German-Chinese Society Bocholt prepares anniversary trip 2025

Stefan Schlier, President of the Deutsch-Chinesische-Gesellschaft Bocholt e.V., visited the city of Wuxi in China, which is a friend of Bocholt, from 18 to 21 March 2024. There he took part in Wuxi's international friendship city meeting accompanied by his wife Hua Lin. During his stay, he also took the opportunity to make contact with Wuxi High School No 1, the partner school of St. Georg High School, and to prepare the partnership trip for 2025.

This trip will take place together with the city of Bocholt from 11-22 October 2025. The Foreign Affairs Office of the city of Wuxi with its director Zhan Yi and his deputy Xian ZhenYu supported the preparations for the partnership trip. The trip will not only take them to Wuxi, but also to the provincial capital Nanjing. The cities of Suzhou and Shanghai are also on the programme. The reason for the twinning trip next year is the 40th anniversary of the friendship between Bocholt and Wuxi.

Participation in the festival of friendship and twin towns in Wuxi

The city of Bocholt had cancelled the official delegation trip in March. The city of Wuxi therefore invited Stefan Schlier as President of the Deutsch-Chinesische-Gesellschaft Bocholt e.V. (German-Chinese Society Bocholt). He had been designated as the civic representative on the delegation trip.

Following the festivities, a number of parks were visited and the German guests took part in the opening of this year's Cherry Blossom Festival. Ding YongJie from the Foreign Affairs Office of the city of Wuxi did an internship in the Bocholt city administration in 2009. She supported the Bocholt guests throughout the entire event.

Partnership trip casts a shadow ahead

During the visit, Stefan Schlier and Hua Lin used the time to prepare the twinning trip from Bocholt to Wuxi in 2025. In discussions with local organisers and various travel agencies, a maximum of 35 participants can take part in the trip. Interested parties can read a detailed description of the trip on the website of the German-Chinese Society Bocholt . Registration is also possible on the website https://china-bocholt.clubdesk.com/.

Revitalisation of the student exchange

The German-Chinese Society Bocholt would also like to help revitalise the student exchange between Wuxi High School No. 1 and Bocholt's St. Georg Grammar School, which has been running for over 20 years. In this respect, Stefan Schlier did not miss the opportunity to visit Wuxi High School No. 1. He was warmly welcomed there and had intensive discussions. The school expressed a strong interest in restarting this exchange as soon as possible. On his return, Stefan Schlier reported on the discussions to Hilke Smidt, headmistress of St Georg High School. Both schools are currently discussing the framework conditions for a further exchange.