Information

The twinning agreement with Gaza was formalised on 24th September 1998 with the signature of the agreement of friendship and collaboration between Barcelona, Gaza and Tel Aviv-Jaffo, represented by their respective mayors.

This twinning agreement originates from the Conference of Mediterranean Cities, held in 1995, and aims to foster the goals fixed in the Declaration of Barcelona, signed the same year by the Foreign Ministers of the member countries of the EU and of the countries of the Mediterranean.

In the protocol signed, the three cities expressed their support of the peace agreements of Oslo and agreed to exchange experiences and knowledge about municipal management, develop joint cultural initiatives, foster the collaboration between the societies of the three cities, and boost cooperation projects that contribute to the development and improvement of the living conditions of the citizens of Gaza.    

The difficulties of the Middle East peace process, and in particular the Palestine-Israel conflict, have made the actions agreed between the cities of little significance.  Nevertheless, Barcelona continues to maintain bilateral relations with both Gaza and Tel Aviv - Jaffo.

In terms of Gaza, within the framework of the twinning agreement, Barcelona maintains constant relations, which have been translated into the carrying out of various cooperation projects and technical assistance, as well as in the constitution of a network of European cities twinned with Gaza and a citizen commission, Barcelona for Palestine.

Among the projects carried out or still undergoing, it is worth highlighting the following:

• Construction of the Barcelona Peace Park, in the neighbourhood of Tal al Hawa
• Project of technical assistance in questions of mental health
• Project of support in ophthalmological medicine in the hospitals of the Gaza strip.
• Construction of infrastructures and urbanisation of the neighbourhood of Al-Nasser

The Department of Cooperation of the City Council of Barcelona ensures the relations with the municipality of Gaza and with all the citizen entities that work in Gaza and Palestine.

For more information, you can consult www.bcn.cat/cooperacio.