Friendship across borders: International morning pint inspires in Werne!

Friendship across borders: International morning pint inspires in Werne!

What a lively day in the St. Christophorus parish hall! The International Club Werne (ICW) organized an international morning pint today, October 31, 2025, which was all about friendship across national borders. On the occasion of Sim-Jü, exchange between people and generations was promoted, and this year the focus was clearly on togetherness in Europe. Dörte Hübchen-Oesterschulze, who has chaired the ICW since March of this year, pointed out in her opening speech the importance of personal encounters, which are particularly important in times of global challenges.

Today delegations from the twin towns of Bailleul in France, Wałcz in Poland, Kyritz in Brandenburg and, for the first time, Korec in the Ukraine were guests. The visit from Korec was particularly moving, especially as it was in the context of an aid campaign from Werne at the beginning of the year. Not only was there talk, but there was also concrete action and planning. A focus of the event was the collaboration with the Werner schools, led by an impressive video about international student internships, which was created in collaboration with the Anne-Frank-Gymnasium.

Joint projects and encounters

The ICW has big plans and would like to further expand its cooperation with schools. Hübchen-Oesterschulze emphasized the importance of getting young people excited about international encounters. But the delegations from Wałcz, Kyritz, Bailleul and Korec also emphasized the importance of personal exchange, as this is the only way existing friendships can be maintained and new contacts made.

Mayor Lothar Christ took part in his role for the last time today and emphasized the central city partnerships. A remarkable moment that once again underlined the importance of international relations. According to Dörte Hübchen-Oesterschulze, the next big event is already in the starting blocks: the exhibition “14-18 in Flanders – a front and poets”, which will be presented in Werne next year. In this way, the city not only remains culturally active, but also invests in cultivating international friendships and promoting intercultural dialogue.

Active friendship across borders

The Internationaler Frühschoppen was experienced as a place for lively encounters, a social gathering that went far beyond mere celebration. Conversations bubbled up, ideas were exchanged, and existing relationships were deepened - real friendships that transcend borders. This brings us all a little closer together and proves once again that there is great potential in diversity. Who knows what great projects can come from these new and existing contacts!

The delicious food and drinks served reflect the cultural diversity that comes into play at such events. Today was not only a celebration of exchange, but also a powerful sign for the future of international cooperation.

For anyone who would like to find out more about such exciting initiatives, the state capital of Munich and other cities offer a lot of interesting information about international collaborations in which cities like Werne also actively participate. Munich regularly reports on cooperation between cities in Europe and far beyond.