From the city of Bochum press release [translated from german]

To mark the 75th anniversary of the twinning between Bochum and Sheffield, a delegation from the British twin city visited the city of Bochum from May 23 to 25.

The delegation was led by Lord Mayor Safiya Saeed, who officially took office in Sheffield on May 19, and Nik Hamilton, Investment Team Manager at Sheffield City Council.

The visit to Bochum was one of the Lord Mayor's first official acts. The focus of the delegation's visit was to deepen the twinning cooperation and reaffirm the decades-long friendship between the two cities.

In addition to the entry in the Golden Book of the City of Bochum, the highlight of the delegation's official reception on May 24, at Bochum City Hall was the ceremonial signing of the renewal of the partnership agreement by the Lord Mayor and Bochum's Mayor, Thomas Eiskirch. With the signing, both cities renew their shared vision to further strengthen the partnership and place it on an even broader foundation.

Future priorities of the cooperation will be in particular in the areas of youth and educational exchange, scientific and economic cooperation, joint projects in art, culture, and sports, as well as the further promotion of civic engagement.

'The partnership between Bochum and Sheffield is a living example of European solidarity and international friendship at the municipal level,' emphasized Mayor Thomas Eiskirch. 'Especially in times of global challenges, it is more important than ever to maintain such sustainable relationships and think together about the future.'

The delegation's visit also provided an opportunity for numerous meetings with representatives of Bochum's urban community, as well as for discussions about Bochum's initiatives and urban development projects: Lord Mayor Saeed learned about current digitalization projects of the Smart City Innovation Unit and visited the construction site and building site of the House of Knowledge. The Sheffield guests also visited the Municipal Integration Center, the Bochum Railway Mission, and were able to get to know Bochum as a business location and the startup incubator WERK X.

The delegation also attended a reception at the "Sheffield Inn" – the temporary information and event venue for the partnership anniversary and the Bochum European Weeks in Bochum's city center.

At the end of their stay, they enjoyed a trip to the moon at the Bochum Planetarium, and then enjoyed a city tour that gave them an insight into Bochum's local recreational areas and the diversity of urban life.

The city partnership between Bochum and Sheffield dates back to 1950 and is Bochum's oldest international connection. Originating from an initiative by Sheffield citizens after the Second World War, it still symbolizes the successful reconstruction between former wartime enemies and the shared commitment to peace, exchange, and understanding in Europe.