1. Fosses – France
In 1986, an agreement protocol was signed between the city of Serres and the city of Fosses, France. This twinning aims to promote exchanges and mutual aid among the peoples in a spirit of the map of the World Federation of Twinned Cities.
The five main elements of the charter are:
- Cultural: It considers twinning of cities as an organ of human education without any prejudice.
- No interference: No interference in internal affairs.
- No Discrimination: Do not exclude any will.
- Bilingual education: Learning, beyond the mother tongue, one of the spoken languages of the World Communication. Each cultural twinning brings about constant progress in getting to know the twin city and should facilitate as far as possible linguistic relations.
- Solidarity: Exchanges between equal twin cities. A twinning represents a possibility of mutual development and a source of mutual culture.
The institutions that are already joining our cities, responding to the availability of the inhabitants of Serres and Fosses, will make fruitful contacts after a better acquaintance with each other and even in empirical exchanges, allowing our two places to move forward their development.
This mutual appreciation will contribute to good understanding among peoples, an indispensable player for the peace of nations.
2. Veliko Tyrnovo – Bulgaria
The approval of twinning took place on 10/11/1988.
On March 22, 1992, a protocol was agreed on bilateral co-operation and continuation of bilateral relations between two twin cities Veliko Tyrnovo of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Municipality of Serres. The two sides agreed as follows:
- Exchange of information on proposals, programs on both sides for exchange of folklore groups, art exhibitions, photographic exhibitions and other issues in the field of culture.
- The Municipal Council of Serres should provide information on the activities of the main companies of Serres.
- The Municipality of Serres should provide information on visits by representatives of the Union of Agricultural Associations.
- The Municipality of Veliko Tyrnovo is obliged to contribute to the tourists’ visit to the tourism sector and to the contacts with the businessmen of the city of Serres.
- The two Municipalities should exchange information in specialized areas of services in structure and composition.
3. Petritsi – Bulgaria
On 7 November 2005, the twinning protocol of the Municipality of Petritsi, Bulgaria and the Municipality of Serres, was ratified in order to develop various actions in the framework of the principle of reciprocity through:
- Cultivating friendly relations between the two cities and their inhabitants.
- Promoting programs of common interest in all areas of human action.
- Exchange of experience on issues of administration and organization of local government.
- Exchange of missions and their participation in cultural, artistic or sporting events or the co-organization of such events.
- Mutual tourist visibility of the two cities.
The first meeting of the two cities took place in 31/10/2005 in Serres.
The two cities are jointly involved in the Training Program: “Cross-Border Cooperation and Training Programs of the Business Enhancement and Human Resources Development Measure“. The program was funded by the Community Initiative INTERREG IA Phare CBC Greece – Bulgaria. This program which took place at the Municipal Enterprise for Vocational Training in Serres from 3/12/2007 to 21/12/2007, involved 20 employees from the Municipality of Petrisi and 20 from the Municipality of Serres.