Bristol Hannover Council
Hannover Mayor visits Bristol
On May 14th 2013, BHC Chair Dr Ann Kennard and BITA Co-ordinator Alix Hughes spent an hour with Hannover’s Green Party Mayor Frau Regine Kramarek. All three were invited to the Mansion House for discussions with the Lord Mayor Councillor Peter Main and Bristol City Council’s International Officer Stephen Brown. Mayor Kramarek was in Bristol as part of Hannover City Council’s official delegation on board the inaugural flight between the two twin cities.
She was keen to develop further exchanges and collaborative projects between the two cities, particularly around culture and the green economy. Frau Kramarek highlighted the upcoming visit of 17 photographers from Hannover, led by Professor Rolf Nobel from the Technical University. They will document the city of Bristol in July for a large photo exhibition back in Hannover in February-March at the Town Hall. Frau Kramarek suggested Herr Nobel’s photos of Hannover could also be available for an exhibition at the Mshed or other local venue to mark the 300 year anniversary of House of Hannover becoming kings of England. Herr Nobel is a leading light in Hannover’s bi-annual “Lumix” trade fair aimed at photo journalists, international publishers and media companies. It was suggested Bristol could send a trade delegation to the Lumix event but also visit the former Expo 2000 site which is being used creatively by other commercial and educational organisations. This would be of interest to Bristol’s attempts to revitalise the area around Temple Meads using the LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership). Hannover’s 300th anniversary celebrations begin in earnest in the summer of 2014 with a range of cultural festivities and will end with an October 1st event to mark the coronation of George the First of England. Bristol City Council was invited to send appropriate delegations for both these events. It was also mentioned that the UK may be the official country partner for next year’s Hannover Trade Fair and a decision on this is expected in the Autumn. Frau Kramarek encouraged Bristol companies to take advantage of this once the decision has been confirmed and to work in partnership with Hannover counterparts as was done initially this year with “Hannover Impuls”.
