In 1992 a momentous event happened in the life of Karlsruhe and Krasnodar - the Karlsruhe-Krasnodar Friendship Society was established. At that time, nobody could imagine how strong and positive the influence of this organization would be on the development of the sister-city relations between the two cities. The first contacts and ideas came from a small initiative group, which approached the issues of bilateral cooperation with particular enthusiasm. The first cargo of humanitarian aid collected for the hospital in Krasnodar by Karlsruhe inhabitants served as a starting point for contacts. The help was very timely at that difficult time. Thanks to the interest expressed by a small group of Karlsruhe residents towards Krasnodar, German-Russian relations between the two cities began to develop actively. Humanitarian aid was followed by the establishment of relations in the economic sphere. The first visits of Karlsruhe economy representatives opened new opportunities for Krasnodar.
Joint projects have appeared in the fields of urban economy, education and sports. Positive results in the implementation of joint programmes have contributed to the establishment of sister-city relations between Karlsruhe and Krasnodar. It was the Karlsruhe-Krasnodar Friendship Society, which was at the origins of signing a joint statement on establishing friendship between Karlsruhe and Krasnodar in 1992. Since then, all joint programmes and projects have been implemented with the support of the Friendship Society and the city administrations of the two cities.
Today the development of friendly relations between Karlsruhe and Krasnodar is inconceivable without this organization. All preparatory and organizational activities of the current as well as future bilateral projects take place at the initiative or with the direct involvement of the Karlsruhe-Krasnodar Friendship Society members. The most surprising thing in Karlsruhe-Krasnodar Friendship Society activity is the fact that the number of realized Russian-German projects by far exceeds the number of Association members. Currently, the Friendship Society has around 100 members headed by Herbert Huber, Christa Köhler and Manfred Czychi, who was elected in March 2018. For many years, Christian Friedrich was one of the Society's chairmen.
Many of the projects that have been initiated or supported by the Society have become traditional. These include a visit of Karlsruhe residents to Krasnodar on the occasion of the City Day celebrations, and accompanying Krasnodar students who come to Karlsruhe for an internship (students of the Krasnodar Municipal Medical Institute of Higher Nursing Education, students of the Business School of KubSU).
Every year the Friendship Society takes an active part in the International Consumer Fair "Offerta" and organizes a stand presenting the sister-city relations between Krasnodar and Karlsruhe. It is there where many visitors discover a new tourist destination - Krasnodar and can easily become participants of the next trip of Karlsruhe residents to Krasnodar.
The participation of the Friendship Society in the Christmas fair at the central square of Karlsruhe has become a tradition. With the assistance of Karlsruhe city administration the Karlsruhe Friendship Society members rent for a few days one of the Christmas houses and acquaint the visitors of the Fair with the culture, cuisine and traditions of the Russian sister-city.
The official website of the Karlsruhe-Krasnodar Friendship Society: https://krasnodar-karlsruhe.de/index.php/de/
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