Stadt Münster, International Münster
Welcome to Münster in Westphalia
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International Münster
Münster is home to around 21,000 foreign citizens from over 159 nations. They constitute 7.8 per cent of the population. The largest group, which comprises 2,000 people, is from Serbia. Around 2,000 inhabitants are of Turkish origin, followed by those from Portugal (1,700) and Poland (1,400).
www.muenster.de/stadt/stadtplanung/zahlen.html
Advisory Board for Foreigners
Münster founded an elected advisory board for foreigners in 1984, a full decade before boards of this kind became a legal obligation, in order to provide foreign inhabitants with better access to political, social and cultural city life. Since then, the advisory board has made every effort to promote co-existence between Germans and foreigners. It has launched numerous initiatives designed to integrate refugees. The intercultural festival and the "intercultural weeks" event series, hosted by the advisory board for foreigners each autumn, are designed to promote cultural understanding. Spyros Marinos chairs the committee, which has 19 members. All foreign citizens are able to vote during elections for the advisory board for foreigners, provided that they are over 16 years of age, have been living legally in Germany for at least a year with Münster as their main place of residence for at least three months.
www.muenster.de/stadt/kv/auslaenderbeirat.html
Twin cities
Münster has partner cities all over the world. The city has forged nine twinning relationships since 1957. York/England, Orléans/France, Kristiansand/Norway, Monastir/Tunisia, Rishon LeZion/Israel, Fresno/USA, Rjazan/Russia, Mühlhausen/Germany and Lublin/Poland. These connections are complemented by the city’s amicable links with Braniewo/Poland and the twinning relationship between the Münster district of Hiltrup and Beaugency/France. Münster’s twinning relationships are "citizen partnerships". They create a context for encounters and understanding between thousands of people from schools and universities, sports, culture and partnership associations, year after year. They have also resulted in a multitude of personal friendships around the globe.
www.muenster.de/stadt/partnerstaedte
Information and contacts:
Foreign relations team
at the city council and mayoral offices
Klemensstraße 10
Tel. 02 51 / 4 92-60 51
Fax 02 51 / 4 92-77 83
E-mail partnerstadt@stadt-muenster.de
International life
Münster is home to a thriving international scene. Cultural associations, clubs and public institutions all act as meeting points. Intercultural encounters and international understanding are a feature of everyday life in the city. Below is a selection of international associations:
- Afrika e.V. – association promoting the integration of Africans in Münster
www.muenster.org/afrika - Africa in Münster – African events in Münster
www.muenster.org/afrika-in-muenster - Aktion Kinderhilfe Münster e.V.
http://www.aktionkinderhilfe.de/ - amnesty international
www.muenster.org/ai - attac
www.attac.de/muenster - Círculo Hispano-Alemán e.V. - meeting place for Spanish and Latin American enthusiasts
http://www.circulo-hispano-aleman.de/ - Darfur-Hilfe e.V.
http://www.darfur-hilfe.org/ - Deutsch-Italienische Gesellschaft (German-Italian Society) – forum for Italians living in Münster, and “Münsterians“ interested in Italy
www.muenster.org/dig - Deutsch-Dänische Gesellschaft Münster e.V. (German-Danish Society in Münster) – for the promotion and preservation of German-Danish relations
http://www.ddg-ms.de/ - Deutsch-finnische Gesellschaft Münster e.V. (German-Finnish Society in Münster) – for the promotion and preservation of German-Finnish relations
www.muenster.org/dfg - Deutsch-Französische Gesellschaft Münster e.V. (German-French Society in Münster) - forum for German-Francophone exchange
www.muenster.org/dfgms - Deutsch-Polnische Jugendakademie e.V. (German-Polish Youth Academy) – information about Münster’s twin city of Lublin
www.muenster.org/dpja - Deutsch-Russische Gesellschaft (German-Russian Society) – for the promotion of German-Russian relations
www.muenster.org/drg - ECI - English Club International (English International Club)
www.muenster.org/eci - Eine Welt Forum Münster (One World Forum in Münster) – Union of One and Third World groups
http://www.eineweltforum-muenster.de/ - Freunde für Rishon LeZion (Friends of Rishon LeZion)– for the promotion of the partnership between Münster and Rishon LeZion
http://www.muenster-rishon.de/ - Gemeinschaft für deutsch-polnische Verständigung (Community of German-Polish Understanding) - information, Silesia forum
