Encounters in twinned towns
Action 1 supports citizens’ meetings in the context of town twinning. EU-funded gatherings share three common features: they show a commitment to EU integration; they build friendships in Europe; and they promote active participation.
There are a number of ways in which a commitment to European integration can be approached and expressed. This could be done by discussing the basic idea of the Union, its future and its values; learning about participation in the EU’s democratic process; or demonstrating the concrete benefits of European integration at the local or individual level. Meetings could also delve into issues of solidarity with and belonging to a broader European community.
Friends across borders
Town-twinning meetings can foster friendship and mutual understanding by enabling citizens to get to know people from their twinned towns and to develop personal relationships with them. These gatherings could also help people become familiar with day-to-day life in their partner towns in other countries, and encourage them to experience cultural diversity, as well as their common cultural heritage.
Citizens’ meetings should be characterised by active civic participation. This could be done by involving the local community in the planning and implementation of the project; granting participants an active role through displays, workshops, joint cultural performances, etc.; and ensuring that meetings are truly a joint endeavour between all the towns involved.
