Skawina Twinning Association

The beginnings of the Association date back to 1987 when the first contacts with the German city of Hürth, situated in North Rhineland - Westphalia, were established. When the countries of Eastern and Western Europe were divided and when no one could imagine that the Iron Curtain would ever come down, co-operation between countries belonging to opposing political camps which were also divided by historical experience, seemed almost impossible. The church was the initiator of the Polish - German exchange. In 1987 St. Katherine's Parish from Hürth contacted God's Mercy Parish in Skawina through Kraków's Cardinal Franciszek Macharski. In October of that year, representatives from Hürth came to our city. The main idea of cooperation was for people from the towns to become closer. The aim has been achieved for the bonds of friendship still last and more and more residents of the towns become involved.

The towns entered into a partnership agreement nine years later, on 30th June 1996, when co-operation had been already established. The agreement gave it formal status, allowed Skawina Twinning Association to be brought into existence and set out goals for the future.
 
Thanks to international co-operation people in need received help. Our friends from Hürth have donated gifts to Special School Number 5 (a school for pupils with learning problems) in Skawina, subsidized meals for poor children in schools and support the Pilgrim's House (a small hotel) at the God's Mercy parish. Also Skawina Ambulance Service, named for Siegfried Greiner, was given an ambulance and equipment necessary to give people first aid. 

In October 1999 Town Councillors passed a resolution concerning partnership with the Slovakian town of Turčianske Teplice and the ceremony of signing of the formal Twinning Agreement took place on 12th November that year. Co-operation and friendship with this beautiful, historic spa, which is only 220 kilometres from Skawina, have been established in this way. Slovaks always give their guests a warm welcome and show off the tourist and health attractions of their town. Skawina hosted residents of Turčianske Teplice several times and their artistic groups participated in the contests organized in Skawina.

Lasting since 1991 contacts with Thetford in Great Britain got closer after the meeting and talks with the then Mayor of Thetford Mr Derek                    
In July 2003 during private visit of the Mayor of Roztoky near Prague, Mr Stanislav Boloňsky and his wife, a meeting with the Mayor of Skawina and representatives of the committee of Skawina twinning Association was organised. During the meeting both sides expressed a will to establish contacts between the towns. After the resolution of Skawina Town Council a signing of the Twinning Agreement took place on 6th June 2005.

In February 2000 there was an application to the Town Council to establish contacts with Civitanova Marche in Italy. unofficial contacts with this town had been established in 1979 be Skawina scouts "The Red Poppy" and Mr Paul Dernowski - General of the Carpathian Division, inhabitant of Civitanova Marche. After official visits of the representatives of the towns and the resolution of Skawina Town Council a formal twinning Agreement was signed on 16th July 2005. 
The Association organizes trips for artistic and sports clubs and residents, and also the expansion of cultural exchange. It is also the initiator of school exchanges. It also supports civic and economic co-operation. The participants of trips also took part in lectures and discussions about Poland's entry into the European Union and the problems connected with it.

The Association still develops and its work continually brings in new members, new ideas and new initiatives. The corner stones of the work are still friendship and co-operation with the people from towns in other countries.

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