New welcome signs at the town entrances in Pellingen

With the beginning of the partnership with Bretenière in 1998, welcome signs were installed at the entrances to Pellingen, which, in addition to the welcome in Pellingen, also included information about the partner community. The frames created in a wooden construction were showing their age and could no longer be renovated.

The Friendship Group Bretenière – Pellingen e.V. had new welcome signs designed and installed.

The handover to the municipality of Pellingen took place on July 24, 2022 as part of a public unveiling of the signs on the Place de Bretenière in Pellingen. In addition to the delegation from the partner community from their "Comitée de Jumelage", who had come from Burgundy for the occasion, a large number of other guests took part. The partnership association Rhineland-Palatinate – Burgundy-Franche-Comté was represented by Mr. André Kastner, the partnership association of the district of Trier-Saarburg by Mr. Ludwin Ollinger and the municipality of Pellingen by the local mayor Wolfgang Willems. In addition, all Pellinger local associations had come to the reception through their board members and many Pellinger citizens.

The weather gods showed themselves from their finest side, so that the shade of the trees on the "Place de Bretenière" was the preferred place for the participants to stay.

In the greetings of the speakers Friederike Scholz, Friendship Group Bretenière - Pellingen and Martine Bourlier, Comitée de Jumelage, reference was primarily made to the visit made possible after three years of interruption due to the pandemic. Scholz proudly referred to the beautiful welcome signs, which were supported in their purchase by the "German-French Citizens' Fund".

Martine Bourlier also referred to the need for international exchange. The nations of France and Germany in particular have caused a lot of suffering in both parts in wars and conflicts. In this way, the exchanges about the partnership provide a good basis for international understanding and the European idea. In view of the war in Ukraine, their euphoria for international understanding seemed clouded.

The mayor, Wolfgang Willems, thanked the community for the new welcome signs. In addition to the reference to the friendship with the place in Burgundy, he also predicted that Pellingen will celebrate its 1050th birthday next year and that the partnership with Bretenière will be 25 years old. This will be celebrated together with friends from Burgundy.

Mr. Kastner addressed his words of welcome to all the assembled participants and referred to the option of further active support of the partnership through the partnership association. Furthermore, active members of the two locations were honored by the partnership association for their many years of commitment and the special merits for the deepening of the partnership between Rhineland-Palatinate and Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

Marine Bourlier and Friederike Scholz as well as Olivier Béné and Edgar Lauer were awarded the gold badge of honor.

Finally, the partnership association of the district of Trier-Saarburg sent words of thanks to the two partnership associations in Bretenière and Pellingen through Mr. Ollinger, with the wish that the partnership will continue and progress. The Trier-Saarburg partnership association also supported the purchase of the welcome signs.

The representatives of the local associations and citizens of Pellingen also expressed their appreciation for the welcome signs that had been procured.

The entire board of the Friendship Group Bretenière - Pellingen e.V. was very surprised at so much encouragement and was happy about the numerous visits and the recognition of the many years of work to shape the partnership.

With the concluding words "Continuons de vivre notre partenariat et notre amitié" or "let us continue our partnership and friendship", this meeting of peoples can be summarized.