http://www.kiel.de/A port city located in northern Germany by the Baltic Sea, Kiel has at the same time been Schlezwig-Holstein state capital since 1946. The city has made history as a port and trading centre. Kiel was granted city rights in 1242. In the Middle Ages there were only 200 houses in Kiel. Now the city has a population of 229 540 people. The city is a centre of education and science. There are many computer and multimedia companies operating in Kiel. In the city there is also Schlezwig - Holstein Multimedia Campus, the first centre of this kind in Germany as well as Kai-City Kiel, a modern district built on the premises of the former shipbuilding yards. Many major companies from e-business sector are located in this district. Kiel ranks among big business centres of Germany and is also a place of cargo and passengers transit. The "Kiel Canal" linking the North Sea with the Baltic Sea is Europe's busiest artificial waterway. Every year Kiel organizes its "Kieler Woche"- a festival combining regattas with social and cultural events, which attracts numerous tourists. The roots of "Kieler Woche" go back to a regatta held in 1882. Currently, about 2 000 boats and 5 000 participants take part in this event. Being the biggest summer festival in Northern Europe, "Kieler Woche" is at the same time world's biggest sailing event. Kiel hosted Olympic sailing competitions in 1936 and 1972. "Spiellinie" (Play Line) Festival having 25-year-long tradition is another summer attraction of the city. Music of all kinds can be heard in the city streets during this nine-day festival. The cooperation between Gdynia and Kiel is based on the "Twinning Agreement" signed on 25th June 1985 and then replaced with a modified version signed in Gdynia on 7th February 1997. The agreement mentions mutual cooperation in the sphere of public utilities management, health service, social welfare, municipal housing, shipyard industry, culture, sport and tourism. The effects of the cooperation: participation of the Gdynia City Hall representative in the conference in Kiel, entitled: "Port Restructuring as a Chance for Urban Development" - November 2004 the Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine - constant cooperation with Schiffahrtmedizinischer Institut der Marine in Kiel Emergency Service received medical equipment Kiel sent toys to the Children's Home in Gdynia training of one doctor from the Polish Red Cross Hospital in the Gynecological- Obstetrics clinic in Kiel at the renowned doctor Sem's. A couple of surgeons participated in a training and had some practice in operating laparoscopic equipment and performing operations using this method. visit of 43 headmasters of elementary schools from Gdynia to Kiel exchanges of inhabitants: visit of a group of 120 inhabitants of Kiel to Gdynia- the turn of September and October 1995 return visit of 60 inhabitants of Gdynia to Kiel- May 1996 visit of 40 inhabitants of Kiel to Gdynia -September 1997 return visit of 45 inhabitants Gdynia to Kiel- June 1998 visit of 44 inhabitants of Kiel to Gdynia- August 1999 return visit of 47 inhabitants Gdynia to Kiel- June 2000 visit of 40 inhabitants of Kiel to Gdynia- July 2001 return visit of 47 inhabitants of Gdynia to Kiel- June 2002 visit of 31 inhabitants of Kiel to Gdynia - May/June 2003 exchange of experience with the City Gardener in Kiel in order to develop the green areas in Gdynia visit of an amateur choir from Kiel to Gdynia- October 1996 preparation of the project of the Kiel Park in Gdynia in cooperation with The Green Area Office in Kiel (1996/1997) and giving the official name to the above mentioned park by Gdynia City Council; the park was created for recreational purposes Gdynia City Hall - initiating cooperation with the Germany- Poland Association and Association for Promotion of the Polish Culture " POLONUS" in Kiel- cooperation in organizing Kieler Woche and Kulturelle Woche Complex of Refrigeration Engineering Schools and Friedrich Junge-Schule in Kiel- exchange: visit of the youth from Kiel to Gdynia-1996 visit of pupils from Gdynia to Kiel- March 1997 visit of pupils from Kiel to Gdynia- October 1998 visit of pupils from Gdynia to Kiel - April 1999 visit of pupils from Kiel to Gdynia-April 2001 visit of pupils from Gdynia to Kiel- April 2002 visit of pupils from Kiel to Gdynia - April 2003 visit of pupils from Gdynia to Kiel - May 2004 visit of pupils from Kiel to Gdynia - April 2005 exhibition of the works of