| Author |
Message |
Chaz
Joined 28-03-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, 13 July, 2006 - 08:36 pm: | |
How many of you know who Lewisham is twinned with? Not many, I'll wager. Anyhow, here's the juice:
Lewisham is formally twinned with Antony in France, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf in Germany and Matagalpa in Nicaragua.
The university town of Antony is in the southern suburbs of Paris and has a population of around 60,000. The town is reputed for its wine and cheese fair.
Charlottenburg is an area in Berlin, formerly a borough, now part of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. It is home to Gedenkstätte Plötzensee, a memorial to those murdered by the Nazi justice system between 1933 and 1945. It is also known for the Schloss Charlottenburg, the largest palace in Berlin.
In 2002 Lewisham signed a friendship link with Ekurhuleni, an area to the east of Johannesburg in South Africa.
Lewisham has been linked with Matagalpa since the 1980s.
Matagalpa was hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, killing hundreds and causing thousands to be made homeless. In Matagalpa alone, more than 100 people died.
Matagalpa is in the heart of the coffee-growing region of Nicaragua. It is in an area of highlands and misty forests, with a temperate and moist climate.
Matagalpa is in the north of the country and has a population of 105,000.
Now, much as Paris is romantic in the springtime and all that, Berlin proved excellent hosts in the World Cup and the odd cup of Nicaraguan doesn't go amiss after a night on the tiles, what exactly does Lewisham have in common with any of this lot? Or maybe more to the point, what can Lewisham offer them? Apart from the leafy idyll of Forest Hill, that is. Let's face it, they need us more than we need the rest of Lewisham. The time has come to make a stand, I feel. We need to take our rightful place at the head of the table and not sit cheek by jowl with this ragbag of other neighbourhoods.
What we need is to find our own twin town from somewhere around the globe. From what little I know of him, BaggyDave would seem a suitable candidate to organise the guided tours around our many splendoured drinking establishments here in the glade, to whichever town or city is lucky enough to have us as their hosts.
Which hamlet, town, resort, city etc should get this honour and who else amongst you has any skills to offer such a potentially beautiful relationship?
Who's with me? |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, 13 July, 2006 - 09:46 pm: | |
Small diversion...
In the Mayor's speech to the council was the following relating to the twinnings...
"These will continue and I know that the communities will go on making links and ensuring that Lewisham has a role to play in Europe. Those of you who have visited Berlin will know that a significant street off the Kudam is called Lewishamstrasse. Charlottenburg Gardens will disappear as part of the Lewisham Town Centre scheme and we shall need to find an appropriate way to recognise this important and long standing link in the future.
Churchill was once asked what were the desirable qualifications for aspiring politicians...."
Anyone else struck by the mention of destroying Charlottenburg Gardens followed by the reference to Churchill?
End of diversion. |
Robwinton
Joined 07-06-2006
| | Posted on Friday, 14 July, 2006 - 09:07 am: | |
I could see what I could do to organise a twinning with the beautiful mediaeval town of Briones in Rioja.
Not exactly situated like Forest Hill (other than it is built on a hill I suppose) but they make some cracking wines and it is the site of the world's largest museum dedicated to wine. I represent the local winery in the UK and could put in a good word?
May have little to offer politically, but we could organise a great wine for future "Forest Hill Day" events!
Baggydave could go over and introduce the concept of pints of ale in exchange? |
Deanos
Joined 01-12-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 14 July, 2006 - 09:35 am: | |
Vegas, Baby!! |
Andy
Joined 23-02-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 14 July, 2006 - 10:34 am: | |
Port-Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, the happiest place on earth. See how the other half lives. |
Max
Joined 25-10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 14 July, 2006 - 11:38 am: | |
Does the DLR get there? |
Nictate
Joined 28-06-2006
| | Posted on Friday, 14 July, 2006 - 12:13 pm: | |
How about Forest Hill NYC,
http://www.foresthillsny.com/ |
Jbird
Joined 13-02-2006
| | Posted on Friday, 14 July, 2006 - 12:37 pm: | |
That is a spot of genius. I particularly like the "Isn't Ray Romano from Forest Hills" bit, very much like our own "Linda Barker" thread. |
Roz
Joined 17-03-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 14 July, 2006 - 06:42 pm: | |
Some similarity in the ' pet issues' thread too....
This lot look right up our street, so to speak- what say we run with them now and then work on collecting as many Forest Hills as we can... |
Chaz
Joined 28-03-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, 16 July, 2006 - 09:32 am: | |
Some cracking suggestions already, I see. Briones in Rioja,eh? I like your thinking, Rob. While not noted for our own wine production, you could sell us as having the finest bouquet in all of Lewisham. Then there's Port-Vila, from Andy. The good folks of Vanuatu are indeed the happiest on earth, I read in a recent poll. Would Forest Hill Day really cut the mustard for them, tho? The early favourite would appear to be Nictate's suggestion, ForestHills, NY. Their forum's even laid out like our own. I reckon an interesting and fun exchange of dialogue could be had we this lot. Any advance on ForestHills? |
Calvin
Joined 20-02-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, 16 July, 2006 - 10:48 am: | |
My sister used to live in Forest Hills, still belongs to the forum, I think. From what I remember that she's said, they are certainly a lively group. |
Chaz
Joined 28-03-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, 16 July, 2006 - 10:58 am: | |
There you are. It's written in the stars. They do seem like a lively and diverse bunch, as one might expect from Noo Yawk. |
|
