Zug,24.10.2017

Canton's flourishing contacts with partner towns

The city of Lucerne is twinned with Cieszyn in Poland, but, as a result of diminishing contact and interest, the council in Lucerne is looking to break off this relationship.
 
In the canton of Zug there are numerous twinning links between municipalities here and others in Europe, and even in other parts of Switzerland. For example, the city of Zug is linked not only with Fürstenfeld in Austria but also Kalesija in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Isenthal in the canton of Uri. Then Cham enjoys ties with the town of the same name in Bavaria, as does Neuheim with Neuheim in Germany, Risch with Amaroni in Italy, Oberägeri with Oberacker in Baden-Württemberg and Unterägeri with Ramoos and Saas Balen in the cantons of Lucerne and Wallis respectively. Then there is Hünenberg with its links to Banska Stiavnica in Slovakia, and Marly in the canton of Fribourg.
 
Perhaps the most successful and certainly the one most reported on is that between Hünenberg and Banska Stiavnica, which started in 2004. The one with Marly, which dates back to 2012, also continues to flourish. Guido Wetli, the secretary to the municipality of Hünenberg and for many years a member of the board of both twinning associations, mentioned what great effort is needed on the part of involved residents in all three towns to keep the links going. “Without the personal involvement of presidents of both associations, we would not we where we are now,” said Wetli, as he added how important it was to get locals involved in any events planned, such as at the naming ceremony for the “Partnership Square” (photograph) there.
 
One popular event with the Slovak town has been the joint performances of church choirs from both communities, the exchange of letters between school pupils, and football matches, while school pupils have also benefited greatly from language exchanges between Hünenberg and Marly. One great disadvantage is that, unlike in Hünenberg, there is no twinning association in either Marly or Banska Stiavnica, though one is now in the throes of being set up in the latter, where a job exchange for workers at the maintenance depot is planned for next year, financed to the tune of CHF 2,000 by the municipality, who also provide CHF 4,000 to each twining association here.
 
As to the city of Zug, according to Markus Grüter of the Department of Communication, relationships with its partner towns remain very lively and at various levels. While there are contacts with the authorities in these towns, in Isenthal and Fürstenfeld in particular, there are further contacts with fire brigades, schools and music associations. 
 
As to its links with Kalesija, which it has enjoyed since 2008, Zug has regularly been sending supplies to help the reconstruction of the town after the conflict there.
 
The link with Fürstenfeld dates back much further, Zug having started to give financial aid to this Austrian town after the Second World War, though this is no longer the case. The city of Zug wanted to emphasise that such twinning relationships were not solely about money, with various exchanges taking place from time to time, and no mention of severing relationships with any of its partners at all.
 
Neuheim’s partnership with Neuheim dates back to 1995, when schoolchildren here released balloons with postcards on and one was returned from the municipality of the same name in Brandenburg. It was as early as 1996 that the first exchange visits took place, with others organised to coincide with the Apple Blossom Festival in Germany or Ascension Day here; many private relationships have also developed over subsequent years.
 
And what about Baar? “Just because we do not have any partner towns does not mean we feel we ought to have one,” said mayor Andreas Hotz, while adding he was open to any such links, after all, he has met delegations from places such as China, Africa and Romania in his time. “Such links have been enriching, but we do not feel under any obligation to keep them going,” he said, adding how he had heard of the problems in Lucerne maintaining its links with Cieszyn through lack of interest.