Press releases

The Aachen-Reims twinning association traveled to the French twin city this year. At a reception in the town hall, Reims' mayor Arnaud Robinet and mayoress Sibylle Keupen paid tribute to the associations' commitment to the long-standing Franco-German friendship. Both emphasized the importance of this partnership as a sign of cohesion and European solidarity. "Today, our two countries are at the heart of Europe and have a responsibility to stand up for the peace and cohesion of our continent. This responsibility is becoming ever more important in view of the challenges of our time," said Mayor Keupen.

One focus of the meeting was on future projects, in particular supporting the joint twin town of Chernihiv in Ukraine. A youth camp is planned for the coming year to offer young people from the war-torn region the prospect of exchange and recreation.

Together with Deputy Mayor Dimitri Odin, Mayoress Keupen laid a rose at the memorial plaque in front of the cathedral in Aachen's twin city to commemorate the historic 1962 agreement on friendship between nations between Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer. The group also visited the cathedral and the traditional Taittinger champagne house on their annual members' trip.

The town twinning between Aachen and Reimes dates back to 1967 and was initiated by the then mayors Hermann Heusch and Jean Taittinger. It goes back to the Élysée Treaty of 1963, which was intended to promote cultural exchange and reconciliation between the two peoples. Since 1992, the Aachen-Reims twinning committee has kept this friendship alive and has set itself the task of promoting deeper mutual understanding through cultural contributions and encounters. It thus makes a contribution to a peaceful, united Europe.

You can find the full speech by Mayor Keupen here:

2024_10_29-Speech-Keupen-Visit-Reims_docx.pdf (aachen.de)