support of the city of Montpellier.

Rehovot
Following the success of the events with Cambridge and Montpellier, discussions occurred in 1984 with associations from Rehovot, so that a youth exchange could be started within the partnership between the cities.  The first exchange meeting took place in Rehovot in 1985.

This partnership event is, of course, particularly affected by our past and therefore is felt to be one of the most important of the meetings.

Simferopol
Young soccer players and chess players from Heidelberg had visited the twin city of Simferopol before the official signing of the agreement in July 1991.  However, the organisation of a partnership meeting with this city resembles an adventure.  It is the only one of our twin cities for which a visa is required in advance.  Much correspondence is required. This is best dealt with using a messenger system, since connection by telephone or fax is difficult.

Kumamoto
A youth exchange with Kunamoto became possible after the signing of the friendship treaty in 1992.  This comprises a sport exchange, with a change of sport every two years. As well, 20 individual young people, who have responded to notices in the press.  The Partnership Meeting takes place during the summer holidays, and lasts 11 days.  The impressions of this trip can be described as positive culture shock.

Bautzen
For some years this East German twin city has been integrated with our exchanges.

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This page is a translation of an earlier version of Heidelberg twin-city activities.
 
(This page was last updated 29 April 2000, with some format changes 3 March 2006)