...it has been almost 25 years!
The two cities began working toward a sister cities relationship in 1987 when Renata Anderson from Austin and Heinz Fey from Koblenz began negotiations. During the next two years, they worked with our Austin Mayor Frank Cooksey and Mayor Lee Cooke, as well as Lord Mayor Willi Hoerter in Koblenz. In September of 1990, Mayor Lee Cooke led the first delegation of twenty-five Austinites from Austin to Koblenz. They liked what they saw and had fun in the city, located on the Rivers Rhein and Mosel, that would soon be 2000 years old. In 1992, the relationship became official when Mayor Bruce Todd led a delegation to Koblenz for the city’s 2000th anniversary and signed the sister cities agreement with Oberbürgermeister (Lord Mayor) Willi Hörter.
For the past two decades, our partnership has facilitated cultural and educational exchanges between the two cities. In 2011, the committee coordinated an Austin Friendship Garden during the Bundesgartenschau (National Garden Show) in Koblenz. The garden was designed and constructed through the combined efforts of members of the Austin-Koblenz Sister Cities Committee, the Partnerschaft Koblenz-Austin, Austin Community College, and Handwerkskammer Koblenz. The Bundesgartenschau also featured a concert of eight Austin musicians.
The committee has been especially active in coordinating educational exchanges at all levels. In April 1992, 30 students from Koblenz came to Austin for an exchange with Anderson High School and Murchison Middle School. The students stayed with Austin families for three weeks, attended ten days of school, and took field trips to cultural sites in Central Texas such as Enchanted Rock and the Alamo in San Antonio. In June 1993, 50 students, parents, and faculty members from Summitt Elementary traveled to Koblenz. The students—most of whom were in the 4th grade—were matched with partners at Schenkendorf Elementary and stayed with their families while in Koblenz. UT’s McCombs School of Business has maintained a Dual Degree Program with the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management since 1989. St. Edward’s University and the Koblenz School of Applied Sciences have an ongoing partnership offering students the opportunity to study for a year at each others’ school. In addition, the committee previously organized apprenticeship programs that sent young adults to Koblenz for 2 years to build career skills in professions of their choosing. They learned to speak German fairly fluently. Austin Community College as well as the Handwerkskammer (Chamber of Trades) Koblenz created a wonderful program for their respective students in the areas of metal work, automotive, electric and business, which allowed them to continue study in their respective fields of interest in Austin and Koblenz.
Today, we are preparing our 25th Anniversary Celebration May 2017. We couldn't be more proud of what we has achieved and are excited to keep on growing in our partnership.
For the past two decades, our partnership has facilitated cultural and educational exchanges between the two cities. In 2011, the committee coordinated an Austin Friendship Garden during the Bundesgartenschau (National Garden Show) in Koblenz. The garden was designed and constructed through the combined efforts of members of the Austin-Koblenz Sister Cities Committee, the Partnerschaft Koblenz-Austin, Austin Community College, and Handwerkskammer Koblenz. The Bundesgartenschau also featured a concert of eight Austin musicians.
The committee has been especially active in coordinating educational exchanges at all levels. In April 1992, 30 students from Koblenz came to Austin for an exchange with Anderson High School and Murchison Middle School. The students stayed with Austin families for three weeks, attended ten days of school, and took field trips to cultural sites in Central Texas such as Enchanted Rock and the Alamo in San Antonio. In June 1993, 50 students, parents, and faculty members from Summitt Elementary traveled to Koblenz. The students—most of whom were in the 4th grade—were matched with partners at Schenkendorf Elementary and stayed with their families while in Koblenz. UT’s McCombs School of Business has maintained a Dual Degree Program with the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management since 1989. St. Edward’s University and the Koblenz School of Applied Sciences have an ongoing partnership offering students the opportunity to study for a year at each others’ school. In addition, the committee previously organized apprenticeship programs that sent young adults to Koblenz for 2 years to build career skills in professions of their choosing. They learned to speak German fairly fluently. Austin Community College as well as the Handwerkskammer (Chamber of Trades) Koblenz created a wonderful program for their respective students in the areas of metal work, automotive, electric and business, which allowed them to continue study in their respective fields of interest in Austin and Koblenz.
Today, we are preparing our 25th Anniversary Celebration May 2017. We couldn't be more proud of what we has achieved and are excited to keep on growing in our partnership.
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