Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego

Twin Cities Program

The Twin Cities Program is a joint Polish-German and Czech-German program run by the Batory Foundation since 2002 in partnership with the Robert Bosch Foundation in Germany and NGO Information Centre in the Czech Republic. The program, initiated and financed by the Robert Bosch Foundation, and implemented simultaneously in Poland and the Czech Republic, aims to boost cooperation between twinned cities, towns and municipalities in neighbouring countries through support of joint projects and activities of local organizations on both sides of the border.

In Poland, the Program targets Polish non-governmental organizations operating in towns and municipalities that have partnership agreements with their German counterparts. In an effort to encourage non-governmental organizations to undertake socio-cultural initiatives that engage citizens of neighbouring countries, we launched annual grant competitions for cooperation projects implemented by the organizations from the twinned municipalities in Germany, Poland and Czech Republic. Supported projects, concerning various social areas, contribute to the authentic cooperation between citizens of neighbouring states, activization of local communities, and better cooperation with the local government.

In 2005, we ran the fourth and final edition of the Program. In a two-tier application assessment procedure, an international committee of Polish, Czech and German experts recommended grants to 29 Polish-German and 13 Czech-German projects. Most of Polish-German cooperation projects had a distinctly trans-border character. They span a vast array of activities from youth cultural exchanges, activization of senior citizens, to the projects devoted to the cultivation and caretaking of common historic venues, organization of cultural or sports events serving the purpose of overcoming national stereotypes and prejudices and involving large community groups from both partner towns or cities.

In September 2005, we organized a meeting in Słubice of Polish and German grantees of the fourth Program edition. The meeting provided an opportunity for Polish and German partners to present their projects, share experience gained during their implementation and participate in the workshops on intercultural communication and promotion.

The Program was financed from Robert Bosch Foundation’s grant.

Program costs

Grants:		PLN 778 503
Grantee meetings:		PLN 37 113,01
Operational costs:		PLN 91 686,15
TOTAL:		PLN 907 302,16