http://www.visitator-breslau.de/ - Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker, Regionalgruppe Münster (Society for Endangered Peoples, Münster regional group) – human rights organisation for the protection of ethnic and religious minorities, indigenous peoples and pursued refugee groups
http://www.gfbv-muenster.de/ - German-Dutch Corps
http://www.1gnc.org/ - German-Indian Association
www.muenster.org/digmuenster - GGUA – Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft zur Unterstützung Ayslsuchender e.V. (non-profit-making association for the support of asylum seekers)
http://www.ggua.de/ - Initiative Rumänien e.V. (Romania Initiative) – providing aid for deprived groups in Romania
www.muenster.org/romania - Kindergefängnishilfe Münster-Ecuador (Münster-Ecuador Aid Association for Children of Imprisoned Parents) – aid for children in Ecuador
www.muenster.org/Kindergefaengnishilfe - Mama Africa – intercultural life and learning
www.muenster.org/mamaafrika - Münster - Global City
www.dielinse.de/globalestadt - Münster-York Partnerschaftsverein (Münster-York Partnership Association)
http://www.ms-york.de/ - Ökumenischer Zusammenschluss der christlichen Eine-Welt- und Dritte-Welt-Gruppen Münster (Ecumenical Union of Christian One and Third World Groups in Münster)
www.muenster.org/einewelt - Pan y arte – development aid for Nicaragua focussing on culture
http://www.panyarte.org/ - Partnerschaft Hiltrup-Beaugency (Hiltrup-Beaugency Partnership)
www.muenster.de/stadt/hiltrup-beaugency - Projekt Freundschaft. Münsteraner Arbeitskreis für Frieden in Palästina und Israel e.V. (Project Friendship. Münster Study Group for Peace in Palestine and Israel) (formerly known as “Projekt Freundschaft Birzeit Münster e.V.“ / “Project Friendship Birzeit Münster e.V.")
www.muenster.org/birzeit/projektfreundschaft - Projet Maison Dogbo – aid project in Benin/West Africa
http://www.haus-dogbo.de/ - Schritt-Weise - Weg des Friedens, von Münster nach Jerusalem (the path of peace from Münster to Jerusalem)
http://www.schritt-weise.net/ - Step by Step e.V. – support for people in need in Germany and abroad
http://www.stepbystep-muenster.de/ - terre des hommes - AG Münster, For a Humanitarian World
http://www.muenster.tdh.de/ - Tibet Initiative Deutschland e.V. –Münster regional group, Tibet - the drama on the top of the world
www.muenster.org/tibet - Unicef – Münster work group
www.muenster.org/unicef - Vamos e.V. Münster – For human rights, solidarity, justice and tolerance in the globalised world
http://www.vamos-muenster.de/ - VDIJB e.V. – association for the promotion of German-German and international encounters between young people
http://www.vdijb.de/ - Verein zur Förderung der Städtepartnerschaft Münster-Rjasan (Association for the Promotion of the Münster-Rjazan Twinning Relationship)
www.muenster.org/msrjasan - Weltwinkel – The ONE-WORLD shop in the Paul-Gerhardt-Haus
www.muenster.org/Weltwinkel
International universities
Around 3,500 international students and over 200 visiting academics from all over the world at the Westphalian Wilhelms University alone underscore Münster’s international reputation as an attractive university location. Universities and science also make a significant contribution to the city’s international flair.
Both the major universities offer foreign students support to ensure they find their feet as quickly as possible.
- The university’s international centre is called "Die Brücke" ("The Bridge"). This is a part of the university’s international office. The Bridge promotes internationality and international dialogue. It advises foreign students and doctoral students, and provides support in matters of accommodation, bureaucracy and everyday issues.
www.uni-muenster.de/DieBruecke
www.uni-muenster.de/Auslandsamt/en - The International Office at the University of Applied Sciences also promotes the establishment’s international orientation. The office offers foreign students a range of services, including a welcome service and workshops concerning life and culture in Germany.
www.fh-muenster.de/internationaloffice/index.php - The "Connecta International" trade fair takes place in Münster on a regular basis. The International Centre "Die Brücke" ("The Bridge") constitutes a collaboration between the University and the City of Münster, creating a forum for international students, academics and graduates which enables them to explore the various professional fields and companies the city and region have to offer. The Federal Foreign Ministry awarded "Connecta" the "Prize for Excellent Care of Foreign Students".
www.uni-muenster.de/connecta
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