Kiel
Kiel is the capital of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein and, with its 250,000 inhabitants, the northernmost city in Germany. The city is located on the Kiel Fjord, which extends right into the city centre. The port of Kiel with its cruise and ferry terminals connects the city with Scandinavia and the Baltic States. The nearby Kiel Canal is the busiest artificial waterway in the world. All this makes Kiel an important transport hub for the entire Baltic Sea region.
Wide horizons, wind, and sea characterise the city and the people who live here. The fjord and its beaches offer ideal conditions for water sports and relaxation. Every year, the city celebrates Kiel Week, the largest summer festival in Northern Europe and the largest sailing event in the world with more than three million visitors.
But Kiel has more to offer: theatres, museums, galleries, and a wide range of restaurants and events also make the city the cultural centre of Schleswig-Holstein.
In addition, Kiel is a strong location for education and science. The city has all types of schools, from kindergartens, through schools and universities, to the vocational training centre and other educational institutes. There are four universities: the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, the Muthesius Academy of Art, the Kiel University of Applied Sciences, and the Schleswig-Holstein Cooperative State University. As a university city, Kiel is home to a number of outstanding scientific research institutions – such as the University Medical Centre Schleswig-Holstein, the renowned Institute for World Economics, or the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, which is one of the leading marine research institutions in Europe.
The partnership between Kiel and Vaasa has always been very lively and characterised by numerous activities. These include cooperation in the field of culture (art exhibitions, theatre performances, and concerts), business (visiting ie the Energy Week in Vaasa), and administrative exchange (auditing office in Kiel and auditing team in Vaasa).
Lately, even during the Corona Pandemic, contacts could be maintained through virtual exchanges. In June 2021, for example, representatives from Vaasa took part in the International City Forum as part of the Kiel Week (in digital form). In March 2022, an exchange took place between the Kiel Office for Children and Youth Facilities and the Department for Early Childhood Education in Vaasa on the subject of “Early childhood education in daycare centres with a special focus on the topic of sustainability”. Later in April 2022, the so-called virtual delegation visit to Kiel took place, during which politicians and administrative staff from Vaasa and Kiel got to know each other better online and could discuss several topics of interest. In October 2022 the new city officials from the cities’ international departments finally met. Finally, since June 2022 onwards a delegation from Vaasa visits Kiel annually in June during Kielerwoche or Kiel Week.
