It’s always good to see a new tree being planted and it makes it extra-special when you discover that this sapling helps cement a friendship between two cities. In this case it’s Bath and its ‘twin’ city of Kaposvar in Hungary.
I am delighted to include the following report – sent in by Paul Thomas – of the ceremony which took place in Parade Gardens.
“Exactly thirty years after the fall of the Berin and Wall thus also The Iron Curtain the BKTA is planting a Commemorative Tree in the Parade Gardens in recognition of the strong links the City of Bath has forged with citizens of their twin Hungarian City of Kaposvár.
Bath welcomed Hungarian refugees after the unsuccessful 1956 uprising. So, in 1989, with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the domino effect on the ‘Warsaw Pact’ nations, a keen group of Bathonian’s led by the Mayor of Bath (Commander John Malloy) quickly got off the mark to sign in Bath a joint declaration with the Mayor of Kaposvár that created the Bath Kaposvár Twinning Association (BKTA).
The Mayor of Bath as a BKTA member was invited by the Mayor of Kaposvár to visit the Hungarian Spa city in August 2019 and celebrate the 30th Anniversary. After an amazing welcome and stay, it concluded with the presentation of a bronze memorial plaque and formal pledge of renewed friendship for the coming 2020 decade.
Director of BKTA Zsuzsanna Jenkins explains that “We chose a cherry tree because it is such a positive image. It is living, has a long future and also in the context of worldwide environmental issues contributes positively to the future of the planet”.
“It is in such a lovely spot down by the river Avon with Pulteney Bridge as a back cloth'” said a delighted Ildiko Nagy who was born and brought up in Kaposvar but who now works and lives in Bath. She is secetary of BKTA.
After the planting there was a short ‘birthday party’ in The Mayor’s Parlour when three cakes – each sporting 10 candles – (baked by Zsuszanna) were brought out in the presence of Cllr Ruth Malloy whose father had initiated the twinning all those years ago.”
For your further information:
