Office of Economic Development - International relations
Connecting cities worldwide: opening doors for citizens, business and culture
For a city like Düsseldorf that is extremely active on the international stage, it is important to seek dialogue across municipal and national borders. Düsseldorf has played a central role in establishing a worldwide network of metropolitan regions which are pooling their resources to meet the challenges of the 21st century. "We plan to expand our city's global connections even further," says Lord Mayor Dirk Elbers explaining Düsseldorf's strategy.
It goes without saying that these international relations are not an end in themselves. They should provide a valuable platform for business, cultural, educational, sportive and civic exchange. Because whatever the type of relationship, it is the active involvement of residents, companies, associations and institutions that really counts.
Twin cities and international friendship
Fundamental to Düsseldorf's international commitment are the city's twinning agreements with Reading in the United Kingdom, Haifa in Israel, Warsaw in Poland, Moscow in Russia and Chongqing in China. In addition to these international partnerships, Düsseldorf also has domestic ties with the city of Chemnitz in Eastern Germany. Other international city friendships include Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Toulouse, France.
Business collaborations and the Local Agenda 21
Since the Second World War, city twinning agreements have provided an avenue for peoples around the world to reach out to each other in friendship. Nowadays their importance lies increasingly in providing the basis for international business relationships geared to boost the prosperity of the communities involved. Düsseldorf's business-driven relationships include partnerships with the Chinese cities of Shenyang and Guangzhou as well as Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As part of its Local Agenda 21 commitments, the city also maintains North-South Agenda Partnerships with Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Mbombela, South Africa, and its sister city Chongqing in China.
| Office of Economic Development ? International relations | |
| Burgplatz 1 40213 Düsseldorf |
Phone +49 (0) 211.89-23155 |
| Head of Department Boris Stähly boris.staehly@duesseldorf.de |
Phone +49 (0) 211.89-95502 |
| Matthias Buchwald matthias.buchwald@duesseldorf.de |
Phone +49 (0) 211.89-93104 |
| Benjamin Leonhardt benjamin.leonhardt@duesseldorf.de |
Phone +49 (0) 211.89-92294 |
| Lilia Scheliga lilia.scheliga@duesseldorf.de |
Phone +49 (0) 211.89-95506 |
| Frauke Nieding frauke.nieding@duesseldorf.de |
Phone +49 (0) 211.89-21394 |
