The of the Cultural Exchange Committee (Sister Cities Committee) is an ad hoc committee and local board. It was closed by council on October 27, 2025.
The City of Belleville has three Sister City arrangements with communities outside of Canada which include:
- Lahr is Belleville’s first Sister City and has seen numerous Friendship Flights and Student Exchange visits between our two cities since 1972 which began as a direct result of the former Canadian Air Force Base located in Lahr which supported NATO operations. As a regional centre within the Upper Rhine region of Germany, Lahr is situated in the Rhine valley between the Black Forest and the Rhine river plain. Historically, Lahr was a garrison town for about a century which ended with the Canadian Forces in 1994. It offers a broad and diverse mix of Culture, Tourism, Business and Life to its citizens and visitors.
- Gunpo-si 군포시 (Gyeonggi-do) South Korea is part of the Seoul National Capital Area and has been a Sister City of Belleville since 1996. In 1996 the City of Belleville and Gunpo, South Korea signed a twinning agreement. Since that time we have enjoyed a successful business exchange relationship which has included meetings and visits with various businesses, manufacturers and industries in both cities, in addition to showcasing each city and their surrounding areas.
- Zhucheng City became a Sister City with Belleville in 1996.
It was reported in 1984 that the Friendship Flight led to business being brought to Belleville:
Mandate
- Manage visits and other twinning events between Belleville and Gunpo Korea
- Assist staff as necessary with organizing the student exchange and friendship flights with Lahr Germany
- Provide recommendations to Council on matters pertaining to twinning activities
Governance
Five (5) voting members consisting of:
- Mayor
- 2 Councillors
- 2 Citizen Members
As of June 9, 2025 its members are:
- His Worship Mayor Ellis
- Councillor Chatten
- Councillor Henderson
- Jackie Denyes
- Paige Summers
Term: 2 years
To become a committee member, you can apply online through the Boards & Committees Application Form.
Staff Support
- Technical support from Mayor’s and CAO’s offices for the Sister City visits and special events
- Administrative support from the Mayor’s office staff
- Mayor’s office staff to advertise, recruit, interview and organize special events for the Lahr Student Exchange.
- Citizen volunteers and representatives from the travel industry assist with organization and interpretation with respect to planning and undertaking visits and events.
Meetings
- Committee meetings at the call of the Chair
- Volunteer groups etc who are implementing an approved event or activity shall meet as necessary
This trip and past ones have been organized through the mayor’s office, Panciuk and clerk Matt MacDonald said.
The Intelligencer, 2021
This committee does not meet regularly as Mayor’s office staff have become the main coordinators and point of contact for the exchanges. The committee met once officially before we sent a delegation to Lahr Germany in 2023.
Mayor and Council Services & Communications representative
Who pays for travel?
All but the politicians must cover their own costs.
The Intelligencer
Starting in 2022, reimbursements to members of the Cultural Exchange Committee are listed separately in the annual Remuneration & Expense report:
Trips
July 2012 from Gunpo
September 12 to 26, 2015 to Lahr
Be a Part of the Lahr Friendship Tour
September 12 – 26, 2015Councillor Jackie Denyes announced at the Feb. 9th council meeting that details are now available for the Lahr Friendship Tour, Belleville’s sister city in Germany. $3887 per person, double occupancy shared twin – rate based on 15 cabins with 30 persons attending.
Includes:
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Airfare
Eight-Day Seine Valley & Normandy Beaches Cruise
Two nights in Paris Latin Quarter hotel
Lahr, Germany
Deposit required on or before Feb. 20th.
Contact: John Rawson Vacation and Cruise Consultant
613-968-3526, 42 Dundas St. W., Belleville
July 2016 from Gunpo
June 2017 from Lahr
Mayor Christopher and City’s Cultural Exchange Committee welcomed a delegation of approximately 22 visitors from our Sister City of Lahr, Germany to Belleville this morning in City Hall.
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2018 to Gunpo
April 2019 to Gunpo
September 29 to October 7 2021 to Lahr, Germany
Meeting with Lahr’s civic officials, touring a wastewater plant, the former Canadian military base, and attending functions – and said no quarantine was required at either end of the trip.
Councillors, mayor in spat over planning of overseas trip
Malette said the city’s overseas delegation had been formed “without consultation or notice of the cultural exchange committee and without the general notice of council as a whole.” The group includes Panciuk, Couns. Carol Feeney and Bill Sandison, Police Chief Mike Callaghan, the Quinte Economic Development Commission’s Vicki Bristow Ferguson, and Starboard Communications broadcaster Paul Ferguson, along with their partners. All but the politicians must cover their own costs.
