A Cultural Exchange: Strengthening Ties Between Bergisch Gladbach and Joinville-le-Pont
Funds designated for use in educating and training personnel at European Schools will be utilized for this purpose.
In June 2025, a group of 13 eighth-grade students from Collège Jules Ferry in Joinville-le-Pont, France, and two teachers, Cécile Wittendal and Sandrine Paris, embarked on a cultural exchange program with their counterparts from Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.
The exchange aimed to foster interpersonal relationships, language skills, and cultural appreciation, with a particular emphasis on history, civic education, and shared European heritage. The program included joint workshops, visits to historical sites, and community events celebrating Franco-German friendship and European unity.
The Rhineauhafen and the Marne River
Both cities are situated near significant waterways. Bergisch Gladbach, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, is near the River Rhine, one of Europe's most important commercial and cultural waterways. Although the city itself does not have a river running through it, it lies within the Rhine's broader catchment area, and the nearby Agger River (a tributary of the Rhine) is significant locally.
Joinville-le-Pont, on the other hand, is located in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France, and is situated on the Marne River, a major tributary of the Seine. The Marne has historical significance and provides recreational and transport roles for the local community.
A Long-Standing City Partnership
The cultural exchange program is part of a broader European movement to foster reconciliation post-World War II and to encourage cultural exchange and friendship among European cities. The city partnership between Joinville-le-Pont and Bergisch Gladbach, established in 1960, is of great importance and had significant symbolism in the post-war years.
The mayors of Joinville-le-Pont, Bergisch Gladbach, and Runnymede came together last month to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The encounters in Runnymede last month have brought Joinville-le-Pont and Bergisch Gladbach even closer.
The visit to Bergisch Gladbach was a special highlight of the meeting, with the students exploring the Rhineauhafen and its special history. The guests were warmly welcomed by the chairman of the Arbeitskreis Deutsch-Französische Freundschaft, Klaus Wohlt, and the coordinator for the city partnerships in the mayor's office, Anne Linden.
During the visit, Anne Linden and Klaus Wohlt discussed the students' interests and experiences. The focus of the meeting was on getting to know each other and exchanging ideas. The chairman and coordinator also took the opportunity to discuss the students' upcoming return visit to Bergisch Gladbach, which is planned from September 25 to October 2, 2025.
Everyone is looking forward to the city festival in Bergisch Gladbach in September, where there will be a big reunion among friends. The next return visit by the students from Bergisch Gladbach is planned for 2027.
Long-term friendships sometimes arise from these visits, and the third meeting between Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium and Collège Jules Ferry took place on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. The central thematic focus of the meeting was the cities of Joinville-le-Pont and Bergisch Gladbach, with their location on significant waterways - the Marne and the Rhine. The meeting was officially welcomed at the historic town hall in the city center.
For more specific details regarding the planned activities, program dates, or how to get involved, contacting the schools or local city cultural offices would be the next step as such programs are typically coordinated at the municipal and educational institution levels.
The exchange, focusing on history, civic education, and cultural appreciation, provides a platform for the students to also learn about general news, such as the long-standing city partnership between Joinville-le-Pont and Bergisch Gladbach, which dates back to 1960. This partnership, emblematic of post-World War II reconciliation, is not only limited to interpersonal relationships but extends to education-and-self-development, as evidenced by the exchange program.
Politics also plays a role in the exchange, as the city mayors used the opportunity to discuss ongoing initiatives, such as the students' upcoming return visit to Bergisch Gladbach, emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation and friendship among European cities.
