Wiwilí

Red Baron was invited by Freiburg's Lord Mayor Martin Horn to attend yesterday night's ceremonial signing of the sister city agreement between Freiburg and Wiwilí in Nicaragua. The city of Wiwili extends over 30 square kilometers on both sides of the Rio Coco, so there is Wiwilí de Nueva Segovia on the western side of the river with about 19,000 inhabitants and Wiwilí de Jinotega on the right of the Rio Coco with about 75,000 people.

Lord Major Martin Horn greeted the guests.
Note the wood paneling of the old city council chamber.

The friendship between Freiburg and Wiwilí was set up in 1998, remembering two Freiburgers murdered by the "Contras." These national guards of former Dictator Somoza have been fighting the Sandinista revolutionary government since 1980. 

The first Freiburger killed in 1983 was physician Albrecht "Tonio" Pflaum, who had been working in Wiwilí on behalf of the German Development Service since 1980. He was there helping to improve the living conditions in the poorest area of one of the poorest countries in Central America. The second man was Berndt Koberstein, murdered in 1986 while working on a drinking water project that was eventually achieved. There are many more projects in Wiwilí in agriculture, education, and culture. About 40 percent of the population can neither read nor write.

Applause by the mayor for all those people engaged in the Wiwili sistership

For the signing ceremony at the historical chamber of the city council, both Reyna Esmeralda Hernandez Mairena, mayor of Wiwilí Jinotega, and Santiago Castillo Lazo, mayor of Wiwilí Nueva Segovia, had come to Freiburg. With the act completed, Wiwilí is now officially Freiburg's 12th sister city.

The signing of the sister city agreement.
To the left of Martin Horn Esmeralda Hernandez Mairena, to the right Santiago Castillo Lazo.

Lord Mayor Horn is examining some of the gifts
while Esmeralda Hernandez Maire is undoing a t-shirt and
  Santiago Castillo Laz is struggling with his earphone.

Freiburg's first bridge spanning the railway tracks near the central station was called Blaue Brücke because of its paint. Built in 1886, it was renamed Wiwilí Bridge in 2003.

Freiburg's blue Wiwilí Bridge serving as a logo for a workshop with the title:
Join us in designing Freiburg's digital future. Red Baron will attend.

The Wiwilí people dream of bridging the Rio Coco, establishing a solid permanent connection between Wiwilí de Nueva Segovia and Wiwilí de Jinotega.

Crossing the Rio Coco at present (©La cara de Wiwilí)

The projected name of the bridge: Puente de Freiburgo.

At the following reception. Who is going to eat all this?

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