Representatives from Belleville’s sister city in Germany have arrived.
Wednesday, Belleville Council welcomed delegates from Lahr, Germany in honour of the two cities’ 50-year anniversary.
04/05/2022 – Delegates from Lahr, Germany are welcomed by municipal staff. From left to right, Oberburgermeister Markus Ibert, Friederike Ohnemus, Stefanie Kremling-Deinert, Dorothee Granderath, Ingrid Furrer, Dr. Steffen Auer, Klaus Girstl, and Harald Gunther. (Photo: Andrew Clarke / Quinte News)
The delegates will tour a number of municipal facilities, businesses and industries during their stay, as well as attend a prayers breakfast at the Banquet Centre, an economic business luncheon at Loyalist College on Thursday, and a tree planting and plaque ceremony on Sunday in honour of the 50-year celebration.
04/05/2022 – Oberburgermeister Markus Ibert, on left, and Mayor Mitch Panciuk, on right, celebrate the two cities’ relationship with a ceremonial cake cutting. (Photo: Andrew Clarke / Quinte News)
Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk says the region has and will continue to learn through the relationship.
“We were kind of thrown together because of the history of the world and then we became friends over those years, and now I think that friendship has led to more of a family relationship. There’s a lot we can learn from our friends… in some ways they are very advanced from us, from an environmental and a sustainability point of view and certainly we learned a lot when we were there.”
04/05/2022 – Belleville delegates were in Lahr in September 2021, with Lahr delegates last visiting in 2017. (Photo: Andrew Clarke / Quinte News)
Lahr Oberburgermeister Markus Ibert, says the relationship is fueled by the personal connections made.
“It’s very good for us, for the people who work together. Life is more than only working, so it’s the connections between people.”
The two communities began their relationship in 1972, when the Canadian military maintained a base in Lahr.
Ibert formally invited Belleville delegates to Lahr for Spring 2023.
