Beaming faces at the reception for the families from the US twin city of Arlington: Lord Mayor Sibylle Keupen greeted the 54 German and US families in the Coronation Hall on Friday, April 11, and warmly welcomed those who had come to Aachen from afar.

The exchange between the twin cities of Arlington and Aachen has been an integral part of the city partnership for 25 years: A group of Aachen students visits Arlington during the fall break and the following year, shortly before the Easter break, the group of students from Arlington comes to Aachen together with their parents or guardians. This year, 27 American families with eleven girls and 17 boys are taking part in the exchange.

Mayor Sibylle Keupen emphasized the close connection between the two distant cities: "What began as an official twinning agreement is now a strong friendship. It is a great pleasure that we are consolidating this friendship with such cultural exchanges." The twinning agreement was signed on September 17, 1993 in Aachen City Hall, and the first student exchange took place in 2000.

The students from the USA can look forward to an exciting program in the region: together with their host families, they will visit Aachen Cathedral, the caves in Maastricht, the Dreiländerpunkt and take part in a guided tour of Monschau.