The Partner Cities Association in Torun would like to invite photographers from the Partner Cities of Torun, that includes Swindon, for the 6th edition of the photographic art project entitled “Torun in Springtime through the Twin Lens”.

The project will be held in Torun between 23 May and 29 May 2011.

We are looking forward to receiving personal and professional details of the photographer that will represent Swindon in our project by 31 March 2011.

Contact us for further details!

The event kicked off with a dinner at Steam, Swindon’s Railway Museum, on Thursday 30th September, invited guests included the High Sheriff of Wiltshire, and the German Ambassador, delegations from Salzgitter (Germany), Ocotal (Nicaragua), Imatra (Finland). The delegation from Torun was headed by Zbigniew Fiderewicz (the Vice President of Torun), Bogdan Major (Councillor and Chairman of the Committee for City Development, Cooperation and Promotion), Agnieszka Lisek (from the Department of Development and European Integration), Henryk Tomaszewski (from the International Programmes Office at Niclaus Copernicus University) and Romuald Po?lednik (Polish British Foundation at International House). Members from the Swindon Torun Group also attended, including Stan Pajak, Chris Bulzacki and Sylwia Sitek.
The Conference began with the opening of the Twin Towns Exhibition at Steam, which featured Panoramas of Toru? by photographer Marek Czarnecki.

There were presentations from representatives of participating towns, Toru? Vice President referred to the rich history of Toru?, it’s development plans and booming tourist industry, a film was shown giving an overview of Torun.

Daryl Jones, Senior Economic Development Officer at Swindon Borough Council, discussed European Funding and how to apply for it. Swindon receives around £2 million each year from the European Social Fund, whilst farmers in Wiltshire receive around £35 million.

A workshop session was led by David Bruce from the University of West England www.tourism-research.org, and Julia Hasse from Germany, they presented the PREPARe wheel, a method to support a baseline and review process for activities between different local authorities, with a view to using this method in the context of twinning. Separate groups discussed issues of tourism, business development, municipal plans and youth and community exchanges. A temporary power cut in the building failed to interupt proceedings, delegates grappled with multiple languages, exchanged ideas about their respective experiences, sought to extend cooperation and plan for the developent of initiatives to qualify for additional European Funding.

In the evening, the Toru? delegation visited the Polish Community Centre, which has been thriving in Swindon for over fifty years.
Saturday was devoted to sight-seeing around Swindon, and a trip was organised to Avebury, the site of ancient burial grounds and stone circle.

Interested in learning English, find out more about learning English in London.

In the evening, everyone attended a concert by the Swindon Pegasus Band at the Wyvern Theatre, after which a reception was held for final farewells.

The Twin Towns Exhibition continues at Steam until the 24th October 2004.

Romuald Po?lednik, Grzegorz Chruszcz and Bill McAlister arrived in Swindon on the 4th March from the Polish British Foundation in Toru?, whose aims are to promote the English language and culture in Poland.

The Foundation has proposed to initiate International Challenge Day in Torun and Swindon, an international event, encouraging people across the world to take part in physical activity.

The Foundation is also organiser of a Dictation Competition during which students from the Torun region will compete in writing an English dictation, first prize for the winner willl be a visit to Swindon.

During the morning, the delegation visited the Swindon Museum to view a new exhibition of contemporary British paintings. Click here for details.

Then at the Civic Offices, there was a meeting with the Mayor of Swindon, Derek Benfield, during which the Swindon Mayor responded enthusiastically to the idea of International Challenge Day and the Dictation Competition.

Later the group met with Celia Yeoman from Artscape, and with sport officers at the Life Style Unit at the County Ground.
Swindon Councillor, Stan Pajak, who accompanied the delegation reported: “I thought our lightning visit went very well. We had a very positive reception at the Life Style unit at the County Ground and it appears the Challenge Day on the 26th will happen with support from the sport officers and the mayor.”