The Mayor of Perm Eduard Sosnin signed the Protocol of Intent to cooperate with the Chinese city of Hohhot
Phot6o by Uliana FefelovaEarlier, the Protocol of Intent between the cities was signed by the Mayor of Hohhot. It envisages the development of joint projects in the sphere of culture, youth policy, education, sports and economy.
In May, the delegation from Perm visited the Chinese city of Hohhot, where they familiarized themselves with various urban facilities and discussed cooperation issues.
The Mayor of Perm, Eduard Sosnin, signed the Protocol of Intent to cooperate with Hohhot, which was previously signed by the mayor of the Chinese city. The document envisages the development of joint projects in the sphere of culture, youth policy, education, sports and economy, the successful implementation of which will build the basis for concluding an agreement on the establishment of international and foreign economic relations. Both parties express their belief that this cooperation is in the long-term interests of the residents of both cities.
On return to Perm, the members of the delegation described a number of places that impressed them most of all.
- Very friendly colleagues from the People’s Government of the City of Hohhot prepared an extensive program, taking into account the professional interests of each member of the delegation. The cities of Perm and Hohhot are at the start of building a friendship link, but we have a feeling that our cities have been friends for a long time, - said the participants of the trip.
For example, in the exhibition hall of the city of Hohhot, the delegation were introduced to the two-millennial history of the city, the main directions of its modern and future development. The delegation participants were informed about the activities of the private company «The Mengcao Ecological Environment», which is engaged in improving the environment in the city, as well as in the entire territory of the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia, with the help of state funding. The company has "unique" scientific and testing laboratories, a greenhouse farm, a huge storage for the seed stock of herbs and flowers that can be grown in the city of the steppes. It is also common practice in Hohhot to plant one tree once a year to contribute to environmental improvement. Over the past few years, the air and climate in the city have improved significantly thanks to the joint action of residents, businesses and the government.
The delegation also visited a vocational college of commerce and tourism, known throughout China. Students held master classes for guests from our city on calligraphy and gyozu modeling, tea ceremony and showed lessons on making ceramics. The college is interested in developing ties with Perm colleagues and expressed its willingness to send its students to Perm to learn the basics of Russian cuisine and to hold master classes on the preparation of Chinese dishes.
At the National Centre for Performing Arts, colleagues from both cities have agreed to organize artistic exchanges. In addition, the delegation met with Russian students, representing Kalmykia and Buryatia, professionally learning Chinese. The students told about their life, studies and leisure activities at the University of Inner Mongolia. They said they were very happy to study in hospitable Hohhot, but miss their compatriots and Russian cuisine.
The delegation also visited the school No 2 of Hohhot, which has a link with Perm Lyceum No 4, a cooperation agreement being signed during the visit. The school comprises several buildings, has a large territory and a football field equal to that of «Zvezda» in Perm by size. The teachers and high school volunteers showed the delegation round the workshops, robotics and prototyping laboratories, bio-laboratory, a spacious library, a creative studio, zoological and herbarium museums, the music salon and much more.
It is worth mentioning that the interaction with Hohhot in a number of areas has already begun.
– In late July last year, a group of students from Perm Lyceums No.4 and No.8 visited Hohhot to participate in an international friendship summer camp and to establish cooperation with partner schools. This year Perm again received an invitation from Hohhot. In connection with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China and within the Year of Culture of China and Russia, announced by the President of the Russian Federation, we plan to exchange practices and cross-border Days of Culture, - said earlier Perm Mayor Eduard Sosnin.
To remind, Hohhot is the fourth Chinese city with which the region’s capital is building a partnership. Bilateral contacts with such cities of China as Qingdao, Changzhou and Zunyi are also progressing dynamically.