In 2006 nominations for City of Culture 2010 were down to 2 - Essen for the Ruhr area, (which includes Mülheim), and Górlitz, another German town near the Polish border. The Ruhr bid was based on Town Twinning, and the fact that their area had more twin towns than anywhere else in Europe, hence the logo and branding for the bid "TWINS 2010." This was also the first time a town had made a bid on behalf of an area which included many other towns, and therefore the outcome was uncertain.
So in February 2006 1500 guests were invited by their Ruhr twin towns to come and help them win the nomination. Sessions were held in each town to bring forward ideas, and these ideas were consolidated at meetings in Dortmund and Essen. Highlight of the visit was an evening event in Essen featuring the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
The outcome was that Essen fúr das Ruhrgebeit won the nomination. We were very pleased at this but did overdo celebrations, as the losing bidder Górlitz just happens to be twinned with our French twin Amiens!
PARTICIPANTS
Mayor Stella Robson, Cllr Frank Robson, Council Leader John Williams, Cllr Tom Nutt Chair of DTTA, Ada Burns Chief Executive.
Report by Tom Nutt