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Activities in 2003
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2003
Visit to Düsseldorf by the Mayor
The Mayor of Reading, Councillor Jeanette Skeats, visited Düsseldorf from 12 to 14 December 2003. The press release from Düsseldorf City Council (German version here) said:
Reading Town Twinning
Mayors want to build up the exchange further
In a discussion with his Reading colleague Jeanette Skeats and Chief Executive Trish Haines, Lord Mayor Joachim Erwin has agreed to develop the exchange further. "Reading is of interest for the business location of Düsseldorf, not least as the centre of the English Silicon Valley", said Erwin at the meeting with representatives of the English twin town on Saturday 13 December at the City Hall. Both sides see good development potential in business and modern technology.
Common ground was also established over tourism. The guests from Reading were enchanted by the Düsseldorf Christmas Market in the Altstadt. In 2004 it is therefore being planned that a larger group will be dispatched to the twin town of Düsseldorf.
The partnership between the Universities of Düsseldorf and Reading should if possible be drawn closer into the town twinning, and extended to more higher education establishments. As a city of fashion, Düsseldorf is well suited for co-operation with the fashion archives in Reading, according to the Reading participants.
Existing youth, school and sports contacts will be further encouraged and built up. In this spirit there should be an exchange of young hockey players in 2004.
The two Mayors meet
© 2003 City of Düsseldorf / Ingo Lammert
Annual General Meeting 2003
Our AGM was held in the Kennet Room, Civic Offices, Reading at 8 pm on Thursday 27 November 2003, and was chaired by the Mayor as our President. We heard brief presentations from representatives of Reading's other twinning organisations.
Children's Concert in Düsseldorf
The Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the North Rhine Westphalia Government gave a children's concert at the Tonhalle, Düsseldorf in November 2003.
Reading-Düsseldorf Churches Interchange
A group of about 40 people visited Düsseldorf from 27 July to 3 August at the invitation of the Düsseldorf churches. They were received in the Rathaus by Bürgermeister Heinz Winterwerber. The group visited the Diakonie at Kaiserswerth (which includes a hospital where Florence Nightingale gained experience in nursing); a former ironworks at Duisburg; and the old town of Soest and the neighbouring spa at Bad Sassendorf. This visit was organised by the Catholic social service organisation, Caritas.
At the end of the week there was an ecumenical service in the Alte Berger Kirche followed by a farewell party in the "Haus der Kirche" run by the Evangelical Church. At this party, the group presented a large banner with emblems of Reading and Düsseldorf, made by Sally Hallett, to the Düsseldorf churches. (Note: most of these sites are in German.)
Sally
Hallett presents the Banner to the Düsseldorf Churches
(picture: Jim Barnes-Phillips)
Charter Celebrations and Twinning Fiesta
On Saturday 5 July, Reading celebrated the 750th anniversary of its first Charter, granted on 5 July 1253 by King Henry III.
Bürgermeister Heinz Winterwerber of Düsseldorf was a guest of honour at the Civic Charter Dinner on Friday 4 July, and presented a photograph "Düsseldorf Skyline" to the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Jeanette Skeats, on behalf of Oberbürgermeister Joachim Erwin. The photograph, by Philipp Hymphendahl, is more than two meters long. Other guests included the High Commissioner of Barbados, representing Speightstown, and the Mayors of Clonmel (Ireland) and San Francisco Libre (Nicaragua).
Officers of the Reading Düsseldorf Association met Bürgermeister Winterwerber and Matthias Buchwald (Düsseldorf City Council Press Office) for a working breakfast on Saturday morning before their return to Düsseldorf.
In the evening, many members of the Association joined other groups for a Twinning Fiesta arranged by Reading Borough Council.
On Sunday 6 July, members of the Association took part in a Civic Service. The Chairman of the Association, Robert Dimmick, read a lesson and shared in leading prayers.
Work Experience
Ten students from the Lore-Lorentz-Schule worked at various organisations and companies in Reading in June and July 2003. The hosts included the University of Reading, the Renaissance Reading Hotel, Aldryngton Primary School, Reading Borough Council, Chiltern Training Limited, Chiltern College, Yell Limited, Serjeant & Sheppard, and The Holiday Inn.
Exchange with the Anglo-German Club
A group from the Association visited the Anglo-German Club of Düsseldorf from 23 to 26 May 2003.
Annual Dinner
Our Annual Dinner was held on Friday 25 April 2003 at The Crown at Playhatch. The guest of honour was the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Liz Winfield-Chislett.
Debate on the Euro
We held a well-attended debate on British membership of the Euro as part of our Wine and Cheese Evening on Friday 21 February 2003. The speakers were Michael Barry, Regional Chairman for South East England, Britain in Europe, and Lawrie Boxall, Berkshire Chairman of the UK Independence Party.
From left: Lawrie Boxall, Robert Dimmick (Chair, Reading Düsseldorf Association) and Michael Barry
Members listen to the Chairman introducing the debate
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© Reading-Düsseldorf Association 2007
8 April 2007