On 5 and 6 July 2008 Brasov City Hall organized the first edition of the Twin Towns Festival. This event is a local initiative with a significant international participation designed to promote intercultural dialogue, especially after 2008 has been declared by the European Parliament and the European Union Council the "Year of Intercultural Dialogue".
Cultural Diversity
According to Mayor George Scripcaru, Brasov is reputed for its multiculturalism: "It is important to find the most appropriate ways to facilitate dialogue between different cultures but also between citizens, to provide people the opportunity to understand that we can live in harmony even though we have different beliefs and identities. We see this festival as an opportunity for the participants to link new friendships and have a better awareness of the cultural heritage - spiritual and material - of each country represented ".
Twin Towns
The municipality has been honoured by the way the cities Brasov is twinned to or is connected by collaboration relationship treated the invitation. Tampere - Finland, Gyor - Hungary, Rishon Le Zion - Israel, Gent - Belgium, Leeds - Britain, Nurnberg - Germany, Minsk - Belarus, Musashino ? Japan sent their representatives at Brasov.
Cultural Interferences
The Festival?s program includes Origami Exhibition drawings, shodo, yo-yo, performed by Japan Musashino Center, Music and Romanian folk dances ? Tara Barsei band, Hungarian folk dances, Greek Dances - The Hellenic Community
Brasov, Songs and dances of Israel, German folk dances - The "Corona" band, Circus - Circus Ruska, Finland, folk music - Susie Boehm (Nurnberg, Germany). The event ended with a tasting dinner with typical products of the countries that attended the festival.
Hungarian Traditions
The public jostled at the Hungarian artisans stand to buy a souvenir. The Hungarian ethnics of Brasov had the opportunity to exchange impressions with representatives of the Hungarian delegation, achieving an intercultural dialogue meant to preserve the Hungarian traditions in Romania. The Folk Band of Gyor performed an outstanding show of the song, the dance and the display of their traditional popular clothes.
The Greek Joy of Dance
The Greek Community distinguished by the costumes worn by its members: the rustic shoes with large fringes and the black and white kerchiefs. The joy of the dance tempted many locals to imitate some movements next to the stage set up in the historical centre of Brasov. The Romanian folkloric kept up with theirs homologue of the nine countries.
