During the recent ten-year-period Siedlce has established
many contacts with member states of the European Union (including
Germany, Italy, Sweden, Denmark) and former members of the "eastern
block" - countries (Lithuania, Ukraine, Slovakia, Russia,
Belaruss).
Siedlce
and Dasing, Germany established collaboration in 1998.
A number of commonly organised events promote cultures of both
countries including the most meaningful "Bavarian Day in Siedlce"
and "Polish Day in Bavaria". The "Common
Europe" event was organised in Siedlce in May 1997,
where towns from Italy, Germany and Lithuania presented their
economic achievements, traditions and culture.
Summer language camps, sport, cultural and economic events have
been organised within this co-operation. Representatives of
Siedlce and the Dasing commune have set up the Polish-German
Co-operation Club.
Siedlce
has maintained close economic, educational and especially cultural
contacts with Pescantina, a town located near Verona,
Italy.
The "Podlasie"
folk group gave concerts for inhabitants of Pescantina and surrounding
area, and the junior football team "Pogoń" took part
in many tournaments and competitions with friendly teams.
An
Italian chamber choir gave concerts in Siedlce in 1996 and the
local choir repaid the visit in Pescantina in 1998.
The co-operation between two schools from
Siedlce - Elementary School no 8 and Public Junior High School
no 4 and Italian schools has been established.
Siedlce maintains close
contacts, especially in the field of culture, with the Vilnius
Region in Lithuania, too. The town's representatives, who participated
in the traditional folklore holiday "Polish Flowers"
and "Harvest Home", also had a chance to learn about
traditions and customs of Poles in Lithuania, and the Lithuanian
culture.
The
local folk group "Podlasie" performed on the occasion
of the Days of Polish Culture in Polish schools in Równe
and local area in 1998. Additionally folk dancing group
"Chodowiacy" from Siedlce gave performance on the occasion
of the 450th anniversary of granting the municipal
rights to Sabinov in Slovakia.
Representatives
of the twinned townstook part in celebrations of our national
holidays ithe 450th anniversary of Siedlce being granted
municipal rights in 1997, the visit of Pope John Paul 2nd
in June 1999 and the 10th anniversary of self-governing
in Poland in May of 2000.
The city signed on:
26
th July 1998 an Agreement of friendship
with Dasing commune from Germany. Its aim is to support and strengthen
mutual understanding by development of good neighbouring relations
and ties of friendship between citizens of Poland and Germany
10
th
November 1993 an Agreement of Collaboration with the town of Pescantina,
Italy, which aim is to establish partner relations between towns.
- May 30, 1998 an Agreement of Collaboration with the Vilnius
Region, Lithuania. Its aim is to enter into mutually beneficial
relations in education, culture, sport and youth exchange.
- September 26, 2000 - cooperation agreement on the field of
culture and education with Vawkavysk
- May 24, 2001 - cooperation agreement with the Slovakia city
of Sabinov in order to estabish bilateral contacts in the field
of education, culture and sport as well as youth exchange.
