Africa to Kolding - City Councils Exchange

African mayors visiting Kolding were impressed by the Danish pupils' ability to use a foreign language actively. In August 2003 the African guests visited Kolding as part of the "City Council Exchange Program"-aproject managed by UBC together with LVRLAC - union of municipalities situated round Lake Victoria.

African guests were very interested in studying how a Danish municipality works with democracy on all levels - right from kindergartens, over schools, to the sector of the elderly. Other issues that were constantly on their minds were our efforts to further respect of nature and the conservation of the environment. Here they saw a link to the way we look upon our history and our culture. They saw that the knowledge of our roots is fundamental for the future. If you do not acknowledge and respect the environmental and cultural basis on which you live, how can you engage yourself in tomorrow? These were the contemplations that our guests had. And exactlysuch contemplations were the purpose of the exchange program.Also in the Baltic Region we might profit from asking ourselves such questions. Do we work hard enough for democracy, do we secure on-going dialogue on the basic values of society, do we remember our roots and traditions, do we discuss our visions of the society of tomorrow?

Visits like the above mentioned gives great benefit and much inspiration both to visitors and hosts. It is very important to be given the opportunity to have a look at your own community and its practise "through African eyes". It gives new perspectives. The guests have brought back new ideas that can be further developed in their own communities.

In the same way there have been visits by African delegations in Kalmar and in Tampere, as well as there have been similar follow-up visits in each of the three African countries by councillors from the three participating Nordic cities.