From July 28 to August 2, 2025, six young people from Offenbach visited the twin town of Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg. A sports Olympiad was held there for teenagers and young adults from the twin towns. 54 participants aged between 15 and 25 traveled from nine cities and seven different countries. The participating cities were Offenbach and Cologne from Germany, Esch-sur-Alzette from Luxembourg, Mödling from Austria, Liège from Belgium, Puteaux and Lille from France, Torino from Italy and Coimbra from Portugal. Sport is a universal language that is more than just competition. It unites, creates new friendships and transcends cultural boundaries. All participants were not only physically challenged during this week, but also improved their communication and teamwork skills and learned how important partnerships are.
The week in Esch-sur-Alzette included an extensive program. The first few days were used to get to know each other. At "intercultural dinners", each participating city cooked a specialty of the region or country. Where the Austrians served schnitzel, of course, the Offenbach team baked brownies for everyone and then decorated them with Offenbacher Pfeffernüsse, which were a favorite of the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In addition to the culinary exploration of other cultures, there were presentations about the respective cities followed by quizzes to test the new knowledge.
The second part of the week was dedicated to the Sports Olympics. The players competed against each other in non-commercial and inclusive sports. The focus was not on competition and winning, but on strengthening team spirit, respect and fair play. There was wheelchair football, fencing, human table football and bubble soccer. On one day, an inflatable obstacle course was set up in front of the town hall and, in addition to other outdoor activities, there was even a bull riding station. In addition to the sports program, cultural and artistic excursions were also on the agenda. There was a city tour of Esch-sur-Alzette, a guided tour of the blast furnaces in Belval and a museum visit with an art workshop. Here, the participants learned Japanese bookbinding and painted portraits.
To bring the week to a successful conclusion, all participants reflected on the experiences they had gained, made new friends and deepened their bonds once again at a karaoke and games evening. Everyone found it very difficult to say goodbye the next morning.
"It was a great project, for many it was the best time ever. I never thought that I would make such good contact with Coimbra through this event. I definitely plan to visit my Portuguese roommates and new friends in the future," says Kai Rönninger, a trainee at the City of Offenbach who took part in the Sports Olympics.
Kai Rönninger from the city of OffenbachThe Sports Olympics were very exhausting, but at the same time a lot of fun. I made the closest connections when we shared a meal together after the day's program.
During a visit by the delegation from Esch-sur-Alzette in January of this year, in preparation for the Sports Olympics, Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke said: "Regular exchanges with our twin towns are important to me. It keeps our friendship alive and we learn from each other. Especially at a time when peace cannot be taken for granted everywhere, such partnerships are of particular importance. Because friends don't fight wars." The friendship between Esch-sur-Alzette and Offenbach am Main has existed since 1956.
ESCH Youth Olympiads 2025
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