Coburg - Toledo
Urban
Diplomacy
Exchange
Coburg - Toledo
Partnership with Toledo
At the end of April, the Coburg-Toledo twinning partnership, established only in 2019, organized a professional exchange trip with Urban Diplomacy Exchange, featuring a diverse professional program and a tight schedule. The connection between Coburg's newest twinning partnership was formed primarily through personal contacts, but also through many similarities despite the size difference (Coburg has approximately 42,000 inhabitants, Toledo has approximately 265,000 inhabitants). The global pandemic hampered the launch of this twinning, but the will and commitment to bring it to life was tremendous on both sides.
Joint projects and established relationships
In 2023, there were reciprocal visits, including an official visit by the mayor of Toledo to Coburg, during which the partnership was further sealed on German soil. The first joint project was a student exchange between a Coburg vocational school and the Toledo Technical Academy in 2024 and 2025.
Professional exchange trip as a bridge of understanding
The expert exchange trip, sponsored by UDE, helped further strengthen the partnership in uncertain times. At the end of April, Kirsten Köhn (Department of Sustainability and Climate Protection), Eva Kollmann (Office of the Mayor), and Coburg City Councilor Jürgen Heeb traveled to Toledo to exchange ideas with various individuals and groups in Toledo's urban community on various areas of sustainability.
Personal encounters with impact
The personal encounters were particularly valuable: contacts were established and deepened with various employees of the Toledo city administration, as well as with Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and city council members, especially Nick Komives. In several discussions, mutual interest in each other's fields grew, so the colleagues arranged follow-up appointments for digital discussions to continue the professional exchange. Meetings with Paul Zito of the Regional Growth Partnership, as well as Bob Clark Phelps and colleagues from Citizen Climate, were also enriching, both in terms of understanding and in terms of potential collaborations.
Insights into sustainable urban development
The guests from Coburg also enjoyed the various excursions organized by the City of Toledo and the sister city president, Roseanne Martinez. A visit to First Solar provided fascinating insights behind the scenes at the only solar panel manufacturer without Chinese involvement. A visit to the wastewater treatment plant and Howard Marsh Metro Park demonstrated the City of Toledo's successful efforts to ensure good water quality in the Maumee River and Lake Erie.
Photos: City of Coburg
Particularly fascinating was the look behind the scenes of the Toledo Art Museum and its adjoining concert hall, as well as the museum's efforts with an impressive team to improve the museum's sustainability in many areas.
The visit to the Padua Center and the conversation with Sister Ginny Welsh and the children cared for there were impressive in light of social sustainability: We need committed citizens who care, whether it's for disadvantaged people or for our environment. The fact that there are so many of these in Toledo was impressive for us Coburg residents.
Together at eye level – even outside the program
What will certainly remain in the lasting memories of all those involved is the great commitment to the shared town twinning and the human interaction that enriched the trip beyond the professional meetings: be it with a drink at the end of the trip, a joint cooking class “Franconian desserts” or the potluck dinner at the farewell.
Sustainable exchange – also digital
Shortly after the trip, a first digital follow-up meeting took place in the form of a Zoom meeting with the participating administrations. The goal was to continue the professional exchange and sustainably strengthen the contacts established during the trip.
