The mayor was impressed by the hospitality and the Rosental valley
A four-member delegation from Seeheim-Jugenheim visited their Bulgarian partner municipality of Karlovo on the last weekend of May. The occasion for the trip was the traditional Rose Festival, which attracts numerous guests from Germany and abroad every year.
The delegation included Mayor Birgit Kannegießer, Thomas Fischbach and Stefan Kähne from the municipal council, and Peter Kannegießer from the local council. Mayor Emil Kabaivanov had extended the invitation back in January, when the twinning between Karlovo and Seeheim-Jugenheim was officially sealed in the forum at the town hall.
Impressive scenery and warm encounters
For most participants, it was their first visit to Bulgaria. The delegation was particularly impressed by the hospitality of their hosts, as well as by the landscape of the Balkan Mountains and the famous Rose Valley.
“Besides the tremendous hospitality, we were very impressed by the beauty of the Balkan Mountains and the Rose Valley,” reports Mayor Birgit Kannegießer. During the visit, the Damask roses were in full bloom and their fragrance permeated the landscape.
Rose Festival as the highlight of the year
The Rose Festival is considered one of the most important festivals in the region and is celebrated with traditional music, dance, and the election of a Rose Queen. Delegations from Karlovo's twin towns regularly participate.
Besides Seeheim-Jugenheim, other international guests were also present. The delegation that traveled the furthest came from the Japanese city of Ina, which only recently became twinned with Karlovo.
For Mayor Birgit Kannegießer, the trip was a special experience: “Getting to know Karlovo better was a truly wonderful experience. How lovely that the friendship that has connected us since 2018 has now become an official twinning.”
(RED/PM/Seeheim-Jugenheim Municipal Administration, Sabine Milewski)
Featured image: private