The Intelligencer
Citing a sub-section of the Procedural By-law, Councillor Malette sought permission to read a pre-amble and motion he had prepared related to
substantive business brought to Council. His Worship Mayor Panciuk cautioned Councillor Malette that the motion may be ruled out of order. City Clerk, Matt MacDonald recommended Councillor Malette work with him on the motion to ensure intent is clear and introduce at a future
meeting. Mayor Panciuk provided information regarding the process of how the Friendship Flight to Lahr, Germany came to fruition. Councillor
Malette called a point of order. Mayor Panciuk did not recognize the point of order.Councillor Thompson raised the issue of the Friendship Flight to Lahr. His Worship Mayor Panciuk called Councillor Thompson to order. Councillor Thompson called a point of order but was not recognized by Mayor Panciuk. He then called Councillor Thompson to order.
Malette said he wanted to put forth a motion; Panciuk called the move out of order, then consulted with clerk MacDonald.
Panciuk said he’d already invited Malette to meet with MacDonald to discuss the travel policy and to review the terms of reference. Malette said he’d reviewed the document but had not met with the clerk.
MacDonald said in his time with the city, so-called “friendship flights,” particularly those to Lahr, have been organized by the mayor’s office, not the cultural exchange committee.
“I’m in no way saying … there’s no valid reason,” Malette said. “I’m looking at the process.
“I believe this matter should have come before the committee and/or all of council,” Malette said.
“I’m suggesting the terms of reference, as written today, are being adhered to,” clerk MacDonald offered to meet with Malette to help him fine-tune his motion to “have more effect on council” in the future.
“I will meet with the clerk while you’re away on your trip,” Malette told the mayor.
Panciuk recalled the history of recent overseas trips by council. The last trip to Lahr was in 2015; a delegation from Lahr was here in 2017, and delegations have numbered 30 to 60 people.
Belleville council members visited Gunpo, South Korea in 2018 and a Korean group is due here in 2022.
The mayor said his German counterpart invited him there in 2019 and they have kept in touch through the pandemic.
Travel by a large group is “not feasible” and a majority of council members cannot make the trip because it would constitute a quorum of council. Some councillors cannot travel due to medical reasons, Panciuk said, and so he had invited the newest councillors, Feeney and Tyler Allsopp, and others from outside council.
The Intelligencer (Minutes)
2021 to Gunpo
A delegation of 12 Belleville politicians, economic development representatives, media, and residents recently returned from a visit to Gunpo. This was one of several mutual visits over the years, designed to share cultural exchanges and discuss business opportunities.
2022 from Gunpo
May 3 to 8, 2022 from Lahr
February 15th met with the Cultural Exchange Committee to begin planning an agenda for the visitors from Belleville’s twin city, Lahr,
Germany, May 3rd – May 8th
February 13, 2023 – Belleville updates the Terms of Reference to add 2 citizens members with voting privileges
May 12, 2023
Cultural Exchange | Members of the City’s Cultural Exchange Committee and BST Vacations/Blowes & Stewart Travel Group will be hosting an open house for those interested in participating in an upcoming Lahr Friendship Visit and combined tour! Join us in Council Chamber at City Hall (169 Front St.) this coming Wednesday, May 24 at 5:30 p.m. to learn about the trip and secure your spot. Details: https://bit.ly/3Bj8Ssz
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July 2023 from Gunpo
October 2023 to Lahr
November 2024 to Lahr
April 2024 to Gunpo for 1 week
Taking part in the trip are Mayor Neil Ellis, Councillor Chris Malette, Councillor Kathryn Brown, City Clerk and Director of Corporate Services Matt MacDonald, Manager of Council Services & Communications Sarah Tummon-Button, Investment Attraction Officer Elisha Maguire, delegation ambassadors Cindy and Simon Kang, Belleville Chamber of Commerce President Dale Hoard and media representative Lorne Brooker (CJBQ).
Throughout the visit, the delegation will take part in a number of events and activities including an official welcoming ceremony in the City of Gunpo, participation in the annual Azalea Festival, a tour of the Hyundai plant as well as tours of various municipal facilities.
The Intelligencer
The Manager of Economic Development provided a summary of the group’s journey to Korea. The summary included background information on the cultural exchange and the itinerary. The group’s visits encompassed significant locations such as the Royal Palace, the Hyundai plant, the Blue House in Seoul, and a traditional Korean BBQ. Additionally, it was mentioned that negotiations are ongoing for a Korean BBQ to come to Belleville.
Economic Development Committee
