20.10.2024, reading time 5 minutes
How often do you look out of the bus window and think to yourself: “Oh, this is going to be another one of the usual city tours”? Not on this day and not with this club!
A captivating journey through time began on the coach: Paul-Werner Geis took the travellers on an exciting anecdote-filled tour of the House of Nassau, its connections to European royal houses and the many traces it has left behind in towns such as Dillenburg. And so the journey to the Oranienstadt began – full of surprises and historical treasures.
In high spirits and with eager curiosity, the group from Neu-Anspach set off on a tour of discovery through the late Baroque town centre of Dillenburg. Every metre of the half-timbered houses in Wilhelmstraße, built from the stones of the old castle, told its own story. From the Orangerie Carriage Museum, built in 1719, to the imposing Wilhelmsturm tower high above the city, where the history of Nassau and Nassau-Oranien came to life – the city proved to be a veritable European history book that aroused curiosity.
After a well-earned break with Mediterranean specialities in the Liebezeit restaurant, the adventure continued: a tour through the casemates of Dillenburg was on the agenda. Brave participants descended into the underground passages and defence systems that were once built for 2,000 soldiers and made the town virtually impregnable. The highlight? The view into the 62 metre deep Löwenbrunnen – an impressive moment deep in the “underworld” of Dillenburg.
On the return journey, the impressions were vivid and the mood enthusiastic. The first ideas for the 2025 excursion were doing the rounds. Who knows where the next trip will take us? Suggestions are very welcome under the motto “European locations – yesterday, today and tomorrow”. Please send them to vorstand@vzfib-neu-anspach.de!
Ein herzliches Dankeschön geht an die Landesstiftung “Miteinander in Hessen”, die die Fahrt mit einer Förderung unterstützt hat.
Every year since 2009, 48 young people from the three twin towns of Saint-Florent-sur-Cher, Sentjur and Neu-Anspach have come together to spend a week experiencing Europe, getting to know other cultures, working together in workshops and having fun.
Financially supported by sponsors such as Mainova, ErasmusPlus, the twin towns and local companies, the participants only incur low costs. Thanks to the voluntary work of the members of the Association for the Promotion of International Relations (VzFiB), the town twinning committees in Sentjur and Saint-Florent-sur-Cher, the co-operating schools Adolf-Reichwein-Schule, Collège Voltaire and in Sentjur with Osnovna šola Dramlje, Osnovna sola Hrusevec and Osnovna sola Slivnica, the municipalities and the students themselves, a great programme is created, organised, carried out and evaluated every year.
The highlights from 2024 are available here to browse through in the digital photo book
And if you would like to hold the book in your hands in printed form or give it as a gift, you can order it at cost price of €35. Simply send a short email to vorstand@vzfib-neu-anspach.de.
A colourful and varied overview of the projects and highlights of Encounter 2024 – just click on the button and enjoy…A colourful and varied overview of the projects and highlights of Encounter 2024 – just click on the button and enjoy…
05.05.2024, Reading time 2 minutes
NEW: With detailed programme in D, F, SLO. It’s time again – Neu-Anspach invites you to an exciting town meeting under the inspiring motto “Changing Perspectives in Europe”. This time we welcome the citizens of our twin towns Saint-Florent-sur-Cher in France and Sentjur in Slovenia. Together we want to look beyond our own backyards and exchange views on the diversity of European cultures and perspectives.
The programme for this meeting promises to be a rich and enriching experience for guests and hosts alike. We start with an ecumenical travelling blessing and a drink where we can celebrate the reunion with our friends and have initial discussions.
The next day, we head to Europe’s largest cold-water geyser in Andernach. Firstly, we visit the modern and interactive museum. This is followed by a short boat trip on the Rhine, which takes us to this extraordinary natural spectacle.
On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, we will be hosting an information stand at the Bürgerhaus Neu-Anspach to provide information about the European elections on 9 June. With a wheel of fortune, quizzes, prizes and numerous brochures for all ages, there will be plenty of new things to discover. The highlight of the meeting will be the closing evening, where we will celebrate the diversity of our home countries.
This citizens’ meeting is the perfect opportunity to strengthen our partnerships, gain new perspectives and strengthen our ties as European citizens. We look forward to warmly welcoming our guests from France and Slovenia and sharing unforgettable moments together.
01.04.2024, reading time 3 minutes
NEW: programme in GERMAN, FRENCH AND SLOVENIAN.
On 5 May 2024, it’s off again! 48 young people from Saint-Florent-sur-Cher, Sentjur and Neu-Anspach will come together for 6 days to learn, have fun, see further than the end of their noses, communicate with their hands and feet, discover their love of the forest, feel the power of water, cross borders and boundaries through sport, games and art, and experience Europe at first hand.
This is only possible thanks to the town of Neu-Anspach, our cooperation partner – the Adolf-Reichwein School – and the donors and sponsors who contribute financially and provide ideas, suggestions and creative solutions.
