January 21, 2020: fourteen students and three teachers from Lüdenscheid's Adolf Reichwein Gesamtschule are visiting the city of Taganrog within the framework of international educational exchanges with Taganrog Chekhov Teachers College. The program consists of practical training at municipal schools, Chekhov Public Library and Interface translation agency.

The long-term study-abroad exchange program began in 2001. Since that time 14 delegations of German school students came to Taganrog and 13 groups of Taganrog college students went to Lüdenscheid.

It has always been a tradition for Lüdenscheid's bürgermeister to meet Russian students at the rathaus (town hall), and for their Russian counterparts to receive delegations from Adolf Reichwein Gesamtschule at the Mayor's Office. January 20, 2020 the German delegation was received by Deputy City Manager for Social Affairs Irina Golubeva and Taganrog City Council's deputy Andrei Goloborodko.

Ms. Golubeva highlighted the importance of these traditional meetings and thanked the both the management and instructors of Taganrog Chekhov Teachers College and German institution, who have worked hard for many years to advance the partnership and strong educational ties between the two cities. She remarked that traineeships helps students to learn more about the country, its people, customs and traditions. It is also very important for Taganrogers to maintain close relations with its sister city Lüdenscheid.

When asked about their stay in Taganrog, the teachers from Lüdenscheid vied to share their impressions. Eva Schmitz-Beuting is visiting Russia for the first time, though she has been host to Russian students for many years, providing them bed and breakfast. Despite the stop of everyday teaching she was happy to join the school's delegation and visit social facilities in Taganrog.

Another representative of Adolf Reichwein Gesamtschule - instructor Victoria Kunz - noted the positive trend in mutual educational exchanges and reiterated it was important to have Russia as a partner in this exchange program, which is the pride of Adolf Reichwein Gesamtschule. She expressed hope that educational exchanges would continue for reciprocal discovery of cultures and establishing friendly relations among the two nations.

At the end of the meeting, both sides exchanged souvenirs and stressed the importance of existing international contacts and Russian-German friendships.