Twin cities

Twin town Bury St. Edmunds

Bury St. Edmunds is a town in the county of Suffolk in England, which is best known for the ruins of a Benedictine abbey in the town center. The abbey, where the last Anglo-Saxon King Edmund is buried, developed into an important place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. Initial contact with the capital of the St. Edmundsbury district was established via the former Royal Air Force Station Laarbuch airport. After mutual visits and an initial acquaintance, the establishment of a partnership between the two towns was solemnly agreed. The document was signed on October 17, 1981 in Bury St. Edmunds. At the same time as the official town twinning, twinning associations were founded on both sides. These still promote reciprocal visits today and contribute to a lively exchange on a cultural and interpersonal level.

Kevelaer sponsorship in South Africa

Kevelaer in South Africa is a mission station in the diocese of Mariannhill, Natal Province, which was founded in 1887 and - as is often the case - was given the name of a European place of pilgrimage. In 1957, the town council decided to take over the sponsorship of this Marian pilgrimage site in South Africa. Since then, Kevelaer has provided financial support for numerous projects in South Africa in the areas of landscaping, pilgrimage promotion, construction and maintenance work as well as on a social level. Over the years, the South African town of Kevelaer has developed into an important place of annual pilgrimages, visited by thousands of pilgrims.