Happy anniversary
Buddies mark Fürth’s 200th birthday
Paisley will help celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of twin town Fürth.
Provost Lorraine Cameron will fly to Germany to help mark the bicentenary of the Bavarian city.
The regions have been linked for almost 50 years – with regular trips for pupils between the two.
Renfrewshire Council revealed the invitation in a report to members.
It stated: “The council has maintained formal twinning links with Fürth in Germany for almost 50 years.
“This has involved exchange visits over the years by delegations of members and officers from the respective councils.
“There is a long history of links with Fürth, including not only formal civic visits, but also school exchanges, employment schemes for young people and visits involving local groups independent of the council.”
Local authority bosses were asked to attend alongside leaders from Fürth’s other partner towns across Europe.
Oberburgermeister Dr Thomas Jung invited the delegation to join mayors from Limoges, in France; Marmaris, in Turkey and Xylokastro, in Greece.
Provost Cameron will be joined by Councillor Lisa- Marie Hughes and senior officers.
Costs will be met by the German city for the trip next month.
Paisley welcomed schoolchildren from Germany last year as part of a classroom exchange programme.
Youngsters from Gleniffer High hosted pals from Hans Bocekler Schule during the week-long visit.
The group visited Paisley Abbey and Edinburgh Castle and tucked in to a fish supper and ice cream during a trip to Largs.
A special ceilidh was held at the school as a final blow out.
Rona Quinn, principal teacher of modern languages, organised the trip.
She said: “This was a very successful visit that had wide-ranging benefits for our pupils.
“As well as having the opportunity to practise their German first-hand, pupils forged friendships that will last much longer than the exchange programme.
“Indeed, a number of our pupils have already been to Fürth and many will return.”
Paisley and Fürth were twinned in 1969.The scheme was conceived after the Second World War and was intended to foster friendship and understanding between different cultures as an act of peace and reconciliation and to encourage trade and tourism.
Councillor Paul Mack, member for Paisley Southeast, was suspended by the local authority standards watchdog in 2016 for sexist comments over a visit to Germany.
He claimed that the then Councillor Jacqueline Henry was visiting Fürth as part of a “junket” to “play hide the Frankfurter”.