Many thanks to the organisers, the schools, the committees and the municipalities of Sentjur and Saint-Florent-sur-Cher!
We would like to make a special mention of the Klaus-Tschira Foundation, which is giving its strong support and encouragement to our project.
Spring is not only the time of new beginnings in nature, but also at the Association for the Promotion of International Relations.
On 7 March, the association gathered for its annual general meeting, and it was a meeting of encounters and exchanges!
With beaming faces and full of enthusiasm, important decisions were made and exciting plans forged to take the association’s activities to a new level this year.
New and familiar faces on the Executive Board
The members of the association voted in favour of a number of new board positions. Silke Jeltsch-Strempel was confirmed as deputy chairwoman, while Hartmut Klein took over as treasurer. Ulrike Redlich was also confirmed as secretary. In addition, Ute Chandoni-Goebel, Manfred Bletz, Klaus Hoffmann and Paul-Werner Geis were elected as assessors. Together with Helga Feller as 1st Chairperson, Andreas Braum as Deputy Chairperson and Mario Graser as Assessor, they form the newly composed Board team. A big thank you goes to the two Board members Christa Malik and Oliver Dittberner, who left the Board for personal reasons.
Exciting events in the pipeline
In addition to the board elections, there are two exciting events coming up. Firstly, the citizens’ meeting with friends from Šentjur and Saint Florent sur Cher promises to be an unforgettable experience. The programme also includes the trinational youth project with young people from the Adolf Reichwein School, the Collège Voltaire and the Osnovna šola Dramlje under the motto “Changing Perspectives in Europe”. As with previous youth projects, the patron of the youth project is Holger Bellino. 🌍
Call to members and friends of the association
But wait a minute! The association still needs hosts for the citizens’ meeting! It is a unique opportunity to welcome guests from the twin towns of Saint-Florent-sur-Cher 🇫🇷 and Sentjur 🇸🇮 and to gain intercultural experience. Anyone interested can register via the website of the Neu-Anspach Association for the Promotion of International Relations.
A key to the diversity and unity of Europe
The Association for the Promotion of International Relations firmly believes that town twinning is the key to diversity and unity in Europe. Let’s show Europe at its best together and build bridges between cultures!
And what else? Here is an outlook on further activities and a call for participation!
All those interested in Europe should make a note of the Taunusmesse in Neu-Anspach on 13 and 14 April. We will be there with our wheel of fortune to provide information about the European elections on 9 June 2024 and encourage voter turnout.
Also make a note: On 4 May, this year’s Europe Day of the Hochtaunuskreis will take place in the municipality of Schmitten, where we will present and celebrate our town twinnings.
We would like to thank everyone who attended the General Assembly and are ready for an exciting time full of intercultural encounters and new adventures!
„Together in joy!” – “In Freude vereint!” – „Ensemble dans la joie”
Trinational Youth Project 2023 in Šentjur
The Slovenian organisers have created an absolutely fitting motto for the 13th town twinning youth project: “Together in joy!” This includes a multifaceted programme that has been assessed and financially supported by ErasmusPlus, the EU’s mobility programme for young people. With great hospitality, various activities and lots of fun, 24 Slovenian hosts – pupils from the primary and secondary school in Dramlje (Šentjur) – await the 12 young people from Neu-Anspach and Saint-Florent-sur-Cher in France. This time, the tutors from Germany are Michaela Schmidt for the Adolf Reichwein School and Andreas Braum for the Association for the Promotion of International Relations. From France, Sandrine Gatinois and her colleague Caroline Alger from the College Voltaire will accompany the pupils. The organising team of the Slovenian school is the headmistress Mirjana Aužner and the two teachers Mitjar Logar and Simon Hebar, who are supported by the staff of the Youth Centre in Sentjur Lara Zmaher and Ines Zelič.
One of the young people from Neu-Anspach, Fianna Gubisch, reports:
The first thing that was done on arrival in Dramlje, a district belonging to Šentjur, was of course a photo of all the exchange partners together. As everyone was exhausted from the journey, which partly took place overnight, the rest of the day was spent with the host families, as in the previous year.
When it finally started on Monday, everyone got to know each other better through various games and discovered the school. At noon, we had a honey picnic where we could taste different types of honey.
The following day, after a short warm-up programme, we went into the workshops: Cooking, using herbs for cosmetics and food and creating a barefoot park. Unfortunately, the following hike could not take place due to heavy rain, but was replaced by the preparations for Saturday. On Saturday evening, the hosts and the guests of the civic encounter and the youth project met for the common evening event, where they ate, danced, sang and simply celebrated.
A very special guest gift was developed by Ines Zelič and Lara Zmaher from the Šentjur Youth Centre. With a lot of commitment and creativity, they created a photo book of all the youth projects so far.
For those who want to discover the highlights and activities of the twinning youth projects since 2009, go to the digital photo album here.
