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Maybole celebrated 25
years of twinning with the French town of Crosne at the
weekend. Mayor Alain Girard led a party of 15 Crosnois
who arrived last Friday afternoon and they were welcomed
at a small reception in Maybole Castle. After a few
short speeches the visitors were treated to a talk on
the history of the castle and a conducted tour by Murray
Cook, President of the local Historical Society. On
Saturday morning the twinners headed for Culzean Castle
and a then toured the area before heading back to
Maybole.
In the evening they
were special guests at a civic reception hosted by
Provost Winifred Sloan in the County Buildings.
The provost welcome everyone saying, “As
Provost of South Ayrshire Council I am delighted and
very honoured to welcome our local guests and our
friends from France to County Buildings today to
celebrate the Silver Anniversary of the Maybole - Crosne
town twinning.
Back in 1982,
David Kiltie,
Alan Murray,
Jim Sym
and Don
Raby had made the first visit to Crosne and later
that year the twinning arrangements were complete. So
much has happened since then, it hardly seems that a
quarter of a century has gone by. It is almost
impossible to know where to start, but I am certain of
one thing. No town twinning can celebrate twenty-five
years of continued success without hard work, commitment
and, most importantly, a spirit of willingness and
friendship from both sides.
Even though both towns are in different countries and
are hundreds of miles apart, there's still a real sense
of community here today and that can only come from the
continued shared co-operation, collaboration and
experience between friends. I know that during that time
some of those who put in the work on both sides have
moved on - or passed away - and, once again, their
efforts were key in laying the foundations for the
Silver Anniversary celebrations of this weekend. Tonight
I hope that many friendships are renewed, are created
and maintained.
Twenty-five years from now, it would be wonderful if
South Ayrshire was welcoming friends from Maybole and
Crosne's Twinning Associations in celebration of their
golden anniversary.
It is also my great hope that I will be here to see it!
I warmly congratulate all those who had
the foresight and the drive to set up the town twinning
initiative and those who have worked so hard to maintain
it. Long may it continue.
Replying, William
Grant, chairman of Maybole Town Twinning Association,
said, “First of all I would like to thank Provost Sloan
for her kind and sincere words.
Tonight we are
gathered here in this magnificent building as part of
the celebrations of 25 years since we first signed our
twinning
agreement with Crosne away back in 1982. As the
provost said an initial visit was carried out a year
earlier in 1981, with representatives from Maybole
visiting Crosne and later in that year representatives
from Crosne were visiting Maybole.
Of these groups it’s
good that of the original visits Alan Murray, David
Kiltie, Philippe Laug, Marylčne Laug and Christine
Vignot are here tonight. We all agree those involved at
the beginning made an excellent choice of a twinning
link. In all this time we have shared many happy
memories, arranged many visits, and in Maybole we have
organised the “Tour de
Jumelage” four times during this period. We will
also arrange the joint twinning meeting in 2008.
To arrange these
successful events whether in Maybole or Crosne takes a
lot of hard work and we sincerely thank those who have
worked for the twinning between Maybole and Crosne. I
especially thank those who have been or are Vice
Chairmen, Secretaries, Treasurers and committee members,
without their dedication it would not have been
possible. Twinning of course would never happen
unless people are willing to host and provide
hospitality, a great thank you is owed to these people.
On a personal basis I
would like to thank the twinning of Maybole for allowing
me to be Chairman for the last 16 years. At this time we
remember our fellow twinners who sadly are no longer
with us.
Twinning can fulfill several of the most human needs,
companionship, activity, adventure, curiosity. It is a
means of understanding other people, their culture,
lifestyle, food, language. You make new friends,
sometimes for life, and are accepted into families
Twinning
towns is a wonderful way of bonding communities in
long-term friendships as can be seen here tonight. This
can be especially important for young people, for them,
the twinning relationship offers an opportunity to
broaden horizons as well as nurture important qualities
such as openness and acceptance.
It is indeed excellent
that in the last two years we have managed to arrange
school exchanges
between Crosne and Maybole and we hope these will
continue, building on the friendship that has been
created between the schools Twinning has a future, but
within that future we must see the introduction of fresh
blood into our associations, we must help and support
the building of the relationship between the schools of
Maybole and Crosne, by achieving these it will enable us
to look forward to another successful 25 years of
twinning between Maybole and Crosne.
We thank the Provost
and South Ayrshire Council for granting this civic
reception and for the continued support they have shown
show for town twinning since its conception. Let us look
forward to the next 25 years, and many more happy times
to come. The Mayor of Crosne, Alain Girard, also replied
saying, “Dear
friends, I am happy today to be in Maybole to celebrate,
here, with you, the 25th birthday of the
twinning between Crosne and Maybole.
“Indeed,
25 years ago, on September 20, 1982, our communes,
represented by Michel Berson, Mayor of Crosne and David
Kiltie, Chairman of Maybole, signed this oath of
twinning, in order to build strong bonds between the
inhabitants, in order to develop exchanges to grow by a
better mutual comprehension, the feeling of European
fraternity and to continue the tireless work for peace.
Mr Bareth, former secretary-general of the Council of
the Communities of Europe said: "a twinning is the
meeting of two communities which intend to proclaim that
they join to act from the European point of view, to
confront their problems and to develop bonds of
friendship".
“From the very start, and before even the signature,
since 1981, at the time when an official delegation had
come here to celebrate "the engagement", true bonds of
friendship were created between the inhabitants of our
two communities. “Your culture, our common past which
goes back to the "Old Alliance" helped bring us closer.
“Demonstrations of twinning, European demonstrations we
have realised together. I am proud that the school
exchanges could begin again in 2006 and 2007. It is very
important that our young people meet, know one another,
appreciate each other, and I know that the children of
the College Bellevue in Crosne have excellent memories
of their visit to Maybole and the reception they
received.
“Twinnings, at their level, are an invaluable investment
and the greatest force to build Europe. “Our twinning
breaks the frontiers in order to build together a
European society whose ethic is founded
on only one principle, friendship and the major goal -
peace. “I wish long life with our twinning in an
interdependent Europe. “Long live the twinning, long
live the friendship between our towns, long live Europe,
long live peace.” Daniel Robin, chairman of the Crosne
Twinning Committee added, “The Twinning Committee of
Crosne is very happy to celebrate, once more, this 25th
anniversary of relations between our towns.
“In 2006 and 2007
there were many events in France and in Scotland. Our
two colleges have taken up contacts, our children were
very happy after meeting in June last year and March
this year. There was the twinning tour in July last year
and there was a special Scottish evening in Crosne in
November. “During this year’s carnival in Crosne there
was the fist part of commemorating the 25th
anniversary of the twinning oath. “Needless to say, we
will always be happy to welcome you and I hope there
will be many meetings in the future. Long live European
twinnings, long live French and Scottish relations.” On
Sunday there was a get together in Carrick Sports Club
for a buffet lunch before the French headed to Prestwick
for their flight home. |
