Visit to our partner city Ashkelon

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  The Temple Mount in Jerusalem

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  Borough Mayor Dr Cordelia Koch at the Nova Festival Victims Memorial

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  Visit to Kibbutz Kfar Azza

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  Borough councillors and the borough mayor at Yad vasehm

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  Borough Mayor Dr Koch, Mayor Tomer Glam from Ashkelon and the Chairman of the Borough Assembly Dr Oliver JüttingDr. Koch, Bürgermeister Tomer Glam aus Ashkelon und der Vorsitzende der Bezirksverordnetenversammlungs Dr. Oliver Jütting

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  Visit to the seawater desalination plant in Ashkelon

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  Letztes gemeinsames Essen mit unseren Freunden aus Ashkelon

The borough assembly has long wanted to visit Pankow’s partner city Ashkelon. However, the visit had to be postponed several times due to the war. On a visit from 3 to 5 February 2025, the ten-member delegation of borough representatives and the borough mayor found out how the city is dealing with the threat, the trauma left behind by 7 October and what is being done there to combat increasing water shortages.

We were warmly welcomed and spent intensive and enriching days together.

Borough Mayor Dr Cordelia Koch

The event was attended by Borough Mayor Cordelia Koch, the head of the borough council Oliver Jütting (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) and his parliamentary group colleague Hannah Wettig, Oskar Lederer and Fred Bordfeld from the left-wing parliamentary group, Mike Szidat and Mark Lenkheit from the SPD parliamentary group and Sascha Groß (CDU).

After just 30 seconds, the rockets fired in the Gaza Strip reach the Iron Dome, the city’s missile defence system. Then burning pieces of scrap metal fall from the sky. The delegation from Pankow learnt how the distribution and design of the shelters protect the population in the city administration’s underground storage room. 1400 cameras in the streets enable terrorist activities to be recognised quickly. There were some critical questions about the cameras, which are also used to investigate crime and vandalism. At the same time, the delegation members expressed their great solidarity and understanding for the situation in the frontline city. Just how close 7th October was for the people of Ashkelon became clear on the very first day. On the agenda was a visit to Kibbutz Kfar Azza, just 30 kilometres from Ashkelon. There, 64 of the 700 inhabitants were murdered and 19 were taken hostage. The tour continued to two other memorial sites, including the Nova Festival Site. The hosts had organised guided tours with relatives of those murdered. The delegation was impressed by the visit to the Resilience Centre in Ashkelon, one of twelve centres in Israel that work to overcome trauma in war situations, offer psychotherapy and yoga, organise groups for soldiers’ wives and advise families.

Personal encounters and fruitful dialogue form the foundation of our collaboration as friends.

Borough Mayor Dr Cordelia Koch

The rapidly growing city of 150,000 inhabitants is doing a lot for its citizens. Good infrastructure with daycare centres, schools, cycle paths, parks, sports, skate and playgrounds and no fewer than twelve neighbourhood and cultural centres make life attractive despite the threat situation, the hosts reported. The city therefore has one important thing in common with Pankow: many new residential areas are being developed.

There is a lot to learn from Ashkelon in terms of youth participation: A youth parliament with 70 members not only advises the city administration, but also makes urban policy decisions. For example, a vote there prevented the construction of a new power plant.
The visit to the seawater desalination plant was also exciting: Israel now obtains 80 per cent of its drinking water using this method, and the delegation learnt that overexploitation of the Sea of Galilee is no longer an issue.

We will work together on climate protection, health, the culture of remembrance and social cohesion and make progress together.

Borough Mayor Dr Cordelia Koch

The partner cities agreed to continue working on the joint topics. As Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam explained in a press release issued by the municipality: ‘The professional experience and knowledge gained in both cities will enable us to advance joint initiatives in the areas of education, welfare and resilience. I would like to thank Dr Koch and the delegation members for their meaningful visit and look forward to further deepening the special relationship between our cities.’ (Text: Hannah Wettig/BA Pankow)