Information

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

This twinning agreement had its origin in the Conference of Cities of the Mediterranean, held in 1995, and aims to foster the objectives fixed in the Declaration of Barcelona, signed during the same year by the Foreign Ministers of the member countries of the EU and by the countries of the Mediterranean.

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

The agreement specified some joint annual actions of the three sides in matters of cooperation or of professional exchanges, which, for reasons derived from the conflict, had never been able to be carried out.  Nevertheless, exchanges have been done separately with each of the cities.  Specifically, with Tel Aviv, various bilateral meetings have been held in recent years at an essentially technical level.   

Despite the difficulties of carrying out projects of dialogue and cooperation between the three cities, during the critical moments of the conflict in the Near East, Barcelona hasn’t wanted to stop being present, fostering peace.