Leipzig

Discover recent collaborations in education, research, and the arts via the links below:

Strengthening city links through innovation and dialogue: A week of cultural exchange and collaboration reaffirmed the strong ties between Birmingham and Leipzig, opening new opportunities in research, innovation, and civic engagement.

Creative trade delegation from Leipzig visits Birmingham: In March 2025, Birmingham welcomed a trade mission from sister city Leipzig, strengthening ties through a shared focus on creativity, innovation, and economic collaboration across the cultural and tech sectors.

Birmingham and Leipzig forge stronger business connections: In November 2024, Lord Mayor Ken Wood led a trade visit to Leipzig, strengthening ties between the twin cities and exploring new opportunities for innovation, trade, and creative industry collaboration.

Current key activities include (2023 onwards) the development of a comprehensive action plan which also includes:

Opera Ball (November 2024)

• Birmingham was the showcased city in Leipzig’s annual event.
• The Opera Ball is an excellent promotional opportunity for the city of Birmingham as the event attracts people from cultural, political, social, and business backgrounds.
• A photographic exhibition at the event highlighted the Birmingham and Leipzig canal networks and cultural institutions including Birmingham Hippodrome.
• Birmingham Michelin Star Chef David Colcombe from Liquid PR co-created the menu with Leipzig Chef Kastenmeier.

Urban Diplomacy Exchange programme (UDE) 2023

• This sought to enable partner cities to achieve United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through city diplomacy and collaboration and knowledge exchange. Birmingham and Leipzig focused on healthy ageing and community engagement.
  • Healthy ageing – early intervention and prevention programmes, dementia friendly cities, promoting brain health, compassionate cities, and falls prevention programmes.
  • Community engagement – working with local neighbourhood networks to strengthen community empowerment, preventative and self-care programmes and promoting the effective use of local community resources.
  • Public health systems – both cities have explored each other’s public health systems as well as strategies to reduce health inequalities.
• The relationship between Birmingham CIty Council Public Health Team and Leipzig counterparts continues with online exchanges, including a ‘lunch and learn session’ in the autumn 2024

Education:

• Partner schools – both cities are looking to develop partnerships between schools. These may include language exchanges and pen pals. This also includes an EU Hydrogen Academy project at Bertz Associates joining up Birmingham and Leipzig schools.
• Young Women Into Leadership (You WIL) – You WIL is BCC initiative and an empowering programme for the future generations of young women, aspiring to be the leaders of tomorrow.