The York-Münster Town Twinning Association

St.-Paulus-Dom, the cathedral church, Diocese of Münster and the market

Town twinners in the Peace Hall

We have a new committee and are currently meeting regularly on Zoom - see below for meetings

For up-to-date information about the Corona Virus and Münster, go to: https://www.muenster.de/corona.html

The York-Münster Link

York and Münster have been linked since 1957 (long before the UK joined the EU in 1973!), and this link celebrated its 60 year anniversary in 2017.

Since the late 50s, volunteers in both cities have worked hard to maintain the ties and benefits of such a union, such as greater understanding of our two nations at grass roots level, helping to eradicate unkind, unhelpful and untrue stereotypes. Over the last 70 or so years, peace has reigned in Europe and our governments have focused on rebuilding our land and our economies, but attitudes have also had to change. By moving forward, by visiting each other and spending time in each other's lives, we find there is a lot of common ground, and it is here where our town-twinning members are happiest.

York and Münster do have a lot in common, not only from a cultural and national heritage perspective. Not only are both small cities that support universities, but they also both try to promote cycling. Crime is low in both cities, but cycle theft is said to be one of the major offences in Münster.

The York-Münster Town Twinning Association re-started in 2012, and is made up of local residents from each city. Since that time, and as recently as Sept 2015, small groups have visited Münster and been made very welcome with true German hospitality. The town-twinning association meets about every 6 weeks in the City of York Council West Offices in Station Rise at 7.30pm - 9.00pm.

The York-Münster Town Twinning Association aims to:

a) promote and develop an appreciation among the public of the culture and language

of Germany;

b) develop a strong partnership approach to increasing the involvement of residents,

communities and businesses in learning from each other.

The York-Münster Town Twinning Association Now

One focus of our meetings at the moment is the Citizens for Europe Programme.

We are also keen to find memorabilia (e.g. photos, letters etc) of past visits or possible school exchanges with Münster for the digital "Memories of Münster" display, started in 2017, but which is ongoing.

A second initiative has been set up as a joint venture between York Explore Library and the York-Münster TTA called the YARN project. This is a digital platform which allows people to write their thoughts, memories and experiences as well as posting music, photos and other scanned memorabilia of times spent around Münster. This is an ongoing project, so can be added to at any time. To read articles, go to https://yarncommunity.org/projects/5

Surely people who have visited the city over the past years have some "valuable" items and souvenirs which they have treasured from that time? If you are one of those people, please check your old photo albums or jot down a few details of your memories and send them to the secretary at the contact address at the bottom of the page, so they can be added to YARN or the display board.

Want to Join?

Membership costs a mere £5.00 a year, starting in April. Unlike in Germany, there is no funding in York other than membership fees and the association's own fundraising activities to support the town-twinning events.

Dates for your Diary

12th January - meeting by Zoom

Photos from the 60 year town-twinning anniversary visit to Münster, September 2017

In the Peace Hall beside the Rathaus, listening to Straight from the streets of York! French-German solidarity and

the mayor explaining how the Peace Treaty to No wonder we're twinned! celebrating twinning relations with Orleans end the 30 Years' War, resulted in the founding

of the Netherlands.

Views from the top of the Münster Council Offices History is everywhere in Münster. One of the many charming streets

Listening to Marcus Rewe, Mayor of Muenster. Outside the Museum of Art and Culture The Walking On/Across Water Stepping Stones, one of the Skulptur Projekte which happens every 10 years.

For more information about the York-Münster Town Twinning Association

http://TinyURL.com/YorkMuenster

or

yorkmuensterassociation@gmail.com

For more photos of the trip in 2017

visit https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cx0ep5lwgu9cuoj/AACa-48EUz2ij1ZkZE3kiFEba?dl=0

For news and photos of the Münster visits to York

visit www.ms-york.de

For information about Münster: https://www.stadt-muenster.de/english/welcome-to-muenster.html

and for York's twin towns, go to:https://www.york.gov.uk/info/20017/people_and_communities/2091/york_twin_towns

For up-to-date information about the Corona Virus and Münster, go to: https://www.muenster.de/corona.html