Delegation visits to mark the anniversary of the city partnerships with Kołobrzeg, Ashkelon and Rivne
Borough Mayor Dr Koch, Mayor Tomer Glam from Ashkelon and Mayor Viktor Shakyrzian from Rivne with the youth orchestras at the anniversary concertt
Image: BA Pankow
Our city partnerships: music and much more unites us
In September 2024, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our city partnerships with Kołobrzeg and Ashkelon as well as our still young partnership with Rivne.
Delegations from the three partner cities of Ashkelon (Israel), Kołobrzeg (Poland) and Rivne (Ukraine) visited our district in September. Among other things, they took part in the annual reception of the district office and the district council on 13 September and the Festival on the Panke on 14/15 September. Unfortunately, representatives of the development partnership with KaTembe (Mozambique) were unable to attend.
Workshop at Pankow Town Hall
In order to ensure continuity in relations and keep the exchange lively, all partner cities were invited to a multilateral workshop on 17 September at Pankow Town Hall. The workshop utilised existing networks and experience from over 30 years of European and international encounters. At the meeting, civil society, administration and political actors were able to network with each other, among other things to develop joint measures. One result of the workshop was the desire to expand musical youth encounters.
Musical encounters in 2024
On the initiative of district mayor Dr Cordelia Koch, two youth delegations from Rivne and Ashkelon visited Pankow in September at the same time as the official guests. The young people met with local music students for several days for the first time as part of two musical encounters. Young people from Rivne and Pankow played together in a orchestra and young people from Ashkelon and Pankow in a jazz band. The impressive results of these encounters were presented to all interested parties on 17 September at a friendship concert at the Peter Edel Education and Cultural Centre in Weißensee. The musical encounters and parts of the delegation visits were financed by third-party funds. The team at the Béla Bartók Music School made a significant contribution to the success of the exchange. Stephanie Thunert is the head of the string instrument section and emphasises: ‘Where young people come together, make music with dedication and passion and work on a joint project, eat, talk and laugh together, and in the end create a touching and moving concert evening together, lasting experiences are created and it becomes tangible: music connects – across all borders and differences.’
Impressions
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The delegation from Kołobrzeg with Mayor Anna Mieczkowska, the Pankow Borough Office with Borough Mayor Dr Cordelia Koch and the Centre for Historical Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Image: BA Pankow
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Joint meal of the youth delegations from Ashkelon, Kołobrzeg and Rivne
Image: BA Pankow
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Anniversary concert at Kulturhaus Peter Edel
Image: BA Pankow
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Borough Mayor Dr Cordelia Koch welcomes the youth delegations to Pankow Town Hall
Image: BA Pankow
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Multilateral workshop with the city partners in Pankow Town Hall
Image: BA Pankow