Madam, I am deeply bewildered and appalled by Councillor Harry Bramer's comments against the Ross Twinning Organisations expressed at a meeting of Ross Town Council on Monday, February 8th, 2010.
I have just come home from a reception given by our Mayor Bernd Brato for 23 pupils and two teachers of the John Kyrle High School and their German partners. These exchange visits between young people of Ross and Betzdorf have been carried out regularly since 1971. More than 2,000 English and German pupils have taken part in these exchange programmes ever since, and they enjoy great popularity every year. I was impressed again by their enthusiasm and their eyes beaming with happiness.
This year, in June 2010, the official Betzdorf - Ross-on-Wye Twinning is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Charter with the aim "in multiple ways to promote and deepen contacts between both towns to their benefit. They thereby wish the people of the two towns, especially the young generation, to contribute by close contacts within the range of manifold possibilities to provide a sound basis for personal friendships as a practical contribution to the unity of Europe".
The convergence of peoples through mutual understanding of their cultures and ways of life is a fundamental contribution to European integration and peace in the world; and this convergence starts in the hearts and minds of the peoples.
Politics has had something to do with the process of increasing peaceful co-existence on various levels since the end of the Second World War, but only the people themselves can instigate the exchanges of peoples of various nationalities, cultures and religions. The local twinnings emphasise the special role of the community in this process.
As the initiator and honourable chairman of the Betzdorf - Ross-on-Wye contacts I wish that they will be continued as an ongoing commitment, because Town Twinnings are the strongest and most effective movement for peace in Europe and the world.
Dr Gerhard Hermann, Betzdorf