A delegation of officials and citizens from Calpe took part this weekend in the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the charter of Oppenheim (Germany), a town with which Calpe is twinned and with which it has maintained links of cooperation for more than two decades.
The Calpe delegation, led by political representatives and members of various associations, was welcomed by the mayor of Oppenheim, Silke Rautenberg, and also had the opportunity to meet again with numerous personalities who have participated in this twinning over the years, including Erich Menger, the mayor who initiated this relationship.
The commemorative events included a historical retrospective of the municipality, various musical events with the participation of a big band and a children's choir, as well as meetings with local associations. There was also a gastronomic exchange with a local cooking group, with whom the Calpe delegation shared the preparation of a traditional paella.
Through this meeting, new contacts have been established to reactivate cultural exchanges and various German musical groups have been invited to give concerts in Calpe, as well as to discover the Moors and Christians festival and Calpe's culture. For their part, the German leaders reiterated their willingness to promote any activity related to these exchanges and invited Calpe to attend the Oppenheim Wine Festival in August, the main celebration of this municipality located on the banks of the Rhine, whose local economy is centred on wine growing.
The re-establishment of an association in Oppenheim specifically responsible for twinning has also been promoted, which will enable cultural exchanges to be deepened and access to both local and European funding to be gained.
The special delegate for Twinning, Marco Bittner, stressed that ‘the spirit of twinning must transcend the political sphere and spread throughout the citizenry, especially among community organisations’ and encouraged the population to participate in these exchanges through projects that will find in the Town Council ‘a reliable ally to make them possible’.
The Twinning Department is offering Calpe associations its collaboration in setting up joint projects with the twin municipalities. Musical groups and sports associations are particularly invited to contact the department to explore opportunities for exchanges, performances and international competitions that will enrich the cultural and sporting life of the municipality.
The twinning between Calpe and Oppenheim, which began at the start of the 21st century, is visible in both municipalities through public spaces dedicated to their sister city. In Calpe, Plaza Oppenheim, located near La Manzanera, symbolises this relationship, while in Oppenheim a street in the urban expansion area pays tribute to the Alicante municipality.