Young people from Sunderland represent their city in Essen

A group of young people have returned home after representing Sunderland as part of an exchange programme with its German twin city of Essen.

The programme saw the six young people from partner organisations of Sunderland All Together Consortium CIO learn about youth culture in Germany, as well as learn more about the history of Essen and the relationship between the two cities.

The week-long exchange programme also saw the 16-22 year-old participants take part in the International Youth Camp with the theme this year of: URBAN SPORT - Play, Move, Rise. Young people could choose a variety of workshops that used and celebrated what their local environment had to offer - hiking, breakdance, football and parkour were the choices. Each year Essen invites young people from all of its twin cities and this year, as well as the group from Sunderland, young people took part from Changzhou in China, Zabzre in Poland, Grenoble in France and Tampere in Finland.

The programme included an official reception with the Mayor of Essen, Mr Thomas Kufen, at the City Hall in Essen and a trip to the nearby city of Oberhausen to explore museums, attractions, team challenges and climbing.

The International Youth Camp takes place each year in Essen, Germany; and young people from Sunderland have been attending with youth workers from the city for a number of years. The Sunderland All Together Consortium CIO will now have the opportunity to welcome a group of young people from Essen to spend time with them here in Sunderland later this year, the first visit of its kind for over 10 years.

The participants from Sunderland were honoured upon their return at a special Mayoral Reception at Sunderland City Hall on Wednesday 13 August, where they shared stories with the Mayor and other senior representatives.

Cllr Ethesham Haque, Mayor of Sunderland, said: "The youth exchange programme with Essen is a fantastic way of celebrating the special relationship between our two cities and providing our young people with valuable experience of other cultures. I'm delighted that the longstanding partnership between Sunderland and Essen continues to create opportunities for our young people.

"It was fantastic to hear all about their visit, the history between the two cities and everything they've learned. It was clear that they have all really enjoyed the experience and learned so much about themselves and the two cities. They've really done our city proud and it will be a real pleasure for us all to welcome young people from Essen to Sunderland later this year."

For most of the young people, the programme marked the first time they had travelled abroad without their parents or carers.

16-year-old Leah Walker from the Coalfields in Sunderland was one of the young people to take part. She said: "I really enjoyed it. It was a great opportunity to meet young people from other countries, we shared ideas and had the chance to become friends. I learned a lot about different cultures."

Charlie Lamb, a 21-year-old youth work apprentice in Sunderland also took part, he added: "The youth camp was eye opening, it was safe and welcoming, a space where we experienced cultural differences and used our own experiences to work together, overcome language barriers and find solutions for teamwork tasks. We made friends through the different activities on offer."

Another participant was Mariam, also starting her youth work apprenticeship in September, she said: "the International Youth Camp was definitely a unique opportunity that allowed me to connect with new people and cultures. I gained a deeper understanding of myself. There were moments that were quite challenging, requiring self-reflection and teamwork, as well as times when we all shared laughter together."

Tom Heads, one of the youth workers who organised the visit said: "As a group leader at the camp in Essen I had the pleasure of guiding the young people in different workshops and group activities, each bringing their own culture, traditions and stories. Every day brought a new challenge and the time there was filled with shared games, dances and songs from across the globe. The young people made friendships and memories that will last them a lifetime."