Last updated: 23 November 2021
Anglo-German conference on twinning and environmental issues
- On 18 November 2021, the GTA, with the British German Association and supported by the German Embassy, hosted an online conference for 11 Surrey towns and 6 of their German twin towns (including of course Freiburg) to discuss: Can and should, twinning facilitate international co-operation on climate change, and if so how?
- Florian Fletschinger of Freiburg City Council's intenrational contacts department spoke about Freiburg's carbon neutral strategy (you can get a flavour of that here), while Cllr Jan Harwood spoke about Guildford's environmental aspirations, acknowledging that we are somewhat behind our twin town in achievement.
- The German Embassy supported the conference: Julia Gross, the Deputy Head of Mission, brought us up to date on the negotiations over the election of the new German Chancellor, while an Embassy specialist summarised COP26 for us, taking a more optimistic view than some other observers have done.
- Everyone agreed that communication and sharing of best practice was key, and that twinning can assist by helping keep the lines of communication open.
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Guildford: meine Stadt - Short Film competition for schools 2021
- Guildford's school pupils were invited to make a 2 minute film about "their Guildford" in either English or German.
- The competition judges include:
- the Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Marsha Moseley;
- Nick Bale, Leader of Guildford Town Guides; and
- Professor Phil Powrie, Professor of Cinema Studies, University of Surrey.
- Winners will be announced and prizes presented at 12 o'clock at the GTA Christmas Market (see below).
- Another first for the GTA!
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Mini German Christmas market on Sunday 28 November 11 am - 2.30 pm
- In the Guildhall, High Street, Guildford GU1 3AA
- FREE admission
- Sale of German wooden toys, German bakery, gifts, stocking-fillers, secondhand books, warm Glühwein (mulled wine) and more...
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How are things going in Freiburg? Wie geht's?
- Freiburg City Council has now fixed 24/25 June 2022 for their Partner Cities Market to which all of their 12 twin towns are invited. We will be making our usual Members' trip to Freiburg to include those dates, probably 23-27 June 2022 - details to follow, but meanwhile, keep the dates free!
- Read a personal account in the Schwesterlich News feature in the Guildford Dragon, Guildford's online newspaper - a regular exchange of news between the two towns.