Sven
Schumacher, CEO, Lutheran Child and Family Services
Indianapolis/Cologne Sister City
Relationship 1998/2008
Indianapolis and
Cologne, Germany have been connected through an active and lively sister city
relationship since1988.
Sister City
relationships grew out of "people-to-people" exchanges President
Eisenhower initiated in response to the tragedies of World War II. Today more
than three hundred American cities have one or more sister city relationships.
Local level citizen's diplomacy, social service missions and government
relationships have become additional strategies of sister city activities.
Former Indianapolis
Mayors Bill Hudnut, Steve Goldsmith as well as current Mayor Bart Peterson, have
supported our local sister city relationship and visited Cologne. Since 1988,
many cultural, educational and economic exchanges have taken place. Some of our
city's most revered institutions such as the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Athenaeum, IUPUI, IVY Tech, etc., have been
part of this exchange program. One of the highlights was the participation of
nineteen Cologne Firefighters in the 2001 Police and Fire Games. Most recently,
Governor Mitch Daniels visited Cologne companies as part of his Trade Mission to
Europe in May, 2007.
In 2008, our sister city
relationship will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Both sister city committees
are planning trips to Indianapolis and Cologne.
Cologne
(Koln), Germany
Welcome to
Cologne Cathedral
Governor
Daniels Visits Cologne
Cologne is the oldest
of the major German cities. Its name goes back to the Romans, who gave
their city the name of "Colonia" in 50 A.D. Rome's imperial governor
resided here and the city quickly developed into one of the empire's
most important trade and manufacturing centers north of the Alps.
The Romans also
brought Christianity to Cologne and it quickly became a diocesan town.
Following the confusion of the transitional period in which the city
came under the rule of the Franks, Charlemagne founded the archbishopric
of Cologne in 785. The Archbishop of Cologne, one of the most important
feudal lords in the Holy Roman Empire, became Chancellor for Italy (11th
C.) and Elector (14th C.).
Patronage: St. Peter and the Virgin Mary
The Cologne
Cathedral (German:
Kolner Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria) is the seat
of the
Archbishop of Cologne, under
the administration of the
Roman Catholic Church and is
renowned as a monument of
Christianity, of
Gothic architecture and of the
faith and perseverance of the people of the city in which it stands. It
is dedicated to
Saint Peter and the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
The
cathedral is a
World Heritage Site, being one
of the best-known architectural monuments in
Germany, and
Cologne's most famous
landmark, described by UNESCO as an "exceptional work of human creative
genius". Cologne Cathedral is one of the world's largest churches, being
the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. For four years, 1880-84,
it was the tallest structure in the world, until the completion of the
Washington Monument followed
by the
Eiffel Tower. It has the
second-tallest church spires, only surpassed by the single
spire of
Ulm Cathedral, completed ten
years later in
1890. Because of its enormous
twin spires, it also presents the largest facade of any church in the
world.
St. Mary's
Catholic Church on New Jersey Street in Indianapolis is a smaller
version of the same overall plan. However, it measures just about one
third of the height and width of the Cologne Cathedral.
With just over a
month to go before the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis,
Panasonic Toyota Racing got a taste of Indiana today at its headquarters
in Cologne, Germany. Mitch Daniels, the Governor of Indiana, arrived at
the team's base this morning to be officially greeted by Chairman and
Team Principal Tsutomu Tomita, Vice Chairman Tadashi Yamashina and
President John Howett. The Governor brought with him a 33-strong party,
including senior representatives of the Indiana Economic Development
Corporation, the Indiana Senate and House of Representatives, the
Indiana State Police and Indiana community leaders. They were given a
tour of the Formula 1 factory, seeing where the TF107s are designed and
built in Cologne, a sister city of Indianapolis.
Following a
short presentation from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation on
their activities in and around Cologne, Governor Daniels was presented
with a special gift to remember his visit - a genuine Formula 1 steering
wheel. Governor Daniels is visiting the city of Cologne to attract new
business to Indiana, as well as visiting local companies already active
in the state. As well as the upcoming United States Grand Prix, Toyota
has links to the state through its manufacturing facilities in Princeton
and Lafayette.
Panasonic Toyota
Racing Chairman and Team Principal Tsutomu Tomita: "It has been a
pleasure to welcome Governor Daniels and his party to our factory here
in Cologne. There are strong ties between our home city of Cologne and
Indianapolis and we are pleased to strengthen that bond by hosting
Governor Daniels. We are looking forward to our own trip to Indiana nxt
month for the United States Grand Prix, where we hope Governor Daniels
will see Panasonic Toyota Racing celebrate a strong result."
Governor of
Indiana Mitch Daniels said: "Toyota and Indiana have such a superb
working relationship, and we are so pleased the company has selected our
state for such important investments. This is such an impressive
facility, and we look forward to seeing the racing team in action in
Indianapolis."
St. Mary's
Catholic Church on New Jersey Street in Indianapolis is a smaller
version of the same overall plan. However, it measures just about one
third of the height and width of the Cologne Cathedral.
