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This week, from Jelgava’s sister city in France, Rueil-Malmaison, the large metal gates of the tower of the Holy Trinity Church in our city have been delivered. This French gift to Jelgava serves as a symbol of friendship for over 15 years of successful collaboration between the two cities in various fields. On Saturday, April 27th, at 12 o’clock by the tower, the unveiling of the grand gates will take place, and Jelgava residents are also invited to participate.

The design of the grand gates was developed based on research into historical gate photographs and coordinated with the existing small gates to create a unified architectural ensemble. During the work process, recommendations and suggestions from the National Cultural Heritage Administration were taken into account.

Symbolically strengthening and appreciating the long and successful friendship between the two cities, the coat of arms of Jelgava city and the coat of arms of Rueil-Malmaison city are incorporated into the gates. This exclusive gift to Jelgava was crafted by the metalworking masters of Rueil-Malmaison. The main author of the gates is the blacksmith and metalworking master Antonio Diass, who, together with Erik Dipuī, head of the Rueil-Malmaison municipal workshop, is participating in the installation of the gates in Jelgava this week.

From April 26th to April 28th, a delegation from Jelgava’s sister city, Rueil-Malmaison in France, will visit the city. The Mayor of Rueil-Malmaison, Patrick Oljē, and other representatives of the city council will be among the guests. The visitors will participate in the gate unveiling ceremony, and on April 27th, together with the leadership of Jelgava city, they will plant five new trees on Pasta Island and then head to the banks of the Driksa River, where a unique large-scale underwater cleanup will take place. Additionally, on Saturday, the delegation will visit Jelgava Technical School and the Metalworking Training Park of the Competence Development Center of the Zemgale Region to discuss further cooperation and new educational projects.

It should be noted that the twinning agreement between Jelgava and Rueil-Malmaison, which envisages cooperation in the fields of education, science, technology, civil defense, crisis management, city infrastructure monitoring, culture, sports, healthcare, human resources, and business, was signed in June 2007. To date, the closest collaboration between the two cities has been in the field of education, with teachers and students participating in exchange trips, acquiring new skills, methods, and experiencing a different approach to implementing the educational process. The longest-standing collaboration is between Jelgava Technical School and the Rueil-Malmaison Training Center for Metalworking and Construction. Over the years, more than 140 young people have gained practical experience in France, while more than 100 have been welcomed in our city. Similarly, successful collaboration exists between the art schools of both cities.