Twinning events
Every 4 or 5 years, CEMR and a partner city co-organise a major twinning Congress or conference, which mobilize the activists of the twinning movement (mayors, elected representatives, community leaders and organizers) from across the continent. These events – which usually bring together several hundred participants - are a place to meet and learn from each other. They also enable representatives from the EU institutions to contribute, inform and listen. The major conference in Rhodes in 2007, for example, saw CEMR and the EU Commission join together to launch the new “Europe for Citizens” funding programme, with a live videolink to the launch event in Brussels.
The most recent congresses have been held in
- 1998 Ferrara, Italy
- 2002 Antwerp, Belgium
- 2007 Rhodes, Greece
The “Golden Stars” award ceremony is organised annually by the European Commission’ Directorate General for Education and Culture. The award is given to the twinning partnerships whose activities or projects have been of excellent quality, and which have best contributed to the strengthening of European citizenship and provided examples of best practice. The jury is made up of people from the EU institutions and from organisations, such as CEMR, involved in the Europe for Citizens programme.