Grants

Foundation for Collegium Polonicum Słubice	Partner organization: Verein Słubfut e.V., Frankfurt/Oder Słubfurt Weekends – a series of meetings and cultural events with the participation of inhabitants of both border towns	PLN 13 688
Lower Silesian Foundation for Sustainable Development Wrocław	Partner organization: Umweltzentrum, Dresden A Green Market for Wrocław – Merging Dresden’s Consumer Cooperative and Wrocław’s Ecological Markets – an attempt to develop a model of eco-product distribution methods in Wrocław	PLN 25 418
European Meeting Center – Nowy Staw Foundation Lublin	Partner organization: Arbeitskreis Ostviertel e.V., Bennohaus Muenster Serving the City and Its Citizens – a joint production of series of multimedia programs concerning social topics	PLN 20 128
Polish Humanitarian Organization Warsaw	Partner organization: Pro Asyl e.v., Frankfurt/Main Being Different Here, Our Common Experience, Our One Future – producing documentary films about five selected families from Cracow and Frankfurt representing national minorities or refugees	PLN 34 406
Rodowo Foundation Sorkwity	Partner organization: Arbeitskreis Staedtepartnerschaft Gruenberg, Gruenberg Multimedia Twin Towns – youth multimedia workshops and Mrągowo-Gruenberg partnership days	PLN 35 540
Kaszuby Institute of Development Kościerzyna	Partner organization: Club Cölbe-Kościerzyna, Cölbe Sharing Our Language, Culture and Tradition – We Are One Europe – joint folklore festival	PLN 16 574
Film Culture Club Zielona Góra	Partner organization: Komunales Kino Cottbus e.V., Cottbus Modern Polish and German Cinema – panorama of works by young artists from Lublin and Brandenburg regions	PLN 6 185
Voluntary Fire Brigade Lewin Kłodzki	Partner organization: Foerdeverein der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr, Grossbeeren Through and To Europe: On the Amber Trail – integration winter camp of youth firefighters from Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland, as well as a summer firefighting contest with German, Czech and Polish teams participating	PLN 42 817
Voluntary Fire Brigade Szczawnica	Partner organization: Feiwllige Feuerwehr Perleberg, Perleberg Safety of European Residents – Our Common Objective – joint conference on fire safety, experience sharing, series of concerts and exhibition	PLN 16 801
Sunflower Pomeranian Foundation Gdańsk	Partner organization: Kulturzentrum Lagerhouse, Bremen Gdańsk-Bremen International Cooperation Group – working meetings, a conference and seminars on joint initiatives by partner NGOs from Gdańsk and Bremen	PLN 38 367
Sasinia Cultural Association of Ostróda Ostróda	Partner organization: Kreisgemeinschaft Osterode Ostpreussen, Osterode am Harz Meetings of Friends – a series of joint undertakings by NGO representatives from both cities, including: a literary and artistic contest, production of a documentary film and publishing of a quarterly	PLN 19 708
Regional Polish-German Society Zielona Góra	Partner organization: Deutsch-Polnisches Verein Cottbus e.V., Cottbus Integration Workshops – a continuation of the artistic workshops of young residents of Cottbus and Zielona Góra, culminating in a series of exhibitions of contemporary and archive photographs	PLN 31 850
Salos Sports Organization Czaplinek	Partner organization: Vfl Bad Schwartau v. 1863 e.V., Bad Schwartau Partner City Contest – a sports competition with the participation of residents of Czaplinek and 5 German partner cities, combined with firefighting contest, an open-air painting workshop and integration games	PLN 24 550
Słupsk Third Age University Słupsk	Partner organization: Volkshochschule der Stadt Flensburg, Flensburg Establishing a European Community of the Elderly – study trips and a joint scientific session The Baltic Unites Us	PLN 21 646
Bureau of Civic Initiatives Office Association Tychy	Partner organization: Der Marzahn-Hellensdorfer Staedtepartnerschaftsverein e.V., Berlin Marzahn An Integration Garden for All Children – creation of an ecological garden for healthy and disabled children on the premises of the Special Education Center in Tychy	PLN 41 325
For the Cause Association Wągrowiec	Partner organization: Gemischter Chor Schoenwalde 1984 e.V., Schoenwalde- -Glien The Golden Age – An Active Lifestyle – a series of meetings and music workshops for senior citizens from Wągrowiec and Schönwalde	PLN 40 983
Father Jerzy Niward Musolff Association Wągrowiec	Partner organization: Partnerschaftsverein Adendorf-Wągrowiec e.V., Adendorf Compatible Preschool – experience sharing and a conference on the subject of uniform methods of preschool and early stage school education in institutions in Wągrowiec and Adendorf	PLN 17 482
Green Future Association for Eco-Development of Gizałki Gizałki	Partner organization: Verein zur Foerderung ger partnerschaftlichen Zusammenarbeit zwischen den Gemeinden Gizałki und Apen, Apen 3rd European Eco-Meetings - Gizałki 2005 – a series of weekly trainings and ecological competitions attended by representatives from Apen and Morl in Germany	PLN 16 228
Association for the Development of the Town and Community of Debrzno Debrzno	Partner organization: Foerdeverein Burgruine Freienfels e.V., Weinbach- -Freienfels A Medieval Path to a Common Europe – organization of knight’s tournaments as a way of discovering the common historical heritage of residents of Debrzno and Freienfels	PLN 41 848
Association of Friends of Golczewo Region Golczewo	Partner organization: Heimatverein Joachimsthal e.V., Joachimsthal Meetings by the Tower – a series of meetings of residents of both partner boroughs, including cultural events	PLN 27 575
County Community Association for the Development of Boroughs and Towns of Garwolin County Garwolin	Partner organization: Fuerstenau aktiv- Marketing und Tourismus e.V., Fuertenau Together by the Table – Our Feasting Traditions – a series of events promoting the traditional dishes of both partner cities	PLN 10 365
KANA Theatre Association Szczecin	Partner organization: Staedtepartner Stettin e.V. Haus der Familie, Berlin Magical Evenings – Polish-German theatre and integration workshops for youth	PLN 25 212
Transformation School Therapy and Prevention Association Tczew	Partner organization: Freundschftverein Tczew-Witten e.V., Witten 2nd International Conference on Counteracting Social Pathologies, including youth art contests and sports competitions	PLN 12 472
Father Bronisław Markiewicz Association for Care for Children and Youth Krosno	Partner organization: Verein für Leibesertüchtigung Edewecht e.V., Edewecht- Ammerland Towards a Mutual Openness – art and sports workshops for youth from both partner boroughs	PLN 38 117
Association for Support of Non-Governmental Initiatives Szczecin	Partner organization: Arbeitswohlfahrt Kreisverband Bremerhaven e.V., Bremerhaven Creating a working group for establishing protected homes and community psychiatry for psychiatric patients in Szczecin, based on experience sharing with Germans	PLN 31 541
Association for Support of European Union Integration Jelenia Góra	Partner organization: Fabrik Bautzen e.V., Bautzen Polish-German Integration Through Music – drumming workshops with the participation of youth from Jelenia Góra and Bautzen	PLN 37 540
Society of Friends of Bolesławiec Bolesławiec	Partner organization: Bundesheimatgruppe Bunzlau zu Siegburg Verein, Siegburg Our Common History: the Common Polish-German Cultural Heritage Through Mutual Acquaintance and Cooperation – a collection and presentation of Polish and German contributions in the creation of the cultural heritage of Bolesławiec	PLN 20 945
Zamość Socio-Cultural Association Zamość	Partner organization: Erasmus Widman Gymnasium im Schulzentrum, Schwäbisch Hall On the Common Road – a series of joint cultural undertakings with the participation of youth from Zamość and Schwaebisch Hall	PLN 24 251
Żuławy Sport Society Nowy Dwór Gdański	Partner organization: Stadtsportverband e.V., Hennef Different, And Yet So Similar – a series of joint sports events for youth from Poland, Germany and the town of Swietlyj in the Russian Kaliningrad District	PLN 44 941