Gdynia artists in Kiel within the series "European Meetings of Artists"-January/February 1997. In return three sculptors from Kiel revisited Gdynia and showed an exhibition entitled " mmhh! Borsch". The exhibition could be seen in the "Gallery 78" in Gdynia- May 1998 employees of the Gardener Office of the Gdynia City Hall attended a training in the Green Area Office in Kiel- February 1997 renewal of the "Twinning Agreement on Cooperation between Gdynia and Kiel"-February 1997 participation of the sportsmen from Gdynia in the International Twin Cities Football Tournament of the Youth in Kiel- May 1997 Gdynia participated in the international event entitled "Kieler Woche"- Gdynia stand with tourist information and offer, promotion of local craft - June 1997 - 2013Hansa Days in Gdańsk - proceedings from the gifts were presented to the Aid Centre for Children and Family - June 1997 exhibition of the Museum of the City of Gdynia organised in the ethnographic museum in Kiel: "The old discovered anew - Tatczëzna"- June/July 1997 visit of a unique Hansekogge vessel to Gdynia on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of economic exhibition of Kiel in Gdynia- August 1997 beginning of the cooperation in regard to sects within the "Safe City" program - print of posters and leaflets (German design with the consent of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Land of Schlezwig-Holstein, Section on Information and Documentation on Sects- September 1997 participation of sportsmen from youth football clubs in Kiel in the Baltic Cup international Football Tournament of the Youth- December 1997, 1998,1999, 2000, performance of the Female Gymnast Club from Gdynia in Kiel- June 1999 closing of the first stage of construction and opening of the "Kiel Park" in Gdynia by the Kiel City Hall - August 1999 performance of the jazz band Labskaus during the 3rd Jazz-Blues Picnic in Gdynia- July/August 1999 the Kiel City Hall presented to Gdynia a bench for the "Kiel Park" - June 1999 participation of the football players from the Gdynia Club "Baltic" in the football tournament in Kiel- September 1999 exchange of experience in order to publish a city guide for the disabled by the Gdynia City Hall - 1999 visit of the " Dar Młodzieży" tallship from Gdynia to Kiel- October 1999 visit of the Germany- Poland Association in the Kashubian area- October 1999 participation of a firm from Gdynia in the 1st Twin Cities Christmas Fair organized by the Kiel City Hall. Apart from Gdynia, there were cities like Brest (France), Coventry (Great Britain), Kaliningrad (Russia), Riga (Latvia), Stralsund (Germany), Tallin (Estonia) that had their stands there- November/December 1999 the Kiel City Hall presented a seesaw and a slide to the "Kiel Park" in Gdynia participation in the seminar referring to environmental protection in the public utilities. The representatives of Kiel and its twin cities participated in it (Gdynia. Kaliningrad, Sowieck and Tallin). During the seminar the hosts presented their experience regarding some sections of public utilities: cleaning of the city, sewage treatment, waste and energy management. The representatives of Kiel offered their assistance in realization of projects in each of the twin cities in the fields discussed during the seminar. Gdynia plans to start cooperation with Kiel on the implementation of energy-saving solutions in the municipal buildings, schools, nursery schools, hospitals etc., and organizational solutions as far as construction and exploitation of sewage systems is concerned- May 2000 celebration of the 15th anniversary of cooperation between Gdynia and Kiel : the Gdynia City Hall issued an occasional poster the Gdynia City Hall coordinated the participation of the representatives of Gdynia in the "Polish Autumn 2000" event in Kiel. This event was organized by the German-Polish Association in Kiel and took place from the 11th to 26th of October 2000. During the event one could see three performances of a music group "Delfinki". The group had one performance at the seat of the German- Polish Association and two performances in the grammar schools : Hans-Geiger Gymnasium and Ernst-Barlach Gymnasium. Apart from that, a photographic exhibition: "The Śmierzchalski family- three generations" was organised in the Kiel City Hall. It lasted from the 11th to the 23rd of October 2000 participation of a firm from Gdynia (amber manufacturer) in the 2nd Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel- November/December 