Visit from Esch-sur-Alzette and preparations for a sports Olympiad

The City of Offenbach is in regular contact with its twin towns. In addition to reciprocal visits and trips for citizens, joint events are also planned. "A regular exchange between our twin cities is very important to me," emphasizes Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke. "It allows us to maintain our friendship and promote mutual understanding. We were recently able to welcome representatives from Esch to Offenbach. I am very pleased about that. Partnerships are particularly important when it comes to peace. Friends don't start wars," emphasizes Schwenke. The friendship between Esch-sur-Alzette and Offenbach am Main has existed since 1956.

Representatives from Esch-sur-Alzette recently came to Offenbach. In addition to an extensive programme, the focus was on organizing a sports Olympiad. To this end, other people from the twin towns of Mödling near Vienna and Puteaux near Paris were invited to a video conference. A sports Olympiad for young people from a total of eight European cities was planned. The first event is to take place in Esch in July 2025. Over five days, more than 40 young people between the ages of 15 and 27 will take part in cultural and, above all, sporting activities. "The Sports Olympics help to uphold the European spirit. Working together is important," explains Schwenke. "The project is funded by Erasmus+ and therefore by the European Union. If this exchange program proves successful, it can be repeated in other countries."

Bettina Jöst, responsible for town twinning, welcomed the delegation from Esch-sur-Alzette to Offenbach. The program included a meeting of the children's and youth parliament (KJP). The guests showed great interest in setting up a similar one in Esch in order to give children and young people there a voice. Among other things, the KJP enables its youngest citizens to actively participate in urban development. The KJP has existed in Offenbach since 1999 and schoolchildren can be elected as delegates.

At the Nordend boxing club, honorary city councillor Wolfgang Malik provided a lot of information about the violence prevention project that is based there. The project provides young people with help and advice and even offers tutoring. This met with great interest among the visitors from Luxembourg, who were considering the possibility of implementing a similar project at the Esch boxing club.

Finally, a visit to the Capitol Theater was on the agenda. There, the Elmar Theater Club performed the Christmas fairy tale "The Frog King". The children's and youth department is an essential part of the ensemble. A future cooperation between the Offenbach theater club and the theater from Esch is conceivable for both partner cities.