Signing of the Twinning Charter – May 2005

Town twinning →Official Visit November 2004

First Official Twinning Delegation Visit to Zreče

 

The Chairman of Sedbergh Parish Council, Mr Alan Pratt (left), and the mayor of Zreče, Mr Jože Košir (right), signing the charter.

The signed town twinning charter.

Following the BBC TV series The Town that wants a Twin, Sedbergh and the Slovenian town of Zreče signed a formal twinning agreement. A delegation from Sedbergh comprising Alan Pratt (the Chairman of Sedbergh Parish Council) and his wife, Dorothy, Garth Steadman (Chairman of the Sedbergh Twinning Committee) and Parish Councillor Vic Hopkins travelled to Zreče for the ceremony. The small but moving ceremony to commemorate the formal twinning of Sedbergh and Zreče was held in a small local museum called ‘Skomarska Hisa’, an old house in the pretty village of Skomarje situated in the mountains overlooking Zreče on Friday 27th May 2005.

The Ljudski Pevci folk singers, who had recently visited Sedbergh, were also there as well as a local children’s singing group. Prior to the signing these groups entertained those present with folk songs and poetry. The children’s interpretation of a local poem was particularly entertaining and everyone was touched by their commitment and enthusiasm.

The community of Zreče was represented by the Mayor, Mr Jože Košir, Zdenka Kejzar (tourism officer) and Barbara Potnik as interpreter. Local TV and newspapers covered the ceremony.

The Mayor welcomed the Sedbergh delegation and spoke of the great benefits that he saw emerging from the twinning. Mr Pratt responded in a similar vein, saying: ‘The twinning of our two communities provides a great opportunity for the residents of both communities to get to know and understand each other and their cultures’. He went on to say a few carefully rehearsed words in Slovenian to the delight of all present. Mr Steadman also spoke of the benefits of commercial contacts between the two towns, and Mr Hopkins, on behalf of Sedbergh Parish Council, presented the Mayor with framed print of Sedbergh by local artist Hilary Moore.

The charter was then officially signed by the Mayor, Mr Pratt and Mr Steadman after which toasts were drunk in local wine with some local food delicacies. Finally the Ljudski Pevci folk singers broke into song and the whole party moved to a nearby tourist farm, where after enjoying the breathtaking views they shared a celebratory meal. Mr Pratt summed up the feelings of all those present at the ceremony when he said: ‘This has been a memorable day for the two communities and I have no doubt it will lead to closer links between us in the future’.