Raymond Waydelich, 2010
in the context of the European Exchange Program of Young Artists Apollonia


An excellent collaboration between the Municipality of Rethymnon and the Municipality of Strasbourg was inaugurated in Rethymnon in the context of a Workshop which took place in the Contemporary Art Museum of Crete and a Ceramics-Pottery Exhibition which was housed at the Artillery Room at the Fortezza Fortress of Rethymnon.

It was the start of a meaningful and fruitful collaboration between the two Municipalities in the areas of Culture-Tourism and Environment which dated from the visit to Strasbourg of the Municipal councilwoman in matters of Tourism and Culture, Mrs Pepi Birliraki, the previous year, where the wish for collaboration of both municipalities was founded. The critical situation our country was in during those months did not discourage that collaboration, on the contrary it encouraged it, a fact reflected in the answer given by the Mayor of Strasbourg Mr. Roland Reis when he was asked “But are you going to start collaboration with Greece now?” “Especially now!” was his answer.

The unwavering wish of both parties to collaborate could guarantee the successful outcome of that collaboration.

Thus on Thursday, 05/12/2010, our city welcomed the Mayor of Strasbourg and his collaborators and his stay was combined with a Workshop whose main rapporteurs were the Mayors of Rethymnon and Strasbourg.

The Workshop was addressed to all the citizens and visitors who wished to attend it (Saturday 05/15/2010 at 11.00 am-14.00 pm in the rooms of the Contemporary Art Museum of Crete).

On the evening of the same day (Saturday 5/15) an exhibition was inaugurated in the Artillery Room of the Fortezza fortress of the artist Raymond-Emile Waydelich, who was hosted for a year at Margarites and exchanged-inter alia- Ceramics-Pottery techniques and genres with the locals. The exhibition was organized in the context of the European Exchange Program of Young Artists. The Contemporary Art Museum of Crete represented Rethymnon. The exhibition lasted until June 30, 2010.

Visits to museums, monuments, archaeological sites, monasteries and representative places of Rethymnon were also foreseen, so that the Mayor of Strasbourg could get to know in as much as the duration of his stay allowed the features of our city, its culture, traditions and civilization.