Sister cities share in celebration
Wrapping one’s mouth around the word “sesquicentennial” is difficult enough. But there may not even be a comparable term for the age of Lawrence’s sister city of Eutin, Germany.
Eutin, after all, is turning 750 years old in 2007.
“Since Eutin is … 600 years older than Lawrence, as a sister city you are, without a doubt, our big sister city,” Mayor Mike Rundle told a delegation of Eutin visitors during a luncheon Wednesday at City Hall.
The Eutin delegates, along with visitors from Lawrence’s other sister city of Hiratsuka, Japan, are in town this week to help the little sister celebrate 150 years of existence.
Hiratsuka’s history goes back more than 500 years.
“This is actually celebrating two occasions,” said Graham Kreicker, chairman of City Hall’s Sister Cities Advisory Board. “It’s our 150th birthday, but it’s also the 15th anniversary of our sister-cities relationship with Eutin and the beginning of our 15th year with Hiratsuka.”
The Eutin delegates began their Lawrence activities Wednesday; Hiratsuka visitors will join the celebration Friday. Visitors from both cities will spend the week visiting museums, schools and city facilities, learning more about the history of Lawrence and how it works today.
Lawrencians gave an impromptu overview of Kansas during Wednesday’s luncheon.
“Before Prohibition, Kansas was the No. 2 grape and wine producer in the United States,” said Kathleen Hodge, a member of the Sister Cities Advisory Board.
Lawrence officials played host to sister city delegates from Eutin, Germany, during lunch Wednesday. Jochim Meseck, left, and Klaus-Dieter Schultz, mayor of Eutin, presented Mayor Mike Rundle with a color lithograph depicting Eutin in the early 1800s.
“We came too late,” joked Klaus-Dieter Schultz, Eutin’s mayor.
The Eutin visitors also learned important facts about Lawrence culture.
“I hear a lot about Missouri and Kansas, their differences in history,” said Dieter Holst, Eutin’s city manager.
At the end of the luncheon, Schultz presented Rundle with a color lithograph depicting Eutin in the early 1800s, shortly before Lawrence was founded.
“The age of a city doesn’t have much to do with the quality of the city,” Schultz said, through a translator.
Kreicker said it was important for Lawrence to have foreign visitors during a big celebration. “I think this is an outstanding opportunity for visitors from Germany and Japan to see the way we hold festivals and celebrations, which are part of cultures,” he said.
The visits culminate in a 6 p.m. banquet Saturday at Lawrence Country Club.
| Major sister cities events this weekend:TodayNoon: Eutin delegation lunch at Kansas University’s Max Kade Center to recognize individuals who helped establish the sister-city relationship.Friday8 a.m.: Eutin and Hiratsuka delegations have breakfast with Kansas University Chancellor Robert Hemenway.1:15 p.m.: Hiratsuka delegation visits Spencer Art Museum.Saturday10 a.m.: Eutin and Hiratsuka mayors join Lawrence Mayor Mike Rundle in a horse-drawn carriage in the sesquicentennial parade. |
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