LIZ WELCOMES ITALIAN TOWN-TWINNERS

4.39.35pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 18th Jun 2007

Liz (3rd from left) with Helen Ratcliffe (2nd from left), Chair of Leek Twinning Committee and visitors from Este

West Midlands MEP Liz Lynne has welcomed a delegation from the Italian town of Este to their twin town of Leek in Staffordshire.

Leek is this year celebrating its 800th year and last Saturday saw medieval celebrations and events in the town centre. Liz gave a presentation on current issues surrounding European integration and answered questions from local residents of both towns.

Speaking after the event, Liz said:

"Some 1400 town-twinning projects are supported each year and they provide wonderful opportunities to meet people from different places, work together and learn from each other, building friendship and trust."

"While the historic town of Leek celebrates an important birthday it is also the anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which has helped bring the peoples of Europe together during the last fifty years in a way which must have seemed impossible during the first half of the twentieth century."

ENDS

Liz (centre) with Cllr John Fisher (l), Chair of Leek’s 800th anniversary celebrations committee and Helen Ratcliffe (r), Chair of Leek Twinning Committee

Notes to Editors:

Este is located in the province of Padua, 60km from Venice in the north east of Italy. It has a population of some 17,000.