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Cologne awards Liverpool prestigious
honour for 65 year friendship
LIVERPOOL is to receive a prestigious award from its twin
City of Cologne, for offering the hand of friendship following World War 2, and
its role in strengthening ties with Europe.
Lord Mayor, Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, is in the German City on Friday 20 October to
collect the Konrad Adenauer Prize 2017; named after the 1st Chancellor of the
Federal Republic of Germany, who was Mayor of the City of Cologne from 1917 to
1933 and again in 1945.
The award; which is usually given to an individual; recognises work that
contributes:- "Towards the development of a liveable conurbation worldwide,
towards European integration or towards preserving and strengthening local
Government in a tighter knit Europe."
It is thought the twinning of Liverpool and Cologne in 1952 was the 1st of its
kind between a British and German City, in the post war period. It has led to
many collaborations between the institutions of the 2 Cities, particularly
arts organisations and faith groups, including a performance of Benjamin
Britten's War Requiem, in both Cities, by the cathedral choirs.
The award will be presented at a ceremony in the historic City Hall, with the
citation thanking Liverpool for its "magnificent gesture of friendship",
noting that the City "opened the door to a common Europe for us then. In
these difficult times for Europe we would like to continue to pursue the effort
of European integration together with you and extend and intensify our close
relationship and our City's friendship with Liverpool, now more than ever. As European Capital of culture in 2008 and member of EuroCities,
Liverpool has for many years been actively engaged in shaping the common
European house."
The Lord Mayor said:- "For Liverpool to be awarded this honour is an
extraordinary accolade and I am proud and honoured to receive it.
This will be the 1st time I have been to the City since I was a 15 year old
boy standing on the platform at Cologne railway station, seeing the Cathedral
spire for the 1st time as I was on my way to share a holiday with my
classmates.
The friendship between Cologne and Liverpool precedes the UK's entry into the
EEC and should and will last long after the UK leaves the EU. Liverpool has
never been a City that was inward looking. It is situated on the River Mersey
close to its opening to the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The award is, I
think, to some extent a plea that whatever the future brings we retain the value
of those connections born in 1952 . As always we have much to learn from each
other. Liverpool remains committed to the friendship between our 2 great Cities
which can bring us through the uncertain times we are going through at the
moment."
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