A visitor from the world's highest seat of government is currently in Bonn. A delegation from the twin city of La Paz (Bolivia) is visiting until September 11, 2024: Maria del Carmen Rocabado, the planning secretary (comparable to the city planning council in this country), and José Antonio Rivera, the treasurer of the La Paz city administration and responsible for international cooperation. The visit will take place in conjunction with the joint participation of representatives of the two partner cities in Engagement Global's partnership conference between German and Latin American municipalities on September 4 and 5, 2024 in Cologne and is funded by Engagement Global's Service Agency Communities in One World.
The aim of the program in Bonn is to initiate further contacts, especially with scientific institutions that can support the partnership's activities in the areas of climate change, urban development and disaster prevention. Deputy Mayor Nicole Unterseh welcomed the guests to the Old Town Hall at the start of the visit on September 2, 2024. In the fireplace room, the two representatives of the La Paz city administration signed the guest book of the city of Bonn.
On the program: climate protection and adaptation as well as disaster risk reduction
The next few days are packed with appointments for the two guests on the topics of climate protection and adaptation, urban development and disaster management. For example, they will meet the head of the Master's degree course in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management at the University of Bonn, representatives of the German Committee for Disaster Risk Reduction and colleagues from the Office for the Environment and Urban Greenery, who will provide information on the promotion of sustainable building and Bonn's Solar Bonn funding program.
Talks with the United Nations are also on the agenda, including with representatives of the Secretariat for Water Supply (GWOPA) and the Institute for Environment and Human Security at the United Nations University (UNU-EHS).
Culture and customs are also part of the visit program: the guests from La Paz will take part in the opening of Pützchens Markt with the traditional barrel tapping ceremony
Public lecture by the Bolivian urban planning secretary
As part of the delegation's visit, the City of Bonn, the Bonn - La Paz Partnership Association and the Iberoclub invite you to the lecture event "La Paz through the ages" on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 6 pm. City planning secretary Maria del Carmen Rocabado will provide insights into the current situation and development of the Andean city in the Wagenhalle in the Old Town Hall. The event will be held in German, with partial translation from Spanish. Interested parties can register by September 9, 2024 by sending an email to verena.schwartebonnde.
Partnership-based relationships for 28 years
Bonn and La Paz have been twinned since 1996. In 2002, the Mayors of Bonn and La Paz signed an official partnership agreement. The project partnership focuses on municipal approaches to sustainability issues such as energy supply, integrated waste management and environmental education. The partnership is supported in a variety of ways through civic engagement. The Bonn-La Paz partnership association has introduced citizens to the country and the people of Bolivia through numerous activities.
The last visit from La Paz to Bonn was in November 2023 as part of the climate partnership between the two cities, which has existed since 2012 and is supported by Engagement Global. The climate action program, which the two cities first developed in 2014, was revised and updated.