In 2019 Freiburg (DE) and Guildford (UK) celebrate their 40th anniversary of town twinning. Together with three other Freiburg artists*, we were invited to participate in the exhibitions at Guildford House Gallery and Surrey Hills Sculpture Garden.
https://guildfordtwinning.uk
This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the twinning of Guildford and Freiburg. A long lasting partnership like this cannot be taken for granted these days and I am therefore delighted it has lasted over four decades and is still active. We would like to continue and strengthen it.
The close links between Freiburg and Guildford are enough to make this event a success. Back in the 1960s it was the Anglo-German Club Freiburg which laid the foundations for this lively exchange. The perseverance of London born Dorothy Eschlepp led to the formation of the partnership on September 9th 1979. This perseverance has had very good results.
The fact that our close town twinning has remained so close until the present day is due to those who keep it alive and strengthen it. Close connections have been made between many of our schools. I am very pleased that artists from Freiburg and Guildford are now presenting their works together. Art can create a lasting and important link between our cities.
The question “What still holds our postmodern world together?” is the question that the artists in Voices of the World present through their works, and today it is more relevant than ever. The social divide is one of the greatest dangers of our time. Much more connects us than separates us. It is the task of society as a whole to convey this central message.
International dialogue at all levels is more important than ever.
Answers to the greatest challenges of our time, from climate change to refugee movements and the growing social and economic gap, will not be found by individual nation states alone. There needs to be an exchange of ideas in the areas of politics, culture and religions backed by research. The fact that the art project Voices of the World focuses on talking to each other, and learning from each other how to live together, is inspiring. Art builds bridges and inspires action.
The 40 year twinning between Freiburg and Guildford is full of stories. With the art exhibitions at Surrey Hills Sculpture Park and Guildford House Gallery two more wonderful chapters will be added. My thanks go to all those who have made this possible. This will strengthen our cities and, should Britain eventually leave the EU family, our connection will be all the more important because we have to talk to each other and not about each other. This Art project is a great role model.
Martin W.W. Horn
Mayor of Freiburg im Breisgau
