CEBU CITY TO BRING SINULOG TO KORTRIJK

Kotrijk mayor asks Cebu City Government to help them set up their own Sinulog festival. Kortrijk vows to help Cebuanos learn European history and classical music in return.

Impressed with the Sinulog, officials of Kortrijk City in Belguim want to set up their own version of Cebu City’s festival in their hometown.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who met yesterday with Kortrijk City Mayor Vincent Van Quickenborne, said that the latter has asked the City Government to assist them in setting up their own Sinulog.

Last year, the Belgian officials held its own adaptation of the festival dubbed as “Swinging Sinksen Parade.”

“He (Quickenborne) will be sending a delegation to visit Cebu next year. Our Sinulog has impressed quite a few people here (Kortrijk),” Osmeña said.

In return, Kortrijk will be opening classes for some Cebuano youth to learn classical music and European history abroad.

A Belgian conductor is also expected to come to Cebu City to or- ganize a symphony.

Kortrijk became Cebu’s sister city through a sustainable urban development partnership agreement that was signed on May 17, 2005.

Since then, the two cities have partnered in several programs and projects, including solid waste management, citizens participation, personnel organization, education and youth exchange. /