Partner towns

“Understanding and even more reconciliation
cannot be imposed by governments,
but those values must ripen in people’s hearts”
Willy Brandt

In 2003 cooperation was started with the German commune of Emlichheim.

The fruit of those first contacts was signing of a letter of intent concerning cooperation during a session of the Town Council of Grabów nad Prosną on 1^st May 2004. On behalf of the Grabów authorities the letter was initialled by Edmund Geppert, Mayor, and Grażyna Jaszczyk, Head of the Town Council, while the German party was represented by Mayor Friedrich Harland and the commune’s head Herbert Eggengoor. Both communes expressed hope that their relationships which started on the principles of equality, mutual understanding and trust would be firmly grounded and lasting.

The subsequent exchange of delegations, also youth groups, proves that the beginning was good. On 8 August 2006 the Town Council gave its consent to conclude a partnership agreement between Grabów nad Prosną and Emlichheim commune in Lower Saxony. 20 October 2006 in Emlichheim the partnership agreement between Grabów nad Prosną, Republic of Poland, and Emlichheim, Federal Republic of Germany, was signed. The parties’ will and aim was to start lasting friendships between as many inhabitants of both communes as possible and develop contacts between organisations, institutions and other entities.

The partnership agreement enabled cooperation and mutual assistance in many fields, e.g. exchange of experiences concerning commune structures, development of economy, education, culture, sport, social care, fire protection and medical rescue. Now associations, schools and businesses which are interested in establishing a partnership will be able to develop their contacts independently with support of both partners.