Mayor's visit: Friendship between Bernau and Champigny is flourishing!

Mayor's visit: Friendship between Bernau and Champigny is flourishing!

The friendship between Bernau and Champigny-sur-Marne is truly a long-lasting bond, which this year looks back on 63 years. The mayor of Champigny-sur-Marne, Laurent Jeanne, recently made another trip to Bernau to strengthen relations and exchange information about current developments in the city. After the official program of the Bernau business reception, the delegation met in the New Town Hall, where intensive discussions had already taken place between Laurent Jeanne, Bernau Mayor André Stahl, the district administrator and various business representatives. This exchange is not just a mandatory exercise, but an important step in maintaining the partnership that has existed for over six decades, as Bernau Live reports.

The day after the reception, the focus was on a professional exchange, which focused in particular on educational and sports facilities as well as forestry developments. The French delegation had the opportunity to visit the Sparkasse Arena Bernau, where they were guided through the multifunctional hall by Kathrin Klee, head of the city's building management. The guests were visibly impressed by the variety of possible uses. “Education is a central concern in Champigny-sur-Marne,” emphasized Laurent Jeanne, while they found out about the newly opened school campus with space for 1,200 students, as Barnim Aktuell also states.

An exchange with meaning

Mayor André Stahl emphasized the importance of professional exchange in areas such as education, infrastructure and urban greenery. These topics are relevant not only to the current challenges facing cities, but also to future development. It seems that such partnerships have a significant impact on the lives of citizens in both cities. Both mayors finally opened the Bernau Hussite Festival together on Friday afternoon, another highlight of the visit.

The return visit from Bernau is planned for autumn 2023 and will certainly bring further potential for cultural and informal exchange between both cities. The partnership between Bernau and Champigny-sur-Marne, which was founded in 1962 by the then mayors Dr. Hans Ärmer and Louis Talamoni, which was founded by Hans Ärmer and Louis Talamoni, remains important today. Town twinning like this promotes togetherness and understanding of cultural differences, as explained in an interview with Corine Defrance about the importance of such relationships. The Citizens' Fund affirm that town twinning not only strengthens the identity of cities, but also serves as a foundation for future European integration steps.

In times of changing geopolitical landscapes, these bonds should not be underestimated. They offer both economic benefits and opportunities for cooperation on social issues. While trust between the twin cities continues to be rekindled, it remains to be seen what further coordination will look like in the future.