Twinning with the Enemy

I see that the Wisbech/Arles Twinning Club is holding a meeting to try & reinvigorate the scheme (see events).

I think they are going about this in the wrong way.  I had a quick look on Wikipedia & came up with this definition for Twinning;

"Twinning is used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities & even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties."

To me, the pertinent part of that definition/description of twinning is to "promote cultural and commercial ties."  Whilst I am really not sure whether Wisbech has any common ground with Arles or anywhere in France come to that, I can suggest somewhere that has.

We should be looking to twin with a town in Poland.  With upto 40% of the Wisbech population now consisting of Polish/Eastern European residents this would be a great way to reach across the divide that seperates the two communities.  It fits the bill.....there are definately cultural links with a large number of polish nationals here & there are definitately economic links with a large percentage of the money being earned being sent out of the country back to families at home.

If we could stretch across the boundaries maybe we could start to integrate our two communities.  If we could do that a purely economic benefit could be some hard currency staying in the town & being spent with local businesses.

Speaking recently to a Pole of, shall we say the older generation, 50+, she told me that she will definitely be going back home in the not too distant future.  However, her daughter & son-in-law (and grandson) are planning to stay which is true of a number of the younger generation.  If twinning with, let's say Wadowice, could aid in integration then we should go for it.

(Incidentally Wadowice is twinned with six other towns, all in Italy!!!!)