GYMNASIUM STUDENTS INITIATED TWINNING
31.03.2012
The mayor of Doullens Municipality in France, http://www.mairie-doullens.fr/ Christian Vlaemick and the president of Palilula Municipality – City of Nis PhD Igor Novakovic, on the basis of common interests and intentions and establishment of the cooperation of two high schools signed the Agreement on cooperation of local governments. On this occasion in Palilula Municipality, the headmasters of two schools from Palilula – professor Olga Dragojlovic and Patrick Ferret - Lycee de L`Authie, Doullens, signed the other document on cooperation. Milan Djurdjevic, president of Palilula Municipal Assembly and Milos Stojkovic, member of Palilula Municipal Council were also present at the signing ceremony.

The cooperation of Svetozar Markovic gymnasium with French school started 4 years ago based on mutual wish and interest that this cooperation should continue and that experience exchanges help pupils enrich knowledge of French language through the contacts with their foreign peers. Motivation of the students and professors of our gymnasiums about twinning of municipalities was the breaking and decisive point- said Christian Vlaeminck, the mayor of Doullens, France. We are aware that the young people from one part of the world have the need to meet the young people from the other one. And it is good that there is cooperation between two educational institutions and twinning of two cities. Even if there is a significant difference in the number of residents of our two municipalities, there are many, many things that connect us and motivate us to establish the cooperation. I would like to thank to the president Novakovic on this warm welcome. It will be our pleasure that until the end of May we could welcome also the delegation of Svetozar Markovic gymnasium and Palilula municipality president in our city. It has been ever said that travels only enrich the young people, in other words young people are directed to exploring and connecting. The example of twinning of Palilula and Doullens only confirms it.

We are happy that children contributed to this twinning that will develop the friendships that can bring back only good things –specially in the field of science and professional cooperation, emphasized Novakovic. It is common knowledge that the `twinning` appeared after the WW II. Later it grew into one cultural – historical experience and knowledge exchange. Twinning gets into fashion again in the 90s. The countries of central-eastern Europe that went through the process of transition over the agreements on twinning and they went through development and become EU members. According to Novakovic words the main segment of twinning is economic aspect and it develops over economic cooperation between companies from territories of municipalities that are twinned. There is also another sphere of that economic aspect where EU supports forms of cities cooperation by which the possibility of using various funds is gained that are in twinning and from which they get back grants for these projects.

Professor Patrick Ferret, head master of Lycee de L`Authie, Doullen (France) reminded that the signing of the agreement of two schools is the concretization of four years cooperation that returned visits in 2008 first time in search for international partner. After the year of a virtual contact, in 2010 we welcomed the first delegation from Serbia, head master of Svetozar Markovic school and professor of French from the same school. Then we decided to organize the first student exchange. One should also know that this sort of twinning has the following feature - students are accepted by the foreign families which allows them the possibility to be better introduced with the culture. Now, our wish is to make it official. Municipality of Doullen always supported these sort of projects and our initiative on twinning of schools opened the possibility and twinning of these schools so that the cooperation would spread to other projects.

According to the words of Olga Dragojloivc, headmaster of Svetozar Markovic school, four years ago when it first came for the opening of one specialized school class in French language, we wanted to provide to students to additionally meet and understand better the culture and way of life of French people. We have established the cooperation with this school. At the moment we are welcoming the group of 18 students and professors of Doullen here in Nis.

Doullens is at about 100 km from Paris at the north west of France. It is at only 30 km from Amiens –administrative center from Picardie. After twinning with Svoge (Bulgaria), Aarhus (Danemark), Drvar (BIH), Doullens is fourth city abroad Palilula has a twinning agreement with.