Several members and friends of CAIF met German colleagues in Dresden, this in the week leading up to the remembrance of the blanket bombing of Dresden on 13 February 1945. Visitors and hosts included Claudia, Clive, Dave, Linda, Paula, Rainer, Reinhard, Sabine, Sinclair, Stefan, Ulrich and Emilia. Some of the events and visits in Dresden included:… Continue reading Dresden visit February 2026
Author: Michael Hammond
Urban conversations
During our visit to Dresden we were able to attend a conversation around twinning organised by Dresden Technical University as part of their Urban Conversations programme. Those taking part included: Tine & Günter Starke – photographers whose work provided the visual framework for the evening Sabine Coady Schaebitz from Coventry University, editor of Heritage and… Continue reading Urban conversations
Welcome visitors to Coventry
We were very pleased to welcome Marc Lalonde (Lektor) and students from 'The Tudors' - this is the name of the drama group within the Institute for English and American Studies at the Technische Universität in our partner city of Dresden. This was the group's fourth visit and this time around they were reading 'Poems for… Continue reading Welcome visitors to Coventry
Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 1
Amy Rugg When you are 90 feet in the air, it focusses your mind. One week after returning from Dresden, I found myself on the edge of the roof of Coventry Cathedral, where I was abseiling to raise money for a local charity. The abseil coach rolled his eyes as I began shaking uncontrollably. His response… Continue reading Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 1
Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 2
Amy Rugg In part 1 Amy describes first impressions of Dresden, the Frauenkirche, meeting artists and working in school. In part 2 she tells us about working with students in a high school, leading a workshop at Veranderbar, a community radio invite, and an unexpected evening meal. Volkshochschule After a brief respite, Annika returned from… Continue reading Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 2
The Spirit of Dunkerque
Inhabiting Modernity: Model Cities of Post-War Reconstruction in Europe Sabine Coady Schäbitz Inhabiting Modernity was the title of a very successful symposium which I attended in September this year in Dunkerque in France. The symposium marked the culmination of an exhibition with the same name which was running from April to September 2025. Both the… Continue reading The Spirit of Dunkerque
At the Priory Undercroft: Photographs from Dresden
Christine and Gunter Starke are renowned photographers from our partner city of Dresden where they have been documenting people and places for over 45 years. They are visiting Coventry this month and in advance they sent over sets of photographs which are now on show in the LTB’s St Mary Priory Undercroft near the cathedral. Christine and Gunter’s particular concern has been… Continue reading At the Priory Undercroft: Photographs from Dresden
Documenting the past
CAIF, the Coventry Association for International Friendship, and CDE, the Coventry-Dresden Exchange, are bringing Günter Starke and his partner, Christine, to Coventry from our twin city of Dresden in October this year. Now more than 80 years old, Günter is a legend in photographic circles in Saxony, having survived as a documentary photographer during the… Continue reading Documenting the past
Remembrance and what it means today
Student UNESCO Ambassadors from Lyng Hall were invited by CAIF – to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. The Memory Cities network, officially created in Dunkirk in 2016, aims to bring together several cities around the world that have been heavily affected by the conflicts of… Continue reading Remembrance and what it means today
Responsibility
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of responsibility and Emmanuel… Continue reading Responsibility
Remembering
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of remembering and Daniel writes: Remembering… Continue reading Remembering
Identity
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of… Continue reading Identity
Friendship
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of friendship and Deborah… Continue reading Friendship
Acceptance
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of acceptance and Alex writes: Acceptance… Continue reading Acceptance
Belonging
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of belonging and Alicja writes: Belonging… Continue reading Belonging
Heritage
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of heritage and Daria writes: Heritage… Continue reading Heritage
Reconciliation
This is one of eight reflections from student UNESCO Ambassadors at Lyng Hall who were invited to the Cities of Remembrance symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk which took place from 20-27 May. An earlier blog describes the background in more detail and points to seven other reflections from the visit. This reflection covers the theme of reconciliation and… Continue reading Reconciliation
Coventry Association for International Friendship 