“Bristol has played an important historical role in promoting world peace, reconciliation and development. Through seven twinning partnerships, the people of Bristol continue to support educational, cultural, social and commercial initiatives around the world.”
These sentiments are commemorated on a plaque on College Green in front of City Hall.
As well as looking at the expansion of Bristol since 1373, Local Learning also wanted to include a section in the community atlas on Bristol’s international relations.
From the first friendships to be formed in 1947, in the wake of the Second World War, this Bristol beyond Bristol element focuses on what the twinnings meant to people in the past and their value today and for future generations.
Bristol twinnings:
- 1947 Bordeaux, France
- 1947 Hannover, Germany
- 1984 Oporto
- 1988 Tiblisi, Georgia
- 1989 Puerto Morazan, Nicaragua
- 1990 Beira, Mozambique
- 2001 Guangzhou, China
To better understand the significance of these relationships, representatives from each of these seven twinning associations came together at City Hall to exchange thoughts and insights about these friendships with Local Learning and History and Photography undergraduates from the University of the West Of England.