2000 organization of performances of a modern dance company "Dada von Bzdülow" from Gdynia in cooperation with the German-Polish Association from Kiel-May 2000 study visit of the specialists on bookkeeping and budget from the Gdynia City Hall to Kiel. The subject of the visit was the adaptation of financial regulations to the EU standards participation of a representative of Gdynia in the seminar: "The Baltic Sea Region in the New Europe"- August/September 2001 in answer to Gdynia's appeal, Kiel offered money collected in a fund-raising to the victims of the flood in the urban district of Gorzyce-August 2001 participation of a firm from Gdynia (amber manufacturer) in the 3rd Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel- November/December 2001 the girl handball team from the Student Sports Club in the School Complex no 9 from Gdynia went to Kiel as a part of the sports club exchange- April 2002 participation of the youth from Kiel in the 10th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - May 2002 representatives of Kiel planted a symbolic tree in the Twin Cities Avenue in Gdynia-May 2002 participation of Kiel representatives in the UBC "Without Limits" Conference which was held in Gdynia - September 2002 participation of Kiel representatives in the ceremony of presenting Gdynia with Europe Prize - September 2002 study visit of specialists on the budget of Gdynia City Hall to Kiel concerning budget planning - November 2002 participation of a company from Gdynia (amber ware) in 4th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2002 Municipal Welfare Centre from Kiel presented the St. Laurence Hospice in Gdynia with electrically controlled hospital beds - April 2003 participation of young people from Kiel in 11th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - May 2003 a group of Kiel City Hall employees handed over money gift to the St. Laurence Hospice in Gdynia exhibition of Marko Köppe, an artist from Kiel entitled "Kiel impressions. The city in the artist's eyes" - June 2003 visit of a group of young people from Educational Centre no 2 in Gdynia to Kiel. The visit place in the course of "Kieler Woche" and was organized at the invitation of Kiel Association for Promotion of Polish Culture "Polonus" - June 2003 study visit of a student group from Geography Institute of the Kiel University concerning the development of cities and ports in the Baltic Sea regions - July 2003 study visit of Deputy Mayor of Kiel to Gdynia - September/October 2003 participation of a firm from Gdynia (amber manufacturer) in the 5th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2003 participation of Gdynia teams in the International Handball Tournament in Kiel - May 2004 participation of young people from Kiel in the 12th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - April/May 2004 visit to Gdynia of the representatives of the Kiel Theatre "Die Komödianten" concerning plans of co-operation with the Municipal Theatre - June 2004 gift of computer equipment to the Association for Children and Youth "Vitava" donated by the Polish Culture Association "Polonus" - June 2004 participation of the Gdynia City Hall representative in the conference in Kiel, entitled: "Port Restructuring as a Chance for Urban Development" - November 2004 participation of a company from Gdynia (amber ware) in 6th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2004 Kiel Association for Promotion of Polish Culture "Polonus" handed over Christmas gifts for children (toys, clothes, watches, painting accessories, stationary, board games) to "Vitava" Association - December 2004 "Vitava" Association which were collected during a fundraising organised by a representative of German-Polish Association from Kiel - December 2004 visit of an official delegation of Kiel City Hall headed by the Chairman of Kiel City Council aimed at discussing the celebrations of 20th anniversary of twin cities cooperation - January 2005 working visit of Gdynia City Hall and Gdynia City Museum to Kiel concerning the organization of Gdynia exhibitions in Kiel within the jubilee of the 20th anniversary of the twinning link between the cities- March 2005 participation of Kiel youth in the 13th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - April 2005 exhibition "August strikes" - August 2005celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the twinning link between Kiel and Gdynia (April-October 2005): 10th