As you may know I am the chair of the Portsmouth European Cities Twinning Committee.
This committee is responsible for the two twin cities of Portsmouth; Caen in France, and Duisburg in Germany.
This webpage will give you more information about Portsmouth's twin cities committee.
Portsmouth has also many other international links in the form of sister cities and partner cities.
This webpage will give you more information about Portsmouth's international links.
I was previously contacted by some councillors in Portsmouth, Virginia and I hosted them for a couple of days in June 2018.
I was also contacted by Colorado History Tours in November 2018 and hosted two of their organisers here in Portsmouth on a trip to plan a much larger trip. This trip was to visit many of Colorado's Sister City links in the UK, France, Belgium and Switzerland. Portsmouth's Sister City in Colorado is Lakewood, on the edge of Denver.
Portsmouth was to be the first stop on their tour as they, being history buffs, could come to the city's municipal Guy Fawkes' fireworks display on Wednesday November 6th. They also had lunch on South Parade Pier, with an afternoon walk to include Southsea Castle and the area around the D-Day Story.
They were hosted by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Cllr Ben Dowling and Deputy Lady Mayoress Roxana Andrusca. Dinner at Port Solent.
The following day I took them on a tour of the historic walled city of Portsmouth, on a bus tour of the city, with lunch at The Churchillian. They attend the Lord Mayor, Cllr David Fuller's opening ceremony of the Lord Mayor's Memorial Garden. Tea and biscuits with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress Leza Tremorin and a tour go the city's treasures in The Guildhall. quick visit to the city museum for the Sherlock Holmes exhibition and the history of the city before I had to leave them.
A wonderful time for them and for all involved. I hope they will return...
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