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20 Oct 2025
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20 Oct 2025
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Mayors Elisa Parenti and John Coonan at the opening ceremony of Formigine Tenzone Aurea
Mayor of Kilkenny Cllr John Coonan, visited one of Kilkenny’s twin cities, Formigine, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy to strengthen ties between the two last week.
The mayor and Acting Director of Services for Kilkenny County Council Ian Gardner travelled for the Settembre in Formigione festival, which included the internationally renowned Tenzone Aurea, an impressive display of flag-waving and musicianship.
The trip was focused on expanding collaboration and a central point of the delegation’s agenda was a productive work meeting with Mayor Elisa Parenti, which yielded significant proposals for future joint projects.
This includes commitments to develop study trips and summer work projects in Kilkenny for people from Formigine between the ages of 14 and 22, creating opportunities for local colleges and associations to host them.
They also explored sending young Irish volunteers to Formigine under the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes.
SEE ALSO: Eco award for Kilkenny farm that reduced greenhouse gases
Plans are also underway to establish exchange projects between local associations in both cities, leveraging Formigine’s university for potential collaboration in arts, languages and scientific courses.
In the area of economic and tourism promotion, the delegation worked to create new avenues for local Kilkenny food producers to connect with Italian markets and actively used the international platform of the festival to fly the flag for Kilkenny as a must-visit tourist destination.
The focus on youth exchange is hoped to provide the next generation with international experience, cultural understanding and networking opportunities.
Speaking about the importance of the twinning, Mayor Coonan said; “Our twinning agreement with Formigine is much more than a courtesy title, it’s a friendship rooted in mutual respect, deep cultural exchange and a shared civic pride.”
“Though separated by geography, our two historic cities are united in spirit. This partnership is a vital vehicle for delivering tangible benefits back home to Kilkenny”.
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