International partnerships
Our International Relations Team works with partners across the world to deliver projects which help prepare us all to meet the challenges of a fast-changing and global society.
Our partnerships help to deliver our priorities of:
- developing skills and raising aspirations
- engaging young people in purposeful out of school activity
- maximising benefits of membership of the European Union
- promoting community cohesion initiatives and developing community-led programmes
- supporting international cultural and sporting ambitions
We are fortunate to have a network of twinned communities across the globe.
- 1953 - Kreis Wesel, Germany
- 1965 - Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
- 1968 - Kostroma, Russia
- 1969 - Tübingen, Germany
- 1970 - Nakskov (now part of Lolland County, Lolland Kommune), Denmark.
- 1980 - Somme, France
- 1994 - Alcalá De Guadaira, Spain
- 1998 - Durham County USA, North Carolina USA
- 2001 - Jasz Nagykun Szolnok, Hungary
Former district and borough council links with partner communities are also supported by the county council.
- Bad Oeynhausen - Wear Valley
- Baesweiler - Easington
- Kamp Lintfort, Germany - Chester le Street
- Rheinhausen, Germany - Sedgefield
- Werdohl - Derwentside