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High award for commitment to the town twinning between Riedstadt and Tauragė
Klaus Minter, the long-serving chairman of the Riedstadt partnership association "Friends of Tauragė," has been awarded the Lithuanian Order of Merit. On the occasion of Lithuania's national holiday on February 16, 2025, the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, presented him with the honor in the capital city of Vilnius. Minter's contributions to strengthening the partnership between Tauragė and Riedstadt, as well as his role in promoting bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and Germany, were recognized.
“This award is not for me alone, but for the community of both partner associations,” emphasized Klaus Minter at the twinning working group, where he reported on his trip to Lithuania. He was accompanied by his son, Olaf Minter. Vilius Petrauskas, chairman of the partner association in Tauragė, was also present at the ceremony.
Award for long-standing commitment
Riedstadt's mayor, Marcus Kretschmann, used the most recent meeting of the town twinning working group on March 17th to officially congratulate Klaus Minter. During a meeting of the twinning groups with Brienne-le-Château (France), Sortino (Italy), and Tauragė (Lithuania), he praised Minter's commitment: "This clearly demonstrates that this is a very special partnership." As a token of appreciation, Kretschmann presented a gift basket on behalf of the town.
Klaus Minter has been active in the partnership since its founding in 1993 and 1994. After the death of founding chairman Kurt Ernst in 2012, he assumed the chairmanship of the association. Especially in the early years, the focus was on humanitarian aid transports to Tauragė. While transports are still regularly organized today, the emphasis is now on cultural exchange and the friendships that have developed.
Contact and information about the town twinning
Interested citizens are warmly invited to participate in the town twinning working group. The Riedstadt Cultural Office is available as a contact point:
Email: kultur@riedstadt.de | Telephone: +49 6158 93084-1/-2
(Gross-Gerau-Red/PSGG)
Further information can also be found on the association's website: www.freunde-von-taurage.de
Photos: Klaus Minter and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda (from left). Photo: Robertas Dačkus/Presidential Office of the Republic of Lithuania
At the meeting of the twinning working group, Mayor Marcus Kretschmann presented Klaus Minter with a gift basket. Photo: City of Riedstadt