meeting of Kiel youth from Kieler Fredrich-Junge Schule and Realschule Pries and youth from Gdynia Refrigerating Engineering and Electronic School Complex , April 2005 photographic exhibition of Gdynia photographers, Marzena and Maurycy Śmierzchalski, entitled "Kiel from a Gdynia perspective" in "Ratusz" Gallery - Gdynia, April/May 2005 visit of German-Polish Society from Kiel - Gdynia, May 2005 photographic exhibition by Sławomir Kitowski entitled "Schönes Gdynia - eine Partnerstadt stellt sich vor" (Beautiful Gdynia - presentation of a twin city) - Kiel, June/July 2005 visit of the Gdynia official delegation to Kiel concerning the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the twinning link between Gdynia and Kiel - September 2005 Exhibition entitled "Gdynia - die Geschichte einer Partnerstadt" (Gdynia - history of a twin city) - Kiel City Hall, September 2005 exhibition entitled "Miniaturen der Webkunst" (Weaving miniatures) - exhibition of the International Baltic Triennale of Weaving Miniature in Gdynia presenting works of the artists taking part in competitions in the years 2001-2004 - Kiel City Hall, September 2005 exhibition entitled "Drei Dimensionen" (Three dimensions) presenting the works of contemporary Gdynia artists: Janusz Osicki (painting), Aleksander Widyński (printed fabric) and Dąbrówka Tyślewicz (sculpture and ceramics) - Kiel, Culture Center "Hof Akkerboom", September/October 2005 football tournament in Kiel for young sportsmen from both cities combined with integration meetings - September 2005 visit of the children of Gdynia Special School-Educational Center n 2 to Kiel at the invitation of Kiel Association for Polish Culture Promotion "Polonus" - September 2005 performances of "Dada von Bzdülow" Theatre in Kiel with a spectacle entitled "A couple of witty observations" - September 2005 participation of a company from Gdynia in 7th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2005participation of the official Kiel delegation in the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of granting Gdynia city rights - February 2006participation of Kiel youth in the 14th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - May 2006the play entitled "Moscoviada" of Gdynia theatre "Teatr Gościnny" was staged in Kiel theatre "Die Komödianten" - May 2006visit of students and teachers from the Gesamtschule Kiel Hasse School to the Junior High School No. 11 in Gdynia - September 2006visit of students and teachers from the Käthe-Kolwitz-Schule Secondary School within the exchange with the Secondary School No 4 in Gdynia - September 2006the play entitled "Bagger" of Kiel theatre "Die Komödieanten" was staged in the Musical Theatre in Gdynia within the cooperation with "Teatr Gościnny" theatre - October 2006participation of a Gdynia company in the 8th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2006participation of the youth from Kiel in the 15th Twin Cities Sporting Competition - May 2007visit of students from the Käthe-Kolwitz-Schule Secondary School within the exchange with the Secondary School No 4 in Gdynia - June 2007participation of a Gdynia company in the 9th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2007participation of young sportsmen from Kiel in the 16th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - May 2008 participation of Kiel representatives in the opening of Gdynia Twin Cities Information Point in the Academic Reading Room of the City Library - May 2008participation of a Gdynia company in the 10th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2008participation of the Kiel youth in the 17th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - May 2009study visit of representatives of the Association of Lawyers and Economists acting in favour of the Schleswig-Holstein Region - September 2009working visit of the Kiel City Hall representatives concerning the organisation of the 25th anniversary of the Kiel-Gdynia twinning link - October 2009participation of a Gdynia company in the 11th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2009participation of young sportsmen from Kiel in the 18th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - May 2010visit to Gdynia of Kiel authorities, representatives of the German-Polish Association from Kiel, theatre group "Theater im Werftpark Kiel", music group "Funk Kombinat Kiel", journalist and photographer - on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Kiel-Gdynia twinning link. The jubilee celebrations were organised with the financial support of the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation in Warsaw - May 2010participation of the official Gdynia delegation in the celebrations that were held in Kiel on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Kiel-Gdynia twinning link - June 2010participation of Gdynia representatives in the congress of Federal Union of the Polish-German Associations in Kiel - November 2010participation of a Gdynia company in the 12th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2010study visit of the head of the City Gardener's Office to Kiel. The subject of the visit was the town planning and planning of the urban greenery - April 2011participation of young people from Kiel in the 19th Twin Cities Sporting Competition in Gdynia - May 2011participation of a Gdynia company in the 13th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/December 2011visit to Gdynia of the youth and representatives of the German-Polish Association in Kiel within the experience exchange - December 2011visit to Gdynia of the youth and teachers from Gemeinschaftsschule Friedrichsort within the school exchange with the Complex of Schools for Refrigerating Engineering ana Electronics in Gdynia - April 2012visit to Gdynia of the Head of the Prime Minister of the Schleswig-Holstein State Chancellery - April 2012participation of the youth from Kiel in the 20th Twin Cities Sporting Competition - May 2012visit to Gdynia of the youth and teachers from the Lilli-Martius-Schule within the twin cities cooperation - June 2012participation of a Gdynia company in the 14th Twin Cities Christmas Fair in Kiel - November/Decempber 2012visit to Gdynia of the youth from the Friedrichsort-Oberschule within the school exchange with the Complex of Schools for Refrigerating Engineering and Electronics in Gdynia - April 2013 participation of the youth from Kiel in the 21st Twin Cities Sporting Competition - May 2013visit to Gdynia of the youth and teachers from the Regionales Berufsbildungszentrum Soziales, Ernaehrung und Bau der Landeshauptstadt Kiel within the Comenius programme carried out in the cooperation with the Hotel and Catering School Complex in Gdynia - September 2013participation of a Gdynia company in the 15th Twin Cities Christmas Fair - November/December 2013participation of young sailors from MKZ Arka Gdynia Club in the Goldener Opti Races in Kiel - May 2014participation of the City of Gdynia representatives in the Kieler Woche 2014 - promotional stand of Gdynia on the International Market and participation of the official delegation in the Kieler Woche activities, including the International City Forum - June 2014visit to Gdynia of the "Arndt" yacht's crew within the cruise through the twin cities - July 2014participation of the Kiel City Hall delegation in the international conference: „Modernism in Europe – Modernism in Gdynia. Architecture of the 20th Century and its Assessment” – September 2014 participation of a Gdynia company in the 16th Twin Cities Christmas Fair - November/December 2014participation of the youth from Kiel in the international football tournament Arka Gdynia Cup 2015 (for the youth under 13) - January 2015participation of the youth from the MKZ Arka Gdynia Club and YKP Gdynia Club in the Goldener Opti Races in Kiel - May 2015 participation of the young footballers, handball players and tennis players from Gdynia in the tournament in Kiel - June 2015participation of the City of Gdynia representatives in the Kieler Woche 2015 - promotional stand of Gdynia on the International Market and participation of the official delegation in the celebrations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the cooperation between the twinned cities Gdynia and Kiel, participtation in the Kieler Woche activities, including the International City Forum - June 2015performance of Gdynia music band (The Esthetics) on the Junge Buehne (Young Stage) in Kiel - June 2015 relay race of 20 officers from the Kiel City Hall on the route Kiel - Gdynia within the jubilee year of the 30th anniversary of the cooperation between Gdynia and Kiel - 28 June - 4 July 2015 celebrations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of cooperation between the twinned cities of Gdynia and Kiel - Gdynia, September 2015participation of a Gdynia company in the 17th Twin Cities Christmas Fair - November/December 2015 Opublikowano: 14.11.2006 00:00 Autor: Małgorzata Aleksiak