Venskabsbyerklæring
Om end der ikke er tale om et juridisk bindende dokument, danner underskrivelsen af en formel venskabsbyerklæring typisk ramme om et langsigtet, forpligtende samarbejde. Aftalens form og indhold styres ikke af en standardiseret model og kan endvidere fastlægges, så den passer til det enkelte samarbejdes særlige formål.
Uanset om dokumentet kaldes en ed om venskabsbysamarbejde, et charter, en venskabsbykonvention eller en samarbejds- og venskabsbyaftale, vil det typisk blive forelagt byrådet til drøftelse og vedtagelse. Dokumentet vil så blive underskrevet ved et formelt og offentligt møde. De underskrivende parter påtager sig et forpligtende samarbejde, men det indebærer ingen juridiske forpligtelser, og der er ingen risiko for erstatningskrav, hvis problemer skulle opstå i fremtiden. Derudover, selvom det sker sjældent, kan en kommune til enhver tid afbryde samarbejdet og opsige venskabsbyaftalen.
Her er et eksempel på en engelsksproget skabelon for en venskabsbyerklæring, som allerede anvendes i mange europæiske lande:
We, ............................................. (name) and ................................................. (name),
Mayors of ............................................. country) and of ....................................... (country)
Freely elected representatives of our fellow-citizens,
Certain that we act on behalf of the sincere wishes and real needs of our populations,
Aware that our civilisations and peoples found their origins in our ancient free local communities, that the spirit of liberty was first recorded in the freedom won by them, and later, in the local self-governments they were able to found,
Considering that history shall continue in a wider world, but that this world will be truly humane only in so far as men and women live freely in free cities,
Convinced of the necessity of respecting the principle of subsidiarity,
Affirming our value of respecting human rights, which we hold as inviolable and inalienable,
Recognizing that the growing interdependence of different national societies necessitates an international, global democratic order, the foundation for a real peace
Convinced that the ties that bind the towns of our continent constitute a fundamental element upon the path towards developing European citizenship and thus promote a Europe of human dimensions
DO TAKE, ON THIS DAY, A SOLEMN OATH
According to the relationships established between our two countries,
To maintain permanent ties between the governments of our municipalities in order to promote our dialogue, to exchange our experiences and to implement all joint activities which may foster mutual improvement in all domains that fall within our competences,
To encourage and support exchanges between our fellow citizens in order to ensure, through greater mutual understanding and efficient cooperation, the true spirit of European brotherhood for our now common destiny,
To act according to the rules of hospitality, with respect for our diversities, in an atmosphere of trust and in a spirit of solidarity,
To guarantee for all people the possibility of participating in the exchanges between our two communities without discrimination of any form,
To promote the universal values of liberty, democracy, equality and the rule of Law, through our exchanges and cooperation,
Focus our efforts using all the means at our disposal to supporting the success of this essential undertaking for peace, progress and prosperity, which is:
EUROPEAN UNITY.
Place ............................ Date ..............................
