Reports from travels and other activities

Friends of Europe Hepstedt hosts four French hunters.

By Lars Fischer - 26.11.2011 Wümme-Zeitung
Four french hunters were hosted by the Friends of Europe in Hepstedt. The hunter guests from partner community Cisse were privately accomodated in the Tarmstedt district and familiarised with North German traditions such as cabbage and sausage dinners. As well as enjoying excellent hunting the guests from Western France expressed interest in local agricultural practices. On the guests' itinery were included tours of a riding stables, a beef cattle/dairy feedlot barn and a biogas production plant. Hepstedt's mayor Werner Meyer invited the delegation to an official dinner. Twice the hunters were simultaneously successful both with deer and small game hunting in the district accompanied by the local hunting enthusiasts. The different hunting methods provided plenty of "Franco Germanic" cross cultural discussion successfully negating language barriers. Werner Hauschild the Chairman of the Friends of Europe Hepstedt and the French guests were extremely satisfied with their' visit and praised the occasion as a highly successful example of peaceful multiculturally shared experience by the peoples of Europe. At the visit's conclusion the Friends of Europe hosts were invited to participate in a hunt in Cisse in the following autumn to reciprocate the warm hospitality the French hunters have received during their memorable visit to Hepstedt.

Finnish Work Experience Students

It was the second time that young students from Finland completed a three week work experience in Hepstedt. The three boys and a girl were students from the Kannus Agricultural College. Their placement started on the 4th of April 2011, perfectly timed for supporting the spring arable field preparation in and around Hepstedt.
Tyre maintenance and agricultural machinery servicing work was also carried out. The female student assisted at Stefan Blanken’s sport horse training stables. In their free time the young Finns visited Bremen, the MT Energy (Biogas) and Fricke (agricultural machinery)companies and the local firebrigade. Naturally a sauna visit was fitted in.

Invitation to Cissé

From the 17th to the 20th of June the Friends of Europe from Cissé invited a delegation from Hepstedt to their local village festival. Every year in June Cissé citizens celebrate together in their community hall. This is an opportunity for new citizens to get to know the locals. The splendid buffet included beverages of wine, water, juice, masses to eat and a dance for young and old to enjoy. This year Hepstedt guests were warmly accommodated by families, experienced alot of sight seeing and were extremely well looked after. On their last evening the Hepstedt participants gave a net full of balls for the children of Cissé as a thank you present.

Meeting in Lithuania

From 5th to 8th of february 2009 a meeting took place in Zagare/ Lithuaniat. The theme was: Participation in local democracy. The lectures and also the social parties were given at the local house of culture. We were very impressed by the artistic performances. At the 3rd day we made a visit to the hill of crosses. This is a catholic place of pilgrimage. Here Pope John-Paul II. celebrated a mass in 1993. On this hill are about 55,000 cruzifixes.