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Twinning
Town twinning with Münster
August 12, 1989
It was a long way before the town twinning between Ryazan and Münster was finally realised. The first contact dates back to 1978, when the Soviet ambassador Valentin Falin was invited to Münster. During this visit, First Mayor Dr. Werner Pierchalla, who had spent 75 months in Soviet captivity, asked the ambassador to check whether the city of Münster could establish friendly relations with a Russian city. Valentin Falin recommended Ryazan as a twin town. But the Cold War was still going on. It was not until the political upheaval in the former Eastern Bloc, when Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the CPSU, that he loosened the political relations between East and West. In this context, Münster and Ryazan got back in touch with each other. In September 1988, the first school exchange was organised by Peter Wittig, teacher at the Ratsgymnasium. On August 12, 1989 the First Mayors Valery Lobanow and Dr. Jörg Twenhöven signed the official partnership certificate. This eighth town twinning is the first that has become possible due to the political transformations in Central and Eastern Europe.
Initially, the relationship was characterised by humanitarian aid. The citizens of Münster regularly organised aid campaigns, which have already enabled several projects to be realised in Ryazan. For example, a social aid fund was set up in 1991 thanks to an initiative from Münster. There are also numerous relations concerning music and art, between schools and the city administrations. Citizens’ trips to and from Ryazan take place regularly, organised by the Münster – Ryazan Association. Many institutional contacts have been established, and there is an exchange between the universities of Münster and Ryazan, too. The network is completed by interesting exhibitions and theatre projects.
News
First Mayor Markus Lewe supports the twinning of Münster and Ryazan
First Mayor Markus Lewe has strongly spoken out in favour of the continuation of the town twinning between Münster and Ryazan. "Through town twinning, civil society groups in particular find each other - thus also people who do not necessarily agree with the decisions of their government. It would be bitter if we were to break off these last opportunities for a relationship, so we are using this chance to exchange messages of peace." The International Office is in regular contact with the city administration of Ryazan at the working level and also asks the many citizens and institutions in Münster that have contacts with Ryazan not to break off the dialogue with the people in the twin city.
- Westfälische Nachrichten: Ryazan should remain a partner
- Press release (1.3.2022): Ukraine: First refugees expected
First Mayor Markus Lewe
First Mayor speaks with city leaders of Ryazan
At the beginning of February 2022, in the views of the tense global political situation, First Mayor Markus Lewe and the deputy mayor of Ryazan, Larissa Maksimova, and the head of the Ryazan city administration, Elena Sorokina exchanged opinions in a video call regarding the twinning of Münster and Ryazan. In the conversation, both sides emphasised the deep bond and friendship between the people of Ryazan and Münster. Lewe and the city leaders of Ryazan agreed that the city partnership, which has existed for 33 years, and the many personal contacts must be cultivated and expanded more intensively than ever before. Official press release
First Mayor Markus Lewe declares his support for German-Russian friendship
Early January 2022 with a letter to the First Mayor of the city of Ryazan and a video message for the people in Münster's Russian twin city, First Mayor Markus Lewe sets an accent against the worsening situation in the Ukraine conflict. "Many people in Europe are worried," Lewe says in the video. "Right now we have to stick together. Perhaps we will succeed in sending a sign of peace with this."
Photo: Barbara Schragen
National heroes of the Second World War
In February, Münster’s twin town in Russia, Ryazan, invited participants to an international online exchange on ways of remembering the Second World War today. Experts from Italy, France, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia presented their approaches in a "round table discussion". For Münster, Thomas Köhler (Villa ten Hompel) spoke about “silent heroes”: courageous people who helped persecuted people during the Nazi era, risking their own lives.
Impressions from the “round table discussion”
(russian and english)
30 years of town twinning Münster – Ryazan
Exchange on sustainable urban development
Reception in the Friedenssaal
At the invitation of First Mayor Markus Lewe, a delegation from the Russian twin city visited Münster from June 15 to 20, 2019 under the responsibility of First Mayor Yulia Rokotyanskaya. Not only did this official visit in the context of the 30th anniversary provide the chance to celebrate together, but also for professional exchange. Here, the focus was on topics like “climate protection”, “energy-efficient construction and refurbishment”, “climate-friendly construction” and “climate-friendly mobility concepts”.
Choir music from Russia and around the world in the Lambertikirche
The choir from Ryazan
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of town twinning between Münster and Ryazan, the choir of the Yesenin State University of Ryazan performed in the Lambertikirche in Münster. On Wednesday, June 19, 2019, the choir performed choral music from Russia and all parts of the world in front of the packed church hall. The audience was enchanted and showed its appreciation with standing ovations.