>> Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate – Rwanda partnership The partnership with the African country of Rwanda has existed since 1982. Rhineland-Palatinate chose a heretofore unique form of cooperation, which did not start on the government level but – as a so called grassroots partnership – straight from the people. The Rwandan partners freely propose projects they find to be most urgent and necessary. The Rhineland-Palatine partners are committed to provide the necessary financial and material support. An important aspect of the relations between Rhineland-Palatine and Rwanda is the work between municipalities. Currently, about 48 social groups (associations, foundations and organisations), 15 parishes, 4 nurseries, 218 schools as well as 4 colleges and 50 municipalities maintain contacts with their respective Rwandan partners. Projects are mainly focused on the areas of basic education, water supply, vocational education and craft industry support, support for street children and gender mainstreaming, but also environment issues and the supply of renewable energies. The projects are implemented via a co-ordination office in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, – sponsored by the Association Partnership Rhineland-Palatinate (Partnerschaft Rheinland-Pfalz/Ruanda e.V.) – in close cooperation with the Committee for Development Cooperation with the Partner Country of Rwanda (Referat Entwicklungs-zusammenarbeit mit dem Partnerland Ruanda), an initiative of the Rhineland-Palatine State Ministry of the Interior, Sports and Infrastructure (Ministerium des Innern, für Sport und Infrastruktur). So far, almost EUR 70 Millions has flowed into about 1,700 projects. About one fifth of the financial resources were raised though citizens’ donations. The annual budget amounts to EUR 1.5 Million at present. The international reputation of the partnership is not only due to its unique commitment, but also because the partnership has been maintained since 1982 in accordance with the eighth Millennium Development Goal, which foresees the creation of international partnerships in the context of the 2015 Action Plan. In addition to that, the federal state cooperates with numerous non-governmental partners involved in development policy including individuals on the level of municipalities, churches and schools. Our development programs are directed to private initiatives in Rhineland-Palatinate who carry out development education and information or cooperate with partners in developing countries all around the world. Within Rhineland-Palatinate’s government, the Ministry of the Interior, for Sport and Infrastructure holds the responsibility for the development policy of the federal state. For more information see: http://www.einewelt.rlp.de. Translated from the German by the following MA students at the School of Translation, Linguistics and Cultural Studies of the University of Mainz, Germersheim:                Swenja Bauer Sina Brauch Miriam Eckers Ruthild Gärtner Bianca Gerards Christine Gubo Anna Maria Kwiatkowska Theresa Lupek Jan Maintz Susanne Mollen Lara Nettekoven Dorothee Schmitt Viktorija Tapai Anne Weber Lars Zankl We thank you for the good work!