READING’S twin recently held a special road naming ceremony aimed at celebrating its links with the town.
Residents of Düsseldorf attended the event in the city’s Grand Central Quarter which saw three streets and a square given names that honour Reading, Chernivtsi in Ukraine, and Chiba in Japan.
Another is named after former Reading mayor Phoebe Cusden who, after the Second World War, initiated a youth exchange, which launched regular exchange visits between the two places.
The street names are: Chibastraße, Czernowitzstraße, Phoebe-Cusden-Platz, and Readinger Straße.
The ceremony was held on Friday, November 17, and saw Düsseldorf’s oberbürgermeister (mayor), Dr Stephan Keller, dedicate the newly named streets and square. He was joined by the Japanese Consul-General, Setsuko Kawahara, and the Ukrainian Consul-General, Iryna Shum.
In his speech, Dr Keller said: “Particularly in challenging times such as these, it is important to exchange across the boundaries of cities and states and to support one another.
“With the naming of three streets and a square in the Grand Central Quarter, we express the value we set on our friends in the twin cities of Reading and Chernivtsi, as well as the twin prefecture of Chiba.
“In this way, we honour the British town with which we established a friendly relationship just after the Second World War; and we are setting an example for our newest twin city Chernivtsi, which needs our support since the attack by Russia on Ukraine.
“The Chibastraße will in future bring about greater visibility for the second largest Japanese community in continental Europe, whom we shelter here in Düsseldorf.”
The naming was welcomed by Ms Shum, who said it was a strong sign of solidarity between Germany and Ukraine, and a beautiful gesture.
She added: “At this time of Russian aggression against Ukraine, this symbolic transaction underlines the indestructible support and connectedness between the two cities, which has been particularly noticeable in recent months.
“I am very pleased that from now on there is another place in Düsseldorf that is a ‘must see’ for Ukrainians. We will certainly find the Czernowitzstraße in future as a comment in Ukrainian travel guides to the wonderful city of Düsseldorf.”
Ms Kawahara, Consul-General of Japan, said she was delighted with the naming of the street in Japan’s honour.
“I am sure that this new street will bring the citizens of Düsseldorf a bit closer to Chiba and will strengthen our friendship. I’m pleased that the little mascot Chiba-kun can today visit the newly named street,” she said.
And Nick Russell, Consul-General of the UK, said the event showed why having good relationships matter.
“Initiatives such as these are a symbol of the strong friendship between North Rhine-Westphalia and Great Britain and an impetus for us to work together even more closely in our mutual interests,” he said.
“I am today particularly happy that we can honour Phoebe Cusden, a woman from Reading who had already been involved earlier in the women’s and trade union movements, and who counts as the ‘Mother of Town Twinnings’.”
