Editor:
Presscouncil City of Chemnitz
Pressrelease: 619

Chemnitz honoured by twin city Taiyuan with "Prize for Exchange and Cooperation with China"

The City of Chemnitz was honoured with the "Prize for Exchange and Cooperation with China" at the International Friendship Cities Conference held in Chengdu, China, to present awards to twin cities. "The award is a recognition to the city of Chemnitz for its many years of cooperation with Taiyuan," said Mr Gao Jianan, Vice Director of the Centre for International Exchange of the Taiyuan City Government. The prize was accepted on site by the German Consulate General in Chengdu. The prize - a small sculpture accompanied by an official letter - is now on its way to Chemnitz by post and can, of course, be photographed once it arrives.

The city partnership between Taiyuan and Chemnitz has existed since 1999 and began with reciprocal visits by business delegations. Since then, there has been intensive co-operation in several areas. Just a few weeks ago, Mayor Barbara Ludwig welcomed a four-person delegation from No 2 People's Hospital Taiyuan to Chemnitz. The focus of the doctors' visit was a tour of various large medical and social facilities and an exchange of experiences as well as the conclusion of an agreement on future cooperation between the Chinese guests and their Chemnitz partners at Klinikum Chemnitz gGmbH (PM 535 from 10/09/2012).
Cooperation in the field of sport between Chemnitz and Taiyuan has also been intensified: Last year, guests from Chemnitz attended the 2011 international marathon in Taiyuan. More than 10,000 runners took part in this event. In return, two marathon runners from the Chinese twin city took part in this year's 5th Chemnitz Marathon: the guests came fourth in the women's race and 22nd in the men's race.
In future, more attention will also be paid to cultural exchange between the two twin cities: a delegation of Taiyuan artists made the start last year. They presented Chinese folk art such as painting, calligraphy, paper cutting and dough modelling at the Chemnitz City Festival.

Contact and contact person: City of Chemnitz, Mayor's Office - Reiner Gehlhar, Protocol Department, Town Twinning, call 0371/488-1520, e-mail: Reiner.Gehlhar@Stadt-chemnitz.de

Information about the town twinning on the internet: www.chemnitz.de - here is the link: http://www.chemnitz.de/chemnitz/de/die-stadt-chemnitz/partnerstaedte/taiyuan/index.html