What is Twinning ?
Twinning is a link between two similar communities. They can acquire knowledge of each other’s way of life, discuss mutual problems, form cultural and social links, arrange sporting events, exchange visits and develop friendships. Twinning has brought closer thousands of people across Europe and is based on the principle of reciprocity.
When and Why was Twinning Born ?
The idea of twinning was born after WW2 when it was felt that establishing links between local communities from former enemy countries would contribute to secure peace in Europe. Since then, thousand of villages and towns in Europe have established twinning links.
What are the Objectives of Twinning ?
Twinning aims at developing mutual understanding and cross-cultural awareness between people from different cultures. It helps develop values such as citizenship and tolerance. Above all, twinning is a fun way to discover our other European people live and make friends from different countries.
The town of Euskirchen is a thriving market town located 15 miles south of Cologne and near to Bonn plus the Rhine.
The “Old Town” is the main shopping area. It is centred around Market Square which is bordered by traditional buildings, cafés and restaurants. In addition to its pleasant town centre, Euskirchen is surrounded by beautiful countryside, notably the forest around the Steinbach lake. There are also many important historic houses such as Kleeburg Castle, Veynau Castle or St Martin’s Church all within a short drive from the town centre. See www.euskirchen.de for more info.
The town has very good sporting facilities including an excellent Athletics Stadium and Swimming Pool with high quality football pitches around the area.
Basingstoke Twinning Links
For additional information on Twinning links for Basingstoke see the Borough Council website link - Twinning Information