The QuattroPole network of cities celebrates its 25th anniversary
In February 2000, Paul Helminger, Jean-Marie Rausch, Hajo Hoffmann and Helmut Schroër – the mayors of Luxembourg, Metz, Saarbrücken and Trier, respectively – shook hands to seal the creation of a new European network of cities called QuattroPole.
Twenty-five year on, the QuattroPole network of cities – which is now administered through a general secretariat that was opened in 2015 – is celebrating a quarter-century of cooperation, civic engagement and cross-border friendship.
Lively, forward-looking anniversary celebrations
The festivities marking the QuattroPole network's 25th anniversary were held in the Grande Salle of the Cercle Cité in Luxembourg City.
Following the Annual General Meeting, the members of the Executive Board – i.e., Luxembourg City mayor Lydie Polfer, along with the mayors of Metz, Saarbrücken and Trier (François Grosdidier, Uwe Conradt and Wolfram Leibe, respectively) – hosted some 150 guests at a reception to mark the network's anniversary.
Among those in attendance were David Lindemann, Head of the Saarland State Chancellery, as well as the ambassadors of Germany and France to Luxembourg, Dr. Heike Peitsch and Christophe Bouchard, respectively.
Guests were treated to an exhibition of photographs retracing QuattroPole's history, from the network's inception, right the way through to its most recent cross-border projects. Videos recalling some of the network's most emblematic achievements – and particularly those accomplished during this anniversary year – were also projected on a giant screen.
Other highlights of the evening included a performance of Lindy Hop by dancers from the QuattroPole Swing Exchange, and a mini-concert by a brass quintet from the Luxembourg City Conservatoire.
The 25th anniversary celebrations also provided an opportunity to reflect on the network's future and, in an official statement, the members of the Executive Board shared the network's prospects and ambitions for boosting cooperation between the four member cities even further.
After 25 years of cooperation, what next?
The member of QuattroPole's Executive Board seized the opportunity to emphasise the key importance of this network of cities. They began by recalling QuattroPole's importance as the embodiment of a unique strategic alliance between Luxembourg, Metz, Saarbrücken and Trier over the past 25 years. They also emphasised the fact that it was this very network of neighbouring cities – all within one hour's drive of each other, with a combined population of some 540,000 inhabitants – that formed the basis for structuring a territorial space with a rich cultural, historical and economic heritage, in the heart of the Grand Region. The mayors also underscored the cross-border dynamic promoted by the QuattroPole network through concrete, citizen-centric projects, in areas such as tourism, culture, the economy, and education. For the past quarter of a century, the four cities have managed to boost their attractiveness and their visibility on the European scene by pooling their strengths, while preserving their individual identities. Finally, all four mayors stressed that cooperation between the QuattroPole cities is expected to intensify in the coming years, making QuattroPole an even more ambitious, innovative and forward-looking European player.
QuattroPole – A cross-border network of cities
Straddling the borders of Germany, Luxembourg and France, QuattroPole embodies a cross-border region that is historically, economically and culturally extremely diverse, and where multilingualism is an accepted part of daily life. The cities of Luxembourg, Metz, Saarbrücken and Trier work closely together to heighten their visibility on the European stage and pool their know-how through innovative projects. This policy of cooperation, along with the implementation of joint projects, is geared towards creating synergies between the cities and bolstering the region's economic attractiveness.
