COUNCIL OF EUROPE CQIs^EIL DE L' EUROPE Strasbourg IB February 1980 addendum to AS/Loc/Prix (3D 21

PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL PLANNING AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize and the propagation of the European idea

PACECOM055729

EUROPE PRIZE

Additional information concerning the application from GERLINGEN (Baden -Wtlrttemberg)a Federal Republic of

Twinning activities in 1979

£see also AS/Loc/Prix (20) 70 AS/Loc/Prix (30) 6J

63.353 01.52 CONFIDENTIAL

AS/Loc/Prix (3D 21 - 2 - addendum

Review of town pairing activities in 1979^

1. Official events a. The 10th anniversary of Gerlingen's sponsorship of the Hungarian German organisation of expellees provided an occasion to invite the municipal council of our paired town of together with the Town-Twinning Committee to take part in this important event. The ceremonies will take place on 29 and 30 September 1979. b. The Vesoul week in Gerlingen will also be opened formally on that occasion, c. Furthermore this weekend will provide an opportunity to hold the joint meeting of the Town Pairing Committees, an annual event in the autumn,, on 29 September. d. Exhibition of photographs by the Vesoul press photographer Marc Paygnard,, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Town-Pairing Agreement,, in Gerlingen town hall from 29 September to 15 October. The photographs of Vesoul in the exhibition will be presented by Vesoul to Gerlingen, 2, Economic contacts

On the occasion of the Town-Pairing; Committee meeting in Vesoul on 7 October 1978,, the Vesoul-Gray Chamber of Industry and Commerce proposed that the economic field be added to the other town-twinning activities. A considerable amount of work has been done during the past 12 months and particular mention should be made of the following events:

a. Conversation between the groups concerned in Vesoul on 8 October 1978

b. Visit to Vesoul by a delegation from the Gerlingen Association of Self-Employed Persons on the occasion of ..the Catherine Pair on 25-and 26 -November 1978. c. Visit to Gerlingen by a trade delegation from Vesoul on 3 and 4 March 1979

d. Visit by a Gerlingen delegation, comprising representatives of the municipal council, the Association of Self-Employed Persons and"the municipal administration for further concrete discussions in Vesoul on 28 and 29 April 1979.

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e. Further short visits by representatives of the Vesoul-Gray Chamber of Industry and Commerce in order to make concrete preparations for the VeSoul week in Gerlingen, f. Organisation of a Vesoul week by the Gerlinden shops and businesses from 21 September to 6 Octobers including a lottery, an exhibition of tourist attractions from the Haute SaSne and a culinary evening ,f arranged in the town hall by the master chef Hr Turin for Gerlingen guests. 3. Meetings between schools a. Prom 15 February to 28 February 1979 the Gerlingen Craranar School received a group of schoolchildren from the Lycee Belin in Vesoul. The return visit took place from 1 June to 14 June 1979. b. The non-classical secondary school accommodated its opposite numbers from the Vesoul CLS Gerdme in G-erlingen from 29 March to 12 April 1979. A proup of schoolchildren from the non-classical secondary school stayed in Vesoul from 1 to Ik June 1979. c. Both 9th classes from the Pestalozzi school went on the annual sightseeing tour to Vesoul from 9 to 11 May 1979 and once again the visit was very successful, d. A number of groups from the Gerlingen secondary school took part in the European Schools Composition in 1979- Six schoolpirls were awarded prizes. e. Thanks to the good offices of the non-classical secondary school and a lady teacher who had formerly worked in Gerlingen3 pupils from the CSS Jean Mace in Veso.ul were able to spend a period in the neighbouring 'town of . Non-classical secondary schoolchildren from Ditzingen paid a return visit to Vesoul. f. Unfortunately it was not possible to hold the annual sports competitions for schools this year. 4. Church meetings a. The Catholic congregation in Gerlingen arranged the following events- aa. A Whitsun meeting of the 2 church choirs in Gerlingen on 3 and 4 June 1979

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AS/Loc/Prix (3D 21 addendum

bb. A nee ting in Vesoul between the Jungkolping group and young people from Vesoul on 12 and 13 May 1979. cc. A large meeting, between the-2 congregations half way between the 2 towns in St. Odile (Alsace) on 1 July 1979 and dd. Provision of holiday accommodation for a 12 year old French boy, . ' b. The Evangelic St. Peters congregation received a visit from the Vesoul Protestant congregation on the occasion of its parish festival on 9 and 10 June 1979= 5. Associations- organisations and sundry events a. The Gerlirigen Voluntary Pirebrigade visited comrades in Vesoul on 22-23 September 1979 and took part in the competitive event's there, b. Thanks to the joint efforts of the municipal councils of Vesoul and Gerlingen it was again possible this year to satisfy a number of requests concerning meetings between young people.and vacation work. The committees have also agreed upon the following events' Programme proposals for 1980 1. Official meetings and measures a. ' As far as can be-judged at the present time, there are unlikely to be any major official events _, opening, ceremonies etc in Qerlingen. in 1980. But should anything special happen,, the relevant invitations will be dispatched in good time. 1980 will be highlighted in Gerlingen by a number of elections: these began already on 28 October 19_7_9_ w.i_t-h district council elections, and will be followed on 16 March with elections for the Landtag, 'Subsequently there will be municipal elections in the early summer and elections for the Bundestag in the autumn. b. The Joint sitting of the Town-Pairing Committees has been planned for the autumn of 1980 in VesouL.

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL AS/Loc/Prix (3D 21 addendum c. In all probability a new and large gymnasium comprising 3 sections will become operational in Gerlingen in the spring of 1981. This occasion will provide an opportunity for major sports activities to which sports associations from Vesoul are already being invited. It ought to be established in the 'course of 1980 what branches of sport can be considered. 2, Economic contacts The relations already established should be developed further during the coming year. In particular it is now possible to assess the practical experiences acquired during the first Vesoul week in Gerlingen and make use of them for future work. a. Organisation of a Gerlingen week in Vesoul b. Setting up of a permanent Gerlingen stand at the Poire Exposition in Vesoul at which products from Gerlingen and the surrounding region could be exhibited. c. Exhibition of industrial products from Vesoul in Gerlingen= d. Exhibition of arts and crafts from the Haute Saone5 if possible in the spring of 1980 in Gerlingen town hall., e. Development of co-operation between the Vesoul-Gray Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. f. The possibility also exists of school groups from Gerlingen being received at the Chamber of Commerce during their stay in Vesoul and introduced to the industry in the Departement„ Visits to firms may perhaps be arranged. 3= Meetings between schools a. The non-classical secondary schools in Gerlingen and Vesoul are anxious to continue their exchanges in the traditional manner which has proved Its worth.

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AS/Loc/Prix (3D 21 addendum b. In 1980 the Pestalozzi school will once again arrange the study journey by the 9th classes to Vesoul. In this connection the town councillor, Mr Blumhardt,, thanks the mayors Mr Chantelats and Mr Burthey for the excellent programme arranged in recent years. c. The sports competition for schools which could not be held in 1979, will take place in Vesoul in May. 1980.. d. The school orchestra from the non-classical secondary s-chao.l-w.ill...giy,e_a_cQn£e.rjL. J.OL iesoul...in_Noyember this year. *J. Meetings between churches a. The Catholic congregation in Gerl'ingen is planning the following events: aa. In November 1979 a working mee'ting of the German and French' committees in Erstein near Strasbourg bb. On 26 and 27 April 1980 a concert tour by the Catholic church choirs including members of the* Gerlingen chamber orchestra, to Vesoul. The tour will include a concert in St. Georgecs church, cc. Already in the autumn of 1979 young people from the 2 towns are anxious to meet once more in Gerlingen for a few days. • dd. In June or July 1980 it is planned to celebrate the Jubilee of the Catholic congregation in Gerlingen and a delegation from Vesoul will be invited to attend. ee. A large joint meeting is planned in the southern Black Forest for early October 1980. b. The Evangelical congregation still has to plan its _prp_gramme_ ^^^J^^^j\^^gns^I^^±oi^^tl[i^£r±en^s_±n^ Vesoul. According to the normal-pattern of events,, there should be a meeting in Vesoul.

5. Associations3 organisations and sundry events Members'of the 2 committees are anxious to arrange the following meetings, but the various details still have to be agreed upon: CONFIDENTIAL - 7 - AS/Loc/Prlx (3D 21 addendum a. Preparation of a joint sports programme for the dedication of the Gerlingen gymnasium in the spring of 1981, in consultation with the interested sports associations. b. Organisation of a visit to Vesoul by senior citizens for several days. c. It is possible that a number of the leisure facilities planned around the lake at Vesoul will be ready during the coming year. In that case the appropriate invi-tatioris will be sent to interested circles in Gerlingen (sailing centre, camping ground, leisure activities centre,library) d. It is also probable that the old people's home in Vesoul will be officially opened. A delegation from Gerlingen will be invited to attend this event. e. The Gerlingen town band will be able to celebrate its 70th anniversary and also the 20th anniversary of the youth orchestra in 1980. The town band from Vesoul is to be invited to the celebrations on 5 and 6 July 1980. f. The Gerlingen Voluntary Fire Brigade has invited its comrades from Vesoul to pay a joint visit to the German Fire Brigade Festival in Hanover. g. The Gerlingen adult evening school would like to undertake its customary and well-tried study journey to Vesoul on 10 and 11 May 1980 and has asked for an appropriate programme to be prepared. Vesoul has agreed to do so. h. With reference to the meeting5 it is also pointed out that during the first half of June a sports association in Vesoul will be able to celebrate its 70th anniversary, It is planned to invite the cycling association and physical training section of the Catholic Students Community to take part.

*• V Although this is the most difficult task among the wide range of pairing activities,, no pains should be spared to examine the many requests for personal contacts, holidays and working holidays and to satisfy them as far as possible. Even in future it will not always be possible to satisfy all wishes, but every successful intervention amply rewards the trouble taken.